Port Approves Climate Action Plan

The Port of San Diego's Board of Port Commissioners Tuesday unanimously adopted a comprehensive climate action plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions along the tidelands in five cities.

Port officials said the climate action plan would be used to provide a strategic vision for sustainability in the tidelands of San Diego, Coronado, Chula Vista, National City and Imperial Beach, and applies to the port's tenant businesses, as well. Work on the plan began in 2010.

The planning document lays out six areas where greenhouse gasses could be reduced, including transportation and land use and waste reduction and recycling.

Port officials said the plan would help the port grow and thrive sustainably by reducing operating costs and minimizing future costs related to climate change.

The Board of Port Commissioners set goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 10 percent from 2006 levels by 2020, and to reduce them by 25 percent from 2006 levels by 2035.

Port officials said 19 measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions are already in place such as using shore power for cruise ships, which reduces diesel emissions; enforcing a clean truck policy at port maritime terminals; using solar power and retrofitted lighting around port facilities; and partnering with San Diego Gas & Electric to teach sustainable business practices to tenant businesses. About 40 more measure are in the works, officials said.

The Board of Port Commissioners plans to look into the effectiveness of the climate action plan annually, and take a more comprehensive look every three years.

—City News Service