The Long Beach City Council is scrambling to make room on a crowded May 12 city council agenda to consider an appeal by the City of Riverside of the Harbor Department's $750-million Middle Harbor redevelopment plan.
Riverside appealed the port's recent approval of the project on Friday, saying the plan's environmental impact report (EIR) didn't adequately address increased rail traffic expected to be generated by the expanded and modernized Middle Harbor in coming years.
The project is expected to at least double cargo volumes through Piers E, D and F by 2020, while reducing emissions in half from 2005 levels through the use of cleaner equipment and fuels.
The nine-member council has 30 days to consider the appeal, and by majority vote can declare the EIR "inadequate," which would effectively force harbor planners to take the project back to the drawing board and make considerable changes.
Councilmembers had briefly considered putting the appeal on the May 5 agenda, but are swaped that evening with the swearing-in of new First District Councilman Robert Garcia, as well as a closed-door hearing on the wetlands project.
The council is also expected to hold a hearing May 5 on the controversial homeless center planned for East Long Beach.
Paul Eakins reports on Long Beach City Hall, and local and regional
politics. A newcomer to the Press-
Kris Hanson reports on the Ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles,
covering environmental issues, economic triumphs and
pitfalls and trade trends of America’s largest port.
He also writes a weekly column “On The Waterfront”,
appearing Tuesdays, and also produces an occassional video
and column titled “On The Job,” which follows the hard-working
men and women who keep Southern California’s economy humming.
Karen Robes Meeks came to work for the Press-
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