Port and San Diego Air Pollution Control District Partner in Effort to Reduce Truck Emissions

The Port of San Diego's Clean Truck Program, which would help reduce air emissions by retrofitting or replacing older trucks, kicked off earlier this month. Letters inviting participation were sent to 364 truck owners who do business at the Port's two marine terminals.

Grants are available through the state's Goods Movement Emissions Reduction Plan approved by Proposition 1B to pay for retrofitting older model trucks with a diesel particulate filter. Funding is also available to replace older trucks that don't qualify for the retrofitting. Approximately $2.9 million is available for the program, which is being implemented by the California Air Resources Board. The San Diego County Air Pollution Control District is the local agency responsible for overseeing the funding.

An informational meeting was held on June 16 at the Port's Administration Building for interested truck owners. The Port received a good turnout and representatives from the San Diego County Air Pollution Control District were on hand to explain the criteria for the program.

Truck owners who voluntarily participate in the program will receive a range of subsidies from a combination of state grants and money provided by the Port. The remainder of the retrofitting cost would be the responsibility of the truck owner. Here's how the program works: for a truck to be retrofitted with a special particulate filter, the cost could be from $10,000 to $15,000. The California Air Resources Board would contribute half of the cost, without exceeding $5,000. The Port would match this contribution up to $5,000. To replace a truck, the cost could be from $70,000 to $250,000. The California Air Resources Board would contribute half the cost, without exceeding $50,000 and the Port would contribute half of the remainder, up to $50,000. The truck owners would pay the difference.

At the June 10 Board of Port Commissioners meeting, the Board approved a Memorandum of Understanding with the San Diego County Air Pollution Control District to Administer the Truck Retrofit and Replacement Program. Approximately $1.15 million in funding from the Port is allocated for the program. A portion of that will go to the San Diego County Air Pollution Control District to administer the program.

In December 2009, the state will mandate that older trucks be either replaced or retrofitted to reduce harmful emissions. Instead of waiting for this to become law, the Port is moving ahead with the volunteer program to improve the air around San Diego Bay and the tidelands.

Windmill parts are loaded onto a truck at the Port's Tenth Avenue Marine Terminal. Under a new Port program, some trucks that do business at the Port may be eligible for retrofitting or replacement.

Also in this issue…

Another Sweeping Success for Operation Clean Sweep

Transition Zone Policy Approved by Board of Port Commissioners

Reuben E. Lee on Harbor Island to be Renovated

Big Bay Fireworks Show on July 4

Spotlight on Tenants: Bay Club Hotel & Marina wins award from San Diego Chamber of Commerce

Another Sweeping Success for Operation Clean Sweep

Each year, Operation Clean Sweep, the annual clean up of San Diego Bay and its shoreline, draws scores of volunteers to help out. This year was no exception, as an estimated 1,000 volunteers got together for the 18th annual event on June 7.

Divers, boaters and walkers combed designated cleanup sites around the bay for trash. In some areas, like Chollas Creek, volunteers didn't have to look very hard. Although the area isn't officially part of the Port tidelands, its waters flow into the bay. Operation Clean Sweep has been focusing on the creek for several years to prevent the debris from ending up in San Diego Bay.

Other cleanup locations were Cesar Chavez Park and the beach areas around the National City Marine Terminal. Military and civilian divers located debris beneath the bay's surface and with the help of donated equipment from Port tenants and other businesses, the trash was transported to shore. By the end of the day, enough trash was collected to fill ten 40-yard dumpsters. Trash collected included about 30 shopping carts, a sofa and various machine parts.

In addition to the Port of San Diego and the San Diego Port Tenants Association, other sponsors of Operation Clean Sweep included San Diego Gas & Electric, the U.S. Navy, the U.S. Coast Guard, General Dynamics/NASSCO and several other businesses and organizations.

After all the hard work was completed, volunteers were treated to a barbecue lunch, entertainment and prizes. A contest was also held for the most unusual trash collected.

Volunteers hoist a tire off of the beach area near the National City Marine Terminal during the 18th Annual Operation Clean Sweep Event.

Transition Zone Policy Approved by Board of Port Commissioners

In the continuing fight to preserve maritime jobs while at the same time improve the environment for neighborhoods around the marine terminals, the Board of Port Commissioners unanimously approved adoption of a transition zone policy. Approved at the June 10 Board of Port Commissioners meeting, one of the policy's key principles is to mandate separation between industrial and residential land uses. By doing this, it would help safeguard the environmental health of the regional neighborhoods and residents.

The transition zone area includes the northern boundary of the Port's Tenth Avenue Marine Terminal in San Diego, south to the Sweetwater Channel and east from the Port tidelands to the adjacent residential neighborhoods. The widths of the zone will vary to accommodate community and development plans.

By establishing the transition zone policy, it will help the Port establish a position on the issue of gentrification. The policy is also intended to be a framework for implementation of other gentrification strategies relating to acquisition of properties, easements and legislative actions regarding the areas within the zone.

Reuben E. Lee on Harbor Island to be Renovated

The former Reuben E. Lee restaurant, a fixture on Harbor Island and the venue for many high school prom dinners and other celebrations, will be given a new life. Sunroad Harbor Island, Inc., a subsidiary of Sunroad Enterprises, presented the Board of Port Commissioners with designs for a $9 million renovation of the floating restaurant, which was constructed in 1969 on top of a barge. The proposed project will completely renovate and remodel the restaurant, resulting in a smaller and more efficient use of its previous space. The new design will include an outdoor area for events, plus bar and banquet facilities that will be located on land next to the barge. The project will also be designed as a LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Certified project.

Local architectural firm Graham Downes Architecture is designing the restaurant, which will be operated by partners David and Lesley Cohn, with chef/partner Deborah Scott.

The project is expected to begin late next year and take about two years to complete. Other aspects of the project include improved public access near the restaurant, as well as improved landscaping, lighting, signage, paving and utilities.

A preliminary sketch of the proposed renovation of the former Reuben E. Lee Restaurant on Harbor Island. This rendering is for illustrative purposes and is subject to change.

Big Bay Fireworks Show on July 4

Celebrate Independence Day on the Big Bay as the Port of San Diego sponsors the 8th Annual Big Bay Fireworks Show. Four barges placed around the Bay will discharge fireworks simultaneously to music broadcasted from KYXY 96.5 FM. The barges will be located off of Shelter Island, Harbor Island, the Embarcadero area and Seaport Village. The approximately 20-minute show starts at 9 p.m. and can be viewed from Coronado Tidelands Park, the North and South Embarcadero Marina Parks, the North Embarcadero area, Spanish Landing, Shelter Island and Harbor Island.

The Big Bay Fireworks Show was established in 2001 to benefit the San Diego Armed Services YMCA and various programs for San Diego area military families. The Port of San Diego contributes a combined total of $120,000 in cash and Port services for the event.

About 500,000 spectators are expected to watch the show. To accommodate the large crowd, the Port of San Diego has set up free parking lots with shuttle service to Harbor Island and Shelter Island. The parking lots will open at 5 p.m. on Friday, July 4. The shuttle pick up for Shelter Island viewing is at the corner of Carleton Street adjacent to West Marine in Point Loma. The shuttle will drop spectators off at the Shelter Island gazebo. The gazebo will also be the site for shuttle pick up after the show. For Harbor Island viewing, the shuttle will pick up passengers at the Port of San Diego Administration building parking lot, located at 3165 Pacific Highway. It will also pick up at the Port employee lot located at the southwest corner of Pacific Highway and Sassafras Street. Passengers will be dropped off at Harbor Island. After the show, Harbor Island viewers can be picked up at the parking lot just east of the Sheraton Hotel on Harbor Island Drive. Shuttles will leave shortly after the fireworks show and the final shuttle run from both Shelter and Harbor Islands will be at 11 p.m. Detailed information including maps of the shuttle pick up and drop off areas are available on the Port's website, www.portofsandiego.org.

Spotlight on Tenants: Bay Club Hotel & Marina wins award from San Diego Chamber of Commerce

The Port of San Diego is proud to announce that Shelter Island tenant, the Bay Club Hotel & Marina, has been awarded the "Excellence in Customer Service Small Business Award" from the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce. Nominations for the award were open to all Chamber members in the small business category. Mike Ardelt, the General Manager for the 105-room hotel, was presented with the award at the Chamber's annual luncheon in May.

The Bay Club Hotel & Marina was chosen for the award because of its well trained, approachable and helpful employees. The Chamber also found that service at the Bay Club Hotel & Marina was high quality and that customer inquiries were answered quickly.