Toxic Tour — West Oakland — Port Protest
Port’s Diesel Pollution Stirs West Oakland Protest
By Kwan Booth
Photography and audio samples by Kim Komenich.
This piece was funded by Spot.Us, edited and produced by Josh Wilson at NewsDesk.org
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Part One in a Series
West Oakland’s struggles over diesel pollution linked to high local rates of asthma and cancer brought a confrontational protest to a recent Port of Oakland meeting — the latest in a year-long clash between residents, port officials and the trucking industry.
Heads turned and presentations stopped mid sentence as approximately 50 community activists and truckers stormed the meeting early on, equipped with protest signs, a bullhorn and calls for “good jobs, clean air.” (audio)
At issue is the proposed Maritime Comprehensive Truck Management Program, which would require new pollution controls for trucks serving the port.
Some critics say the plan does not address the real issues and puts too much weight on the backs of independent truckers
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“The Bay Area Toxic Tour: West Oakland & The Port of Oakland” is produced and published by Newsdesk.org, and funded by individual donors using the SPOT.US crowdsourcing service.
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[vodpod id=Groupvideo.2468361&w=425&h=350&fv=]
Audio Interviews from the Protest.
Ronen Fernendez – Port Truck Driver, includes Spanish summary of the event.
“I have been here for 20 years, working as an independent truck driver for three years in the port of Oakland. The meeting today is about the decision they took about three weeks ago on retrofitting every truck from 1994 and up. Every truck from 1993 and down will be out of business. The message today is to let them know that the truck drivers don’t have any money to pay for the filter.”
How long would it be that you could stay in business with these new rules?
“I could only work until December of this year. By January 1st, I would be out of work.”
Listen to the rest of the audio: [vodpod id=Groupvideo.2518879&w=425&h=350&fv=]
Jabari Herbert – Business Owner, Capital Stone Group.
“I have a facility that has 65 independent trucking operators, so I understand their concerns and issues. However, if you look at the whole truck industry they are only 4% of the carbon problem in West Oakland, versus 78% of the issue from the major shipping lines. These are major conglomerates and nobody has brought them to the table.
Listen to the rest of this audio interview here. [vodpod id=Groupvideo.2518889&w=425&h=350&fv=]
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