BOARD MEETING DATE: October 5, 2007
AGENDA NO. 19

PROPOSAL:

Recommendation to Become Party to Southern California National Freight Gateway Cooperation Agreement

SYNOPSIS:

Local, state and federal transportation, air quality and other agencies have drafted an agreement seeking to promote cooperation, coordination and collaboration regarding freight transportation issues while all signatories pursue their normal responsibilities under law.

COMMITTEE:

Mobile Source, September 28, 2007, Recommended for Approval

RECOMMENDED ACTION:

Authorize the Chairman to execute the Southern California National Freight Gateway Cooperation Agreement.

Barry R. Wallerstein, D.Env.
Executive Officer

Background

Federal, state and local transportation, air quality and other agencies have developed the attached Southern California National Freight Gateway Cooperation Agreement. The purpose of the agreement is to promote cooperation, coordination and collaboration to advance sustainable and efficient freight transportation while all parties pursue their normal responsibilities under the law. The parties agree to—

• Cooperate to improve sustainable and efficient freight transportation operations in the Area, while protecting and enhancing the natural and human environment;
• Use this forum as a means to create better understanding among all stakeholders of underlying considerations and potential impacts and alternatives for proposed Southern California transportation projects related to goods movement;
• Cooperate regarding the development of a Strategic Framework for achieving sustainable and efficient freight transportation operations in the Area in harmony with California’s Goods Movement Action Plan (although this does not signify endorsement of any specific project);
• Consider improvements to the transportation decision-making and environmental review processes to expeditiously advance the objective of the Strategic Framework; and
• Take into account the existing environmental programs of ports and their tenants in order to work cooperatively to reduce air quality-related freight movement emissions consistent with the Area’s air quality implementation plan.

Under the agreement, senior management representatives of the agencies would meet twice a year to discuss emerging problems, issues and priorities for each organization, and to report on the status of the initiatives.

The agreement does not limit, increase or affect the authority of any agency under the law.

The anticipated parties to this agreement include:

• California Air Resources Board
• California Business, Transportation and Housing Agency
• California Environmental Protection Agency
• California Resources Agency
• California Department of Transportation
• Southern California Association of Governments
• Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority
• Orange County Transportation Authority
• Riverside County Transportation Commission
• San Bernardino Associated Governments
• City of Los Angeles for the Board of Harbor Commissioners
• City of Long Beach for the Board of Harbor Commissioners
• U.S. Department of Transportation
• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

The Governing Board's viewpoints on goods movement should be considered at this important forum.

Proposal

Staff recommends the Chairman to execute the attached Southern California National Freight Gateway Cooperation Agreement.

Resource Impacts

None

Attachments (DOC 112kb)

Southern California National Freight Gateway Cooperation Agreement