The Port of Long Beach has announced the award of $743,631 in grants to fund nine air filtration projects that will improve the health of children, seniors and other vulnerable populations who live near the Port.
The funds are part of the $46.4 million Port Community Grants Program, the largest voluntary effort of its kind in the nation aimed at mitigating the impacts of goods movement. Added to the $18.2 million awarded during a previous program, the Port has committed $65 million to safeguard community health.
“The selected projects will provide high-performance air filters and heating, ventilation and air conditioning upgrades at facilities most impacted by port operations,” said Harbor Commission President Lou Anne Bynum. “We’ve made tremendous progress in reducing air pollution through our Green Port Policy, and these grants help us provide mitigation directly to our neighbors.”
Air filters and HVAC systems were selected as the first grant projects following a series of public meetings held to solicit priorities for the program, created in 2016.
With a five-member advisory committee appointed by Mayor Robert Garcia, Port staff made recommendations for funding to the Harbor Commission, which approved the following grants:
City of Long Beach Multi-Service Center – $104,498
The Vasek Polak Children's Clinic Family Health Center – Long Beach – $5,859
Compton Unified School District – Kelly Elementary – Compton – $74,477
Compton Unified School District – Roosevelt Elementary – Compton – $133,652
Compton Unified School District – Whaley Middle – Compton – $103,322
The Children's Clinic Family Health Center in Central Long Beach – $12,765
City of Paramount – Spane Park Learning Center – $4,549
Fairfield Family YMCA – Long Beach – $143,979
St. Lucy School – Long Beach – $160,530
In total, the projects will improve air quality in facilities that see more than 2.2 million visits by students, seniors, patients and others each year.
The Port has scheduled meetings later this month to gather input for grants to be awarded for fiscal year 2018.