Cooperative Agreement Between the Ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles and the South Coast Air Quality Management District
Summary
SCH Number
2025110385
Public Agency
Port of Long Beach
Document Title
Cooperative Agreement Between the Ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles and the South Coast Air Quality Management District
Document Type
NOE - Notice of Exemption
Received
Posted
11/12/2025
Document Description
The Cooperative Agreement between the Port of Long Beach (POLB), Port of Los Angeles (POLA), and South Coast Air Quality Management District (AQMD) sets forth the process and requirements for the implementation of a Clean Air Action Plan (CAAP) Plus measure for the ports' development of Zero Emissions Infrastructure Plans (ZE Plans) for the implementation of zero-emission charging and fueling infrastructure on port managed property for all port sources. The Cooperative Agreement defines the roles of each the ports and the South Coast AQMD; the Cooperative Agreement requires the POLB and POLA to respectively develop zero emission infrastructure plans (ZE Plan) in phases, by port source(s), commit to a public process; identifies provisions in the event the Port defaults on a requirement, and requires annual reporting on progress during the term of the Cooperative Agreement. During development of the ZE Plans, the South Coast AQMD will be consulted at least 30 days prior to release of the draft ZE Plans. The ZE Plans are subject to public review for at least 30 days, during which the Port will hold one public meeting. Following the public review period, the South Coast AQMD will be able to review the draft ZE Plan along with all public comments received for an additional 30 days. Public comments received will be considered and the POLB will prepare a revised draft ZE Plan to be reviewed by the South Coast AQMD for completeness. The final ZE Plans are subject to approval by the Board of Harbor Commissioners (Board). In Phase 1, the ZE Plan for container terminals and drayage trucks will be released by May 30, 2027, a revised draft ZE Plan released by September 30, 2027, and the Board's adoption of the final ZE Plan by December 31, 2027. In Phase 2, the draft ZE Plan for non-container terminals, harbor craft, and in-port locomotives will be released by May 30, 2028, a revised draft of the ZE Plan released by September 30, 2028, and the Board's adoption of the final ZE-Plan by December 31, 2028. Phase 3 involves the preparation of the draft ZE Plan for ocean-going vessels released by May 30, 2029, release of the revised draft ZE Plan by September 30, 2029, and adoption of the final ZE Plan by the Board by December 31, 2029. If the POLB or POLA fails to meet a ZE Plan submittal date, an implementation milestone, or fails to adhere to the public process, the POLB or POLA will be subject to payment into a Clean Air Mitigation Fund in the amount of $50,000 up to $200,000, depending on the nature of the default. The Clean Air Mitigation Fund will be managed by the South Coast AQMD for disbursement to State Tidelands-compliant projects. POLB and POLA will also reimburse the South Coast AQMD for staff costs associated with review of the ZE Plans and annual reports. Under the Cooperative Agreement, the South Coast AQMD agrees to evaluate and potentially support funding efforts for the CAAP Plus Measure; monitor, assess, and verify the implementation of the CAAP Plus Measure based on information provided by the ports, and make accessible to the public, any pertinent data and information related to the implementation of the CAAP Plus Measures. The South Coast AQMD, POLB, and POLA also agree to continue discussions through Spring 2026, related to additional clean air strategies for potential enhancements to the Cooperative Agreement. The term of the Cooperative Agreement will be effective as of the date of the last party's signature through December 31, 2030.
Contact Information
Name
Heather Tomley
Agency Name
Port of Long Beach
Job Title
Managing Director, Planning & Environmental Affairs
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency
Phone
Email
Location
Cities
Long Beach
Counties
Los Angeles
Regions
Citywide
Other Location Info
Long Beach Harbor District
Notice of Exemption
Exempt Status
Statutory Exemption
Type, Section or Code
15262 (Feasibility and Planning Studies)
Reasons for Exemption
State CEQA Guidelines Section 15262 (Feasibility Studies) statutorily exempts a project involving only feasibility or planning studies for possible future actions which the agency, board, or commission has not approved, adopted, or funded does not require the preparation of an EIR or Negative Declaration, but does require consideration of environmental factors. This section does not apply to the adoption of a plan that will have a legally binding effect on later activities. Among the terms of the Cooperative Agreement is the requirement for each of the respective ports to prepare ZE Plans identifying the charging and fueling infrastructure on port-managed properties for cargo-handling equipment at container and non-container marine terminals, drayage trucks, local switcher locomotives, harbor craft, and ocean-going vessels. Each ZE Plan will be made available for public review and for review by the South Coast AQMD; each ZE Plan will also be subject to the Board of Harbor Commissioners' approval. Future actions to implement each plan involving a commitment to develop or construct the charging and fueling infrastructure as identified in the ZE Plans would be subject to the appropriate environmental review in accordance with CEQA.
Exempt Status
Categorical Exemption
Type, Section or Code
15306 (Information Collection)
Reasons for Exemption
The Class 6 Categorical Exemption consists of basic data collection, research, experimental management, and resource evaluation activities which do not result in a serious or major disturbance to an environmental resource. These may be strictly for information gathering purposes, or as part of a study leading to an action which a public agency has not yet approved, adopted, or funded . The Cooperative Agreement includes responsibilities for the ports for the implementation of the CAAP Plus Measures, including a stakeholder process where the ports shall conduct a transparent public process for all CAAP stakeholder to review and comment on CAAP Plus Measures through CAAP Stakeholder Meetings. The Long Beach City Charter and the Brown Act require the Board of Harbor Commissioner and City Council to conduct noticed public hearings and opportunity for public comment, which shall apply to the CAAP Plus Measures as they are presented to the Board. In addition, the Ports will be required to monitor the implementation of the CAAP Plus Measures and provide data and reports to the South Coast AQMD as specified for each of the CAAP Plus Measures in the Cooperative Agreement.
Exempt Status
Other
Type, Section or Code
15061(b)(3) (Common Sense Exemption)
Reasons for Exemption
Because the purpose and intent of the Cooperative Agreement is to achieve quantifiable emissions reductions from port-related operations for the protection of air quality and public health, the project is considered to be exempt from CEQA pursuant to the Common-Sense Exemption in State CEQA Guidelines Section 15061(b)(3), where it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that the activity in question may have a significant effect on the environment, the activity is not subject to CEQA.
County Clerk
Los Angeles
Attachments
Notice of Exemption
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