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LACI Launches Campaign Urging California State Legislature to Increase Funding for Zero Emissions Transportation of Goods; Campaign Reinforces Budget Request from Southern California Coalition of Mayors, Ports, Labor, and Environmental Groups

The Proposed Increased Investments will Help Meet Transportation Electrification Partnership’s Zero Emissions Roadmap Targets to Reduce Pollution by 2028 Olympics; investments Key to Creating Jobs, Growing the Economy, and Protecting Public Health While Reducing the Largest Source of Air Pollution in Greater LA

LOS ANGELES, CA, May 24, 2022 – Today the Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator (LACI)–convenor of the Transportation Electrification Partnership–launched a digital campaign to reinforce the budget request from a coalition led by the Mayors and Ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles, labor, environmental justice and environmental organizations, and LACI. In a recent letter, the coalition–which also includes International Longshoremen and Warehouse Union locals, Southern California Edison, EarthJustice, and a broad swath of environmental advocates–urged the California Legislature to increase State funding for the adoption of zero emission transportation of goods.

Forty percent of the nation’s goods enter through the Ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles which serve as an enormous source of economic activity and jobs, while also generating the single largest source of air pollution in the region. Southern California continues to be home to the worst air quality in the country. That’s why the Transportation Electrification Partnership – with over 30 public and private sector members – has set bold targets to reduce air and climate pollution by the 2028 Olympics, including ensuring 40% of the short haul drayage trucks are zero emissions and 60% medium duty last mile delivery trucks are electric.

The campaign, anchored on a digital ad “Solutions”, urges California Legislators to invest additional funding in zero emissions solutions that can clean up Southern California’s air, while creating good paying green jobs and keeping the region’s economy and goods moving.

In a letter to Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon, Senate Pro Tem Toni Atkins and Legislative Budget Chairs, the coalition called for a $3.31 billion investment to accelerate the adoption of zero emissions drayage trucks and cargo handling equipment at the ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles. The request in the letter builds on Governor Newsom’s proposed budget by adding an additional $900 million for truck incentives via HVIP and CORE and additional $225 million for drayage trucks and charging, including a $100 million carve out for charging infrastructure along the I-710 where BEV drayage trucks are beginning to operate with more BEV truck models coming soon from OEMs.

“We applaud Governor Newsom’s historic climate and zero emission transportation budget priorities,” said Matt Petersen, LACI CEO and Chair of the Transportation Electrification Partnership. “Given the unprecedented state budget surplus, we urge the legislature to make additional investments in accelerating truck and port electrification—in particular focusing on the most critical goods movement corridor in the state and nation, the I-710–that will pay economic, health and environmental dividends for our region and provide an example for other port regions throughout the country and around the world.”

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About The Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator (LACI)
The Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator (LACI) is creating an inclusive green economy by unlocking innovation through helping scale cleantech startups, transforming markets through catalytic partnerships like the Transportation Electrification Partnership, and enhancing communities through green workforce training and pilots. Founded as an economic development initiative by the City of Los Angeles and its Department of Water & Power (LADWP) in 2011, LACI is recognized as one of the top 10 innovative business incubators in the world by UBI. To date, LACI has supported 315 startup companies that have secured more than $695 million in funding, generated more than $308 million in revenue, and helped to create an estimated 2,480 jobs with a long-term projected economic impact of more than $555 million.

Media Contact

Cameron Edinburgh, Media Director

cameron@laincubator.org | 213-647-1441

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