FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 26, 2010

CONTACT: Coral Lopez, 310-956-5712

Trucking Industry Dodges Responsibility Causing Dire Economic, Environmental Consequences; Congress Holds Key to Promise of Clean Air and Green Jobs at America’s Ports

“It is unconscionable that a lobby group representing the deep-pocket trucking industry will stop at nothing to help its members evade responsibility and continue passing the cost of air pollution clean up to individual workers earning poverty wages. While we are confident that the federal court’s original ruling will ultimately withstand the appeals process, the industry’s latest legal maneuvering to reinstate the injunction and block a critical component of the award winning LA Clean Truck Program threatens its long-term sustainability.

“The American Trucking Associations’ latest attack prevents a legally sound environmental clean-up program that has earned the praise of the EPA, elected leaders, economists and port authorities nationwide from fully moving forward.

“We look forward to a speedy resolution of the lawsuit in the federal appellate court. We continue to work with Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-NY) to pass the Clean Ports Act of 2010 this session to put an end to the ATA’s ongoing efforts to thwart the LA Clean Truck Program as well as clean fleet turnover plans at seaports across the country. We will not stop fighting until we achieve a stable and sustainable port trucking market that is no longer subsidized by the lungs or livelihoods of drivers and port residents nationwide.”