The South Bay, an integral part of Southern California, is smothered by pollution. There are clouds of haze hanging over it which is typical for Los Angeles. Los Angeles and Long Beach Harbor, neighboring ship ports, are the most highly-trafficked shipping centers in the nation which is good for our economy. The downside is it also brings with it a slew of pollution-causing illnesses in Los Angeles and surrounding areas. These illnesses plague children and devastate their families. They kill the children, literally.

What do the families see in their future?

It’s grim. Some anticipate an escalation in the number of pollution-related sickness. Their despondence will persist. The epidemic will exacerbate. Repercussion is imminent.

On Sept. 30, 2008, Calif. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger vetoed Senate Bill 974. It was written by state Sen. Alan Lowenthal ( D-Long Beach ). SB 974 would have taxed shipping companies that distribute goods to three California ports. The ports included Los Angeles , Long Beach and Oakland . Half of the revenue would have been used to alleviate the pollution emitted from the cargo fleets.

Lowenthal’s Legislative Director, Joshua Tooker felt “Disappointment and sadness” in the post-veto aftermath. He is concerned with Southern Californian’s health. The crisis is worsening. He said the volume of shipped goods has tripled in the last 10 to 15 years and estimated it will triple again by 2020.

Tooker noted the crisis was due to a lack of government regulations permitting emissions from "trains and ships" which are “…are left up to the federal government." Politicians “have chosen not to reduce emissions from these sources," he said.

Oladele A. Ogunseitan, Professor of Public Health & Social Ecology at University of California, Irvine was also concerned.

Ogunseitan predictions are dire: “The number of people who get sick (morbidity), especially children, is likely to be much higher…” He linked the “poor air quality” to respiratory illnesses exacerbating existing conditions such as asthma. “If we…add up the burden of morbidity and mortality associated with poor air…from the ports; I think that the Governor would have thought twice before the veto.” Ogunseitan said.

U.S. Environmental Projection Agency Spokesman Francisco Arcaute listed prominent toxin’s released from the vessels. These included “ozone” and PM (Particulate Matter)-10’s. According to the EPA, Pm-10’s are known to cause severe lung defects. There particles found in varying gaseous pollutants. The sources range from wood stoves to diesel trucks.

Arcaute described the severe effects. “Ozone damages lung cells and is linked to increased asthma and bronchitis, as well as decreased lung growth……PM10 is strongly associated with increased hospital and emergency room visits as well as premature deaths,” he said.

According to Tooker, the region is historically troubled. The influence for SB 974 came from “MATES II.” “MATES II” is a year 2000-released study was by the South Coast Air Quality Management District. It revealed cancerous implications concerning Southern California ’s pollution. According to Tooker, the study revealed the severity was “extremely high,” particularly in the Long Beach area. “As a result the then ‘Assemblyman’ began looking at ways to reduce this pollution,” said Tooker.

Tooker indicated the revenue would influence new ways of shipping by replacing trains and big-rig trucks with electrically chargeable ones. The results would be a reduction of overall exhaust.

The ships, however, would not be replaced. They would be “retrofitted.” They would be converted to “plug in,” to an at-shore electrical outlet. The particular name of this strategy is “cold-ironing.” “…A ship will come into port...turn off its diesel engines, and plug into shore-side electrical power,” Tooker said. “Normally the engines run 24/7 while in port, spewing tons of…pollution throughout the region.”

Schwarzenegger wrote a post-veto message to the Senate addressing reasons for his veto of SB 974. “This bill does not provide necessary assurances that projects will achieve the greatest cost-effectiveness, emission reductions, and public health protection.”

In response, the SB 974 Senate Bill - Bill Analysis was released by the Office of Senate Floor Analyses. This analysis disagrees with Schwarzenegger’s criticism of the bills “emission reductions.” Among the organizations which endorse and support the analysis are American Lung Association of California, The Asthma Coalition of Los Angeles County, American Heart Association, American Cancer Society and The California Natural Gas Vehicle Coalition and Coalition for Clean Air.

Supporters for the veto were the California Taxpayers Association and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

Despite his disappointment, Ogunseitan was not surprised with the veto considering Schwarzenegger's veto history. With the current recession, he recognized that the governor thought the bill would discourage business, however, noted that the Port Of Los Angeles , trademarked as “ America ’s Port,” with extremely high traffic. “…I doubt that they have anywhere else to go.” he said.

Tooker doubts that the veto was influenced by a Republican-Democrat status. “Was the bill vetoed because the Governor is Republican and Senator Lowenthal is a democrat? No.” “Are there Republican allies (Walmart, Target, the CA Chamber) that were strongly lobbying for a veto? Yes.”

Tooker clarified it simply came down to money. “…In the past, Republicans hear ‘fees’ (and) call them ‘taxes’ (which they are not).” Tooker asserted GOP is blinded by money. He said most of them ignore the public impact. Tooker indicated although, that there were republicans who supported SB 974.

The environment is crucial. Every organism that breathes survives off it. They range from plants to humans. However, Tooker believes political partisanship will inevitably play a role to some degree. He said the ecocide will last until, “candidates…aren’t allowed to put a ‘(D)’ or ‘(R)' by their name.” He warned that until politicians strip away this identity, the crushing crisis will intensify.

“Like issues of the past, there will be more pollution, more asthma, more cancer and more premature death...”

I asked Tooker if he is planning to modify the next version of the bill to appease Schwarzenegger. “The first day that the bill could have been introduced was Dec. 1st, however we have until February 27, 2009. We haven’t introduced it yet, and no final decision have been made,” he said.