California Governor Gavin Newsom this week vetoed a law that would have limited the regulatory powers of air quality agencies at the ports of the nation's busiest port complex at Los Angeles and Long Beach, which are allegedly the biggest source of local air pollution.
California Senate Bill 34 would have prohibited the South Coast Air Quality Management District in the logistics hub counties of Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino from proposing any action that, among other things, would impose a cap on cargo throughput or cruise ship passengers at ports.
"With the current federal administration directly undermining our state and local air and climate pollution reduction strategies, it is imperative that we maintain the tools we have and encourage cooperative action at all levels to avoid the worst health and climate impacts," Newsom said in a veto statement on Monday.
Critics argue that California’s climate policies have strained businesses and increased energy costs.
(Reporting by Lisa Baertlein in Los Angeles; Editing by Aurora Ellis)
