Harbor Commissioners to consider project study at Monday's public meeting

Trains at the Port of Long Beach.The Port of Long Beach has released the final environmental impact report (EIR) for a proposal to redevelop a rail yard within the Harbor District to move cargo faster and with fewer environmental impacts. The public hearing on the EIR is scheduled for the Monday, Jan. 22, meeting of the Board of Harbor Commissioners.

The proposed Pier B On-Dock Rail Support Facility would shift more cargo to “on-dock rail,” which places containers directly on trains at marine terminals. Currently, the ability to build long trains is limited due to the lack of adequate yard tracks and the configuration of mainline tracks.

The Pier B facility would change this by providing track space to join together trains assembled at terminals. No cargo trucks would visit the facility, enhancing the environmental benefits of pushing more cargo to rail transportation. View a video about the project here.

The Harbor Commission is scheduled to consider the final environmental impact report (EIR) for the Pier B On-Dock Rail Support Facility during its regular meeting, 6 p.m. Monday, Jan. 22, at the Port's Interim Administrative Offices, 4801 Airport Plaza Drive, Long Beach 90815.

The EIR analyzes the environmental impacts of the proposed development, and the mitigation measures that would be used to address those impacts. The draft EIR was released Dec. 15, 2016. Port staff held a series of public meetings and solicited comments from stakeholders. All comments received have been responded to in the final EIR, which was released Jan. 12, 2018.

If the Commission approves the document, the Port will continue to stay engaged with the community as the project progresses. The Pier B On-Dock Rail Support Facility would be located southwest of Anaheim Street and Interstate 710.