U.S. Reps. Robert Garcia (D-Long Beach, Signal Hill, Lakewood, Bellflower), Nanette Barragán (D-San Pedro, Wilmington, Carson, Compton), and U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla (D-CA) last week reintroduced the Clean Shipping Act, a measure that establishes a path to eliminate greenhouse gas emissions from large ships that come to U.S. ports, protect the health of port communities, and address the environmental and climate impacts of shipping pollution.
Specifically, the bill would mandate that ships cut all greenhouse gas pollution by 2050 and emit zero emissions while parked at ports by 2035. Congresswoman Nanette Barragán (CA-44) co-leads the bill.
“Our nation’s ports, particularly the Port of Long Beach, are crucial parts of the economy that drive our supply chain at home. However, they’re also among the largest sources of pollution in our coastal communities,” said Garcia, a co-chair of the Congressional PORTS Caucus.
A former Long Beach Mayor, Garcia introduced the Clean Shipping Act alongside Padilla in 2023. During his time in Congress, he helped secure over $283 million in federal grant money to complete the Port of Long Beach Pier B Port Project, which significantly reduced truck traffic and harmful emissions while improving safety, local congestion, and nationwide economic benefits.
Congressman Garcia also helped secure two federal grants through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, totaling nearly $44 million to reduce truck emissions at port facilities located in the Port of Long Beach.
“Ship pollution is harmful for the health of people living near ports, and disproportionately affects low-income, working-class neighborhoods and communities of color,” said Garcia. “We must protect people’s health and stop our climate crisis, while ensuring good-paying jobs for the future.”
Padilla said California’s ports are the powerhouse of the country’s economy, moving critical freight and providing good-paying jobs, all while leading the nation’s decarbonizing efforts. At the same time, neighboring communities have been forced to shoulder the brunt of global shipping pollution for too long, he said.
“Our legislation would strengthen the sustainability of our shipping industry by reducing emissions in maritime transportation while simultaneously protecting coastal communities. The health of our communities and our planet requires us to be forward-looking and ambitious — we owe future generations nothing less than bold, transformative action,” said Padilla.
According to the news release about the legislation, the global shipping industry accounts for nearly 3% of all global greenhouse gas emissions, and that number is expected to rise if no action is taken. Additionally, almost 40% of Americans live near ports, where air pollution harms people’s health.
The bill text can be found here.
