Port of Oakland Challenges: Competition and Labor Relations

Despite funding victories, challenges remain
Andrew Ross, San Francisco Chronicle, July 10, 2012

U.S. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood toured the Oakland Army Base this week, bringing news of a $15 million grant for the $1 billion redevelopment project scheduled to break ground next year. An $80 million rail yard expansion at the former Oakland Army Base is the first phase of the redevelopment project to transform the base into a state-of-the-art logistics center managing cargo flow at the Port.

The redevelopment project has been in the works for 15 years. Late last month, the Oakland City Council managed to save the $242 million in funding the state had threatened to cut off. A regional tax measure would provide an additional $275 million for further infrastructure improvements, including an overpass to separate rail and truck traffic near the port, if voters give their approval on November's ballot.

In addition to its money woes, the Port needs the cooperation of the Service Employees International Union Local 1021. Union members rejected a negotiated contract offer last month and there could be a strike at any time. Like many labor-management disputes, this one revolves around increased health and pension contributions, in part to help fill a huge unfunded pension liability.

Labor disputes could shift business through the new Panama Canal -- scheduled to open in 2014 -- and to east coast ports. The canal's business plan "explicitly assumes that a lot of the trade between Asia and America's east and Gulf coasts will be diverted from California's ports to the canal," the Economist magazine reported in January. The Oakland Army Base rail yard project is slated to begin during the fall of 2013 and be completed in 2015.

Oakland has its advantages, however. It can handle many of the larger containers that other U.S. ports cannot, including the massive, 1,200-foot-long MSC Fabiola, which recently passed through the Port in March. Also, the Port's main business is exports, including food and wine. It's often called "the last port of call leaving America for the Far East," said Jock O'Connell, an international trade analyst at Beacon Economics.

Read the complete article here.

Happy Earth Day from Northgate!

On Saturday, April 21st, Northgate participated in “Volunteer for Oakland Earth Day”, an event that brought volunteers to locations throughout Oakland to green-up and clean-up the city. Our team worked in The Gardens at Lake Merritt, a seven-acre collection of themed gardens located in the heart of Lakeside Park. The team helped weed, move rocks and soil, and perform other tasks to help further beautify the gardens.

As an added bonus, Northgate’s Molly Ammons and Anya Starovoytov brought their Girls on the Run team to participate in the cleanup. Girls on the Run is a non-profit prevention program that encourages preteen girls to develop self-respect and healthy lifestyles through running. In addition to Northgate’s financial support of the team, Molly and Anya also donate their time and coach the girls one afternoon a week and every Saturday morning.

Saturday was a true example of our commitment to all aspects of sustainability.

Happy Earth Day!

Oakland City Council Adopts Energy and Climate Action Plan

On March 1st, Oakland's City Council adopted a resolution that accepts the city's first Energy and Climate Action Plan (ECAP)--with some of the strongest greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction goals of any city in the country--and directs the staff to proceed with appropriate California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) review.

The February 22, 2011 Draft ECAP is available for review here.

The purpose of the ECAP is to identify and prioritize actions the City can take to reduce energy consumption and GHG emissions associated with Oakland. The ECAP recommends GHG reduction actions and establishes a framework for coordinating implementation, as well as monitoring and reporting on progress.

In July 2009, the Oakland City Council approved a preliminary GHG reduction target for the year 2020 of 36% below 2005 levels. The primary sources of Oakland’s GHG emissions are:

• Transportation and Land Use
• Building Energy Use
• Material Consumption and Waste

The ECAP outlines a ten year plan including more than 150 actions that will enable Oakland to achieve its target reduction and recommends a Three Year Priority Implementation Plan.

Read more here.  A video of the Council meeting is available here (skip to about 2:43:00 in the video for the ECAP agenda item).

Earth Day (or Week or Month) Events Near You

April 21 (Wednesday) - Earth Day Eve 2010: Creating a Healthy Future. Featuring John & Ocean Robbins, Mark Dubois, food, wine and live music. 7:00 pm Wed. $15 at the David Brower Center, 2150 Allston Way, Berkeley.

April 22 (Thursday) - NightLife at the California Academy of Sciences, 6:00 - 10:00 pm. This NightLife is an extension of the Academy’s week-long Earth Day celebration. Among the activities included are a “green games” competition where you can test knowledge of environmental topics such as recycling and the carbon cycle to win some fabulous prizes, including tickets and signed baseballs from the SF Giants. Features music from DJ and Producer Michael Anthony and Drunken Monkey DJing downstairs in the Aquarium.

April 22 (Thursday) - The Oakland Public Library will give free reusable canvas tote bags. All library branches, Oakland. (510) 238-3134.

April 23 (Friday) - Bike-In Movie Night at Whole Foods, Oakland, 7:00 - 11:00 pm. A night of film and bikes benefiting the East Bay Bicycle Coalition. Featuring the films FOOD INC. at 8:00 pm and SILENT RUNNINGS at 10:00 pm.

May 1 and 2 (Saturday/Sunday) - Oakland Museum of California Re-Opening Celebration, Oakland, 2:00 - 6:00 pm. Continuous (31 hours!) round-the-clock free programs and events. Valet bike parking available.

May 2 (Sunday) - Urban Assault Ride, 9:00 am - 2:00 pm. A truly unique cycling event, quickly becoming one of the biggest in country. You and your teammate will set out on a city-wide quest for 'checkpoints' on your favorite two-wheeled steeds. At each checkpoint, you'll drop your bikes and complete a funky/adventurous obstacle course, then remount your bikes and hit the streets for more. The goal is to complete all the checkpoints in the shortest amount of time. Starts at Martin Luther King JR Civic Center Park, 2151 Martin Luther King Jr Way, Berkeley, California.

May 13 (Thursday) - Bike to Work Day. Urban cycling workshops, raffles, energizer stations, bike convoys, free repairs, and a pancake breakfast at Frank Ogawa Plaza. From 5:30 - 8:30 pm there is also the Bike Away from Work party on Telegraph Avenue in front of the Fox Theater. Features the Crucible's Art Bike Program, Beyond Bikes Art Exhibit, Cyclecide Heavy Pedal Bike Rides & Show, music, raffle prizes, awards, food and beer from Trumer Pils Brewery in Berkeley.

OAKLAND Earth EXPO

Wednesday, April 14th, 10:00 am to 2:00 pm
Frank Ogawa Plaza, 14th & Broadway, in front of Oakland City Hall

Free lunchtime event bringing together local green businesses, environmental groups, artists, and agencies.

Sponsored by the City of Oakland Public Works Agency.
For a complete list of participating groups: www.oaklandearthexpo.com

EXPO Community Art Photo Event commemorating Earth Day 2010!
Assembly @ 11:30 (Plaza lawn), photo at NOON.

Oakland's Earth Day Timeline - Add your memories and hopes to this interactive exhibit charting environmental milestones and goals from 1970 to 2050!

Recycling opportunities:

• Mercury Thermometer Exchange at the EBMUD booth. Bring your old thermometer in a zipper bag to prevent spills.
• Recycle used household batteries at the Oakland Recycles booth next to the City Pavilion.
• Recycle old cell phones at either the Universal Waste Management table.

Oakland City Council to Discuss Climate Action Plan

The Oakland City Council is holding a public meeting on Oakland's Energy and Climate Action Plan on Tuesday, March 30, from 5:30-8:30 at City Hall.

Click here for an overview of the ECAP development process.

Click here for a council meeting schedule.

Oakland Hills Canyon Saved for Open Space

Neighbors' work to save Butters Canyon pays off
Carolyn Jones, San Francisco Chronicle, March 5, 2010

Last week, a group of Oakland neighbors purchased the last of 13 parcels in Butters Canyon, capping a 9-year effort to preserve the 1/2-mile open space in perpetuity.

They did it entirely on their own, raising nearly $800,000 through yard sales, grants, loans and donations.

The Butters Canyon Conservancy, a nonprofit formed by a few dozen neighbors, will maintain the canyon and keep it accessible to bicyclists, hikers, dog-walkers and those just seeking relief from city life.

The effort started in 2001, when a developer planned to build a home in the secluded, steep canyon just south of Joaquin Miller Road. Afraid they'd lose their green oasis, which is also the headwaters of Peralta Creek, neighbors started raising money to usurp development plans.

Most of the funding came through Measure DD, a $200 million bond that Oakland voters passed in 2002. With help from city Councilwoman Jean Quan's office, the conservancy obtained more than $500,000 to purchase four of the properties. Three lots were donated, three were secured through conservation easements and remaining parcels already have homes on far corners.

Oakland has taken advantage of the slumping real estate market to save four other canyons, as well. The city has purchased Castle Canyon, 10 acres near Joaquin Miller Park, 5-acre Beaconsfield Canyon off Ascot Drive, and Dunsmuir Heights Canyon, 62 acres behind the Dunsmuir House.

Read the complete story here.

Grace Period for Port of Oakland Truckers

Air board, Port truckers agree on upgrade
Kelly Zito, San Francisco Chronicle, January 5, 2010

A last-minute deal between California Air Resources Board (ARB) and Port of Oakland truckers will allow hundreds of big rigs to operate at the port for two weeks while they work to meet stricter requirements on diesel emissions that officially took effect on January 1st.

Regulations passed in 2007 prohibit large diesel trucks made before 1994 from operating at the state's ports and rail yards and require pricey filters on trucks made between 1994 and 2003.

The ARB said it has located an additional $11 million to aid the truckers. However, last week's showdown between policymakers and the trucking industry will probably play out again in different parts of the state over the next year, when similar rules affecting the rest of the trucking fleet in California - about 1 million trucks - start going into effect.

Read the complete article here: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/01/05/BAML1BDGHJ.DTL

Eat Real in Oakland - August 28-30, 2009

Street food, fresh summer fruits and veggies, live music, handcrafted local beers, ice cream sold from the back of a bicycle. Find it all and more at Eat Real, a free festival, taking place August 28-30 at Jack London Square. In between the good eats, enjoy the non-stop entertainment and activities that include chef demonstrations, dance performances, bands, films, food competitions, and lots more, for free.

Proceeds from the event benefit People’s Grocery, La Cocina, and Community Alliance with Family Farmers, organizations promoting access to healthy and affordable food, entrepreneurship, and economic development.

About Eat Real Festival:
Founded in 2008, Eat Real Festival is a social venture created to inspire eaters to choose tasty, healthy, good food. Through a vibrant, local festival in Oakland, and a focus on delicious and sustainable street food, Eat Real puts eaters in contact with the real people -- the farmers, chefs, and producers -- who make our food.

Help Plant A Tree

Soul of the City, an initiative of the Ella Baker Center for Human Rights, is partnering with Urban Releaf on Saturday, August 22, to plant 50 trees along West MacArthur Boulevard, between West Street and San Pablo Avenue.

Planting trees is one of the best ways to clean the air, beautify the neighborhood, and raise the standard of living. They will also pick up trash, plant flowers, and talk with community members about the importance of clean air and caring for the neighborhood.

Volunteers are welcome. The fun begins at 10:00 am. Refreshments and entertainment will be provided.

RSVP here, and if you can't volunteer your time, but still want to help, donate a few bucks here.

Environmental Issues Forum

Learning How to Live Sustainably in the 21st Century
Wednesday, August 19, 2009 - 5:30 to 7:30 pm
Healthy Oakland, 2580 San Pablo Avenue, Oakland

The Reduce, Reuse, Recycle Environmental Issues Forum will work to educate and empower residents and community leaders. Hear from environmental organization leaders about their programs and services.

Speakers include:

• Kemba Shakur, Urban Releaf
• Rebecca Parnes, Waste Management
• Tom Guarino, PG&E
• Cookie Robles-Wong, Keep Oakland Beautiful
• Commissioner Margaret Gordon, West Oakland Environmental Indicators Project
• Starr Britt, Oakland Progress Project

For more information, email staff[at]bwopa[dot]org.

Port of Oakland Diesel Truck Program

Oakland port program to clean up trucks, air
Kelly Zito, San Francisco Chronicle, July 28, 2009

Air quality regulators are taking steps to reduce diesel particulates in a neighborhood where increasing cases of asthma, chronic lung disease, and cancer have sounded the alarm about the long-term health effects of heavy industry.

On Tuesday, representatives from the Bay Area Air Quality Management District, US Environmental Protection Agency, California Air Resources Board, and the Port of Oakland will announce a $22 million program designed to replace and retrofit about 1,000 of the approximately 2,000 diesel trucks that service the Port.

About 800 trucks will be outfitted with specially designed particulate filters and 200 more trucks will be replaced. Officials say the project should cut diesel truck emissions by about 85 percent at the port.

Read the complete article here: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/07/27/BALB18TVHV.DTL

Preliminary GHG Reduction Targets Topic of July 7th Oakland City Council Meeting

Consideration of preliminary planning targets for development of the draft Oakland Energy and Climate Action Plan (ECAP) is scheduled on the Oakland City Council agenda for July 7th, 2009. The Staff recommendation and accompanying report for this item have been posted to the City's website.

Agendas and additional information about past and upcoming meetings of the Oakland City Council and Council Committees are available on the City's website. The July 7th Oakland City Council meeting is scheduled to begin at 6:00 pm.

For those planning to attend, please see the posted meeting agenda for further information on when the ECAP item is likely to be considered during the meeting.

Adopt-A-Spot - Update 1

Event 1, June 24, 2009

Our first encounter with our newly adopted spot was a success. Northgate volunteers - Brendan Mulholland, Josh Otis, Axel Rieke, Maile Smith, and Ted Splitter - raked, swept, and picked up trash on three median planters near the intersection of Broadway and 15th in downtown Oakland. The work was gratifying, and made safer by the bright, new traffic cones and safety vests provided by the City of Oakland.

Another volunteer opportunity will be scheduled soon. In the meantime, step outside and admire our little slice of nature right here in downtown. And don't be shy about picking up a cigarette butt or two.

View Northgate's Adopted Spot in a larger map.

NIMBY or YIMBY?

As both Berkeley and Oakland debate their downtown plans, there is growing recognition that the fight against global warming requires greater urban density.
Robert Gammon, East Bay Express, July 1, 2009

Environmentalists who think globally say suburban sprawl and the destruction of rural farmland must stop. But the lack of urban growth in Berkeley and in parts of Oakland during the past few decades also has contributed to suburban sprawl and long commutes. And all those freeways choked with cars are now the single biggest cause of greenhouse gas emissions in the region. Some activists who have fought developers for years are now embracing them and calling for so-called "smart growth" or "infill development" — dense urban housing near mass transit. They note that downtown Berkeley and Oakland, along with the major transportation corridors between the two cities, are nearly perfect for transit-oriented development.

Greenbelt Alliance, an environmental group that has been fighting suburban sprawl for decades, recently pinpointed the inner East Bay as one of the region's top potential growth areas. The group estimates that the inner East Bay, west of the hills, could accommodate at least 106,000 new housing units by 2035. The group based its estimate on data from the Association of Bay Area Governments and UC Berkeley's Institute of Urban and Regional Development.

But for the inner East Bay to grow the way it should, it will have to overcome the region's well-developed not-in-my-backyard (NIMBY) sensibilities. In Berkeley and North Oakland, in particular, residents who view themselves as environmentalists have been blocking dense housing developments for decades. They have complained about traffic, overcrowding, and the potential destruction of neighborhood character.

In Berkeley, where NIMBY sentiment is especially strong, a group of developers and activists who advocate for smart growth sometimes refer to themselves as YIMBYs (Yes, In My Backyard). "Our goal is to shift the idea of what it means to be an environmentalist when living in a city, away from the protection of land to the more efficient use of land," explained Erin Rhoades, the volunteer executive director of Livable Berkeley. For several years, her group has been battling a small but very vocal coalition of city residents who simultaneously view themselves as green while staunchly opposing urban housing development.

There are far fewer NIMBYs in Oakland when it comes to downtown issues. The Oakland City Council is scheduled to debate its new downtown plan on July 7. In downtown Oakland, the biggest impediment to growth over the years hasn't been NIMBYism but crime. The widespread perception that downtown is dangerous has stymied development. But in recent years, Oakland's Uptown area, just north of downtown, has launched a comeback, particularly since the renovation of the historic Fox Theater.

Read the complete article in the East Bay Express.

Adopt-A-Spot

The Northgate Social Justice Task Force is pleased to announce our participation in the City of Oakland’s Adopt-A-Spot program.

Northgate’s Adopted Spot will be the traffic medians located near the confluence of Broadway and Telegraph in downtown Oakland.

Like daffodil planting, Adopt-a-Spot is an initiative of Keep Oakland Beautiful, an affiliate of Keep America Beautiful, which endeavors to engage citizens in taking personal responsibility for improving their community environments.

Ports' Clean Trucks Programs Under Challenge

Federal Maritime Commission comes under scrutiny
May 19, 2009

The National Resources Defense Council (NRDC) has sued the Federal Maritime Commission for information about why the agency is involved in challenging the Los Angeles and Long Beach ports' new clean trucks programs.

Back in October, the NRDC filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request with the Commission related to the agency's review of the programs. Over the last year, the Commission filed a lawsuit against the ports, initiated an administrative investigation, and used procedural hurdles to delay collection of a fee that was designed to raise money for cleaner trucks and spur deployment of cleaner, more efficient trucks.

Read more on the issue in the SF Chronicle and on the NRDC's blog.

Meanwhile, the Port of Oakland still faces tough decisions about how to reduce diesel emissions from trucks, ships, and trains after adoption of its first comprehensive master plan for reducing the air pollution last month. The Port Commission also agreed to restore up to $5 million in funding for grants to trucks to install diesel soot filters required of trucks using ports by a January 1, 2010, state deadline. The Commission had pulled back the money last November during a review of port finances hit hard by the economic downturn.

The Bay Area Air Quality Management District, California Air Resources Board, and Environmental Protection Agency said the Marine Air Quality Improvement Plan, approved 5-1 by the Board of Port Commissioners, needs more teeth, as did several local residents and leaders of community groups.

Read more in the SJ Mercury News.

Oakland Green Building Requirements

Sustainable Oakland:
Mandatory Green Building Ordinance for Private Development

The City of Oakland has green building rules in the form of Ordinance No.12658 C.M.S. This legislation requires that City projects covered under the Ordinance meet a minimum of Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver rating. The Oakland City Council, the City Planning Commission, and the Community and Economic Development Agency are considering mandatory Green Building requirements for certain types of private development. Mandatory green building requirements for private development will support one of the City Council's adopted goals to "Develop a Sustainable City", by "maximizing socially and environmentally sustainable growth, including conserving natural resources."

The City continues to seek public input on the Green Building thresholds. A public hearing before the Landmarks Preservation Advisory Board is scheduled for Monday, May 11, 2009, at 6:00 pm in City Hall Hearing Room 1.

Learn more about the proposed thresholds here.

Oakland Energy and Climate Action Plan

The City of Oakland is developing a community-wide Energy and Climate Action Plan to identify actions the City can take to help minimize energy use and reduce greenhouse gas emissions throughout the Oakland community.

On April 30th, the City will host a second round of public workshops for all members of the Oakland community to learn about and help shape the Plan.

Participants in this workshop will discuss potential energy and climate targets for the Oakland community and provide input on actions to reduce energy use and greenhouse gas emissions.

Two identical workshops will occur on Thursday, April 30, 2009, from 3:00 to 5:00 pm and from 7:00 to 9:00 pm.

Meeting location:
Oakland City Hall
One Frank Ogawa Plaza (at 14th & Broadway)
Hearing Room 3

For more information on the Oakland Energy and Climate Action Plan, please visit www.sustainableoakland.com.

Earth Expo in Oakland

15th Annual Earth Expo at Frank Ogawa Plaza
Wednesday, April 15, 2009 - 10 am to 2 pm

Explore the booths and vendors around Frank Ogawa Plaza (in front of City Hall) and celebrate a sustainable urban environment with opportunities to connect with dynamic and local green businesses, environmental and social change organizations, artists, government agencies, and community groups.

Learn how to:

• reduce waste or compost
• green your workplace
• drive less
• build or remodel green
• reduce energy use
• become a smarter consumer
• bring your own bag
• restore our creeks
• practice bay-friendly gardening
• hold a ZeroWaste event
• reduce your carbon footprint

Bring your mercury thermometers, unwanted medications, batteries and cell phones for recycling.

Make a commitment to take one new green action and receive a pledge pin, reusable bag, special edition poster, or other items!

Visit the Oakland Public Works Environmental Services Division here:
http://www.oaklandpw.com/Page291.aspx