Long Beach Port Clean Air

By Karen Robes Meeks

The Port of Long Beach has funded nine air filtration projects totaling $743,631 to help improve the health of children, seniors and those communities affected by port operations.

Among those slated to receive the grants include:

• City of Long Beach Multi-Service Center – $104,498
• The Vasek Polak Children's Clinic Family Health Center – Long Beach – $5,859
• Compton Unified School District, Kelly Elementary – Compton – $74,477
• Compton Unified School District, Roosevelt Elementary – Compton – $133,652
• Compton Unified School District, Whaley Middle – Compton – $103,322
• The Children's Clinic Family Health Center in Central Long Beach – $12,765
• City of Paramount – Spane Park Learning Center – $4,549
• Fairfield Family YMCA – Long Beach – $143,979
• St. Lucy School – Long Beach – $160,530

“The selected projects will provide high-performance air filters and heating, ventilation and air conditioning upgrades at facilities most impacted by port operations,” said Harbor Commission President Lou Anne Bynum. “We’ve made tremendous progress in reducing air pollution through our Green Port Policy, and these grants help us provide mitigation directly to our neighbors.”

The money comes from the $46.4 million Port Community Grants Program to curb the impacts of port operations on communities. Paired with the $18.2 million awarded from a prior program, the Long Beach port has invested $65 million toward this effort.