Air Quality & Emissions¶
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LA/Long Beach Emissions Analysis¶
The air quality analysis for the San Pedro Bay port complex examines the transformative impact of CARB's At-Berth Regulation on emissions from ocean-going vessels, port equipment, harbor craft, and drayage trucks — and the remaining health burden in surrounding communities despite dramatic reductions since 2005.
Record Volumes, Rising Emissions
Despite long-term reductions of 90%+ in DPM, 2024 saw year-over-year increases in DPM (+8% at LA, +23% at LB) driven by record cargo volumes. The Port of LA recorded 10.3 million TEUs in 2024 — a 19% year-over-year increase and the largest annual percentage gain in port history. Sustained technology investment and enforcement vigilance remain essential.
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Data Sources¶
| Source | Publisher | Data Provided | Access |
|---|---|---|---|
| AirNow / AQS | EPA | Real-time and historical PM2.5, PM10, ozone, SO₂, NO₂ from regulatory monitors | aqs.epa.gov |
| CARB Air Monitoring | CARB | Statewide air quality data, at-berth compliance monitoring | arb.ca.gov |
| South Coast AQMD | SCAQMD | Regional air quality monitoring, AB 617 community monitoring data | aqmd.gov |
| goPEIT | ICCT | Vessel-level emission estimates by port and operating mode | theicct.org |
| Port of LA Emissions Inventory | Port of LA | Annual air emissions inventory with source-category breakdowns | portoflosangeles.org |
| Port of Long Beach Emissions Inventory | Port of Long Beach | Annual air emissions inventory with source-category breakdowns | polb.com |
Monitoring Stations¶
South Coast AQMD operates multiple air quality monitoring stations in the San Pedro Bay port area, providing continuous criteria pollutant data for communities adjacent to port operations:
| Station | Location | Proximity to Port | Pollutants | Operator |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wilmington | Community adjacent to port terminals | < 1 mile | PM2.5, PM10, NO₂, SO₂ | SCAQMD |
| Long Beach (North) | North Long Beach residential area | ~2 miles | PM2.5, O₃, NO₂ | SCAQMD |
| Long Beach (South) | Near port terminal operations | < 1 mile | PM2.5, PM10 | SCAQMD |
| Carson | AB 617 community zone | ~3 miles | PM2.5, NO₂, toxics | SCAQMD |
| West Long Beach | AB 617 designated community | ~1 mile | PM2.5, NO₂, BC | SCAQMD |
AB 617 community monitoring in Wilmington, Carson, and West Long Beach provides additional hyperlocal data that complements the regulatory monitoring network — enabling block-level exposure analysis in the most impacted neighborhoods.
Full Assessment Available
The complete analysis for this section — including census-tract-level health quantification, monetized health damages, environmental justice scoring, and scenario modeling — is available through our research services.
See the full methodology in action: Our Duluth-Superior assessment and New York/New Jersey assessment demonstrate the complete analytical depth available for every port on this site.
Contact us to discuss a site-specific assessment for this port community: research@porthealthwatch.org