Comment Log Display

Subject Line: Support for Vessel Speed Reduction Initiative

Dear Ms. Nichols and California Air Pollution Control District
Board Members:

Large cargo ships traveling off our coast produce significant GHG
and toxic air emissions that impact our coastal communities. Ship
strikes also pose a threat to whales. Slowing down cargo ships
meets multiple objectives in your Draft Cap-and-Trade Investment
Plan including: reducing GHG emissions and other air pollutants,
improving public health, and better protecting whales. I support
including vessel speed reduction in your Final Plan as a priority
for funding and request Cap-and-Trade money be directed to the
Vessel Speed Reduction Initiative. 
 I was born and raised in San Pedro, CA. and all my adult life my
permanent residence has never been more than a mile from the
Ventura or Santa Barbara coastline. Today, 50% of the air polution
in Santa Barbara County is attributed to offshore shipping traffic.
This is a growing problem due to the need for ever larger container
ships, and the polution derived from them needs to be addressed in
the same determination that we have addressed vehicular caused
polution in California. To do otherwise, is to fail all 
Californians who live along our So Cal coastline.  Sincerely, Paul
D Petrich Jr.