skip to main content

Natural Resources Defense Council

Switchboard

David Pettit's Blog

Recent Posts

Who Pays The Freight?

July 2, 2008

Posted by David Pettit in Curbing Pollution

Tags:
airpollution, bankofamerica, cleantrucksplan, daimler, generalelectric, portoflongbeach, portoflosangeles, villaraigosa

On June 26, 2008, Los Angeles Mayor Villaraigosa signed into law a City ordinance, passed by a unanimous vote of the L.A. City Council, enacting the Port of Los Angeles Clean Trucks Program, the most progressive in the nation.  If...continued

The Federal Maritime Commission Does the Right Thing

June 16, 2008

Posted by David Pettit

Tags:
cleanair, cleantrucks, federalmaritimecommission, longbeach, losangeles

On June 13, 2008, the Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) wrote to the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach and stated that the FMC would “allow the early effectiveness” of the Ports’ agreement that authorized the Ports to cooperate in...continued

What He Said

June 12, 2008

Posted by David Pettit

Tags:
americantruckingassociation, cleantrucks, futureports, longbeach, losangeles, mayorfoster, mayorvillaraigosa

On Friday, May 16, 2008, Long Beach Mayor Bob Foster gave a talk that blew the roof off the business-oriented FuturePorts conference in Long Beach.  The beautiful setting, right by the water (thank you, Nancy), was a strong contrast to...continued

Clean Air Act Applies to All

May 29, 2008

Posted by David Pettit

Tags:
airqualitymanagementdistrict, californiaairresourceboard, cleanairact, cleantrucks, electricrail, EPA, southcoastairbasin, southerncalifornia

Southern California’s air quality woes are a well known fact, but not enough has been done to alleviate the problem. Today, NRDC filed a petition for review in the federal Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, challenging EPA’s approval of the...continued

Telling the Wrong Story

May 20, 2008

Posted by David Pettit in Curbing Pollution , The Media and the Environment

Tags:
cleantrucks, journalism, portoflongbeach, portoflosangeles, portpollution, villaraigosa, wallstreetjournal

NRDC’s work to clean up the Port of Long Beach got sucker punched last week in the Wall Street Journal. It was truly a shock to see such a mischaracterization of our work and our motives represented in such a...continued

Different Coasts, Same Schmutz

May 12, 2008

Posted by David Pettit in Curbing Pollution

Tags:
airpollution, cleanair, diesel, portoflosangeles, portofnewark, schmutz, trucks

I used to play basketball with a guy we called “Schmutzie,” a playground variant on the Yiddish word “schmutz,” which means dirt.  I don’t know how he got the name – he wasn’t any dirtier a player than the rest...continued

Do you want fries with that?

May 2, 2008

Posted by David Pettit in Curbing Pollution

Tags:
cleanair, davidfreeman, diesel, intermodalrail, portoflongbeach, trucks

Last week, I attended a community meeting in Long Beach to discuss a potential intermodal rail yard expansion project. After the railroad representatives gave their presentation on why the expansion is good for the local community, good for business and...continued

An “Unholy” Alliance

April 22, 2008

Posted by David Pettit in Curbing Pollution

Tags:
antoniovillaraigosa, cleanair, cleantrucks, janicehahn, portoflosangeles, teamsters

Roughly 5,000 people showed up to a rally I spoke at last week. The rally followed the aptly named, “Hollywood to the Docks March,” a 3-day, 28 mile march designed to highlight the struggle of workers and communities throughout LA.While...continued

Career Day in West LA

April 18, 2008

Posted by David Pettit in Living Sustainably

Tags:
careerday, deltasmelt, environmentallawyer, highschool, polarbears, West LA

This week, I spoke at “Career Day” at a large, urban West LA high school.  The listing for my occupation on the school’s schedule was “environmental lawyer” which is accurate, but meaningless to most high school kids.The kids were pretty...continued

When Power Goes to Your Head, and Lungs

April 8, 2008

Posted by David Pettit in Environmental Justice

Tags:
airquality, environmentaljustice, naturalgas, powerplants, solarenergy, southerncalifornia, windenergy

Last week, NRDC delivered a 60-day intent to sue letter to the South Coast Air Quality Management District (AQMD) in Southern California, contending they’re giving regional polluters a free pass on pollution levels and distributing bogus emission credits – sometimes in...continued

NRDC and Community Groups Reach Historic Agreement with Port of LA on TraPac Expansion

April 3, 2008

Posted by David Pettit in Curbing Pollution

Tags:
cityoflosangeles, greengrowth, janicehahn, portoflosangeles, portpollution

Today, after tough and arduous negotiations with NRDC and a number of environmental and community groups, the Port of Los Angeles agreed to implement a long-overdue plan ensuring that as the port expands their operations, harbor residents breathe a little...continued

LA Port Gives Green Light to Clean Trucks

March 21, 2008

Posted by David Pettit in Curbing Pollution

Tags:
airpollution, cleanairplan, cleantrucksplan, longbeachport, portoflosangeles, portpollution, southerncalifornia

On March 20, 2008, after more than two years of advocacy, negotiation, drafting letters to the editor, meetings with public officials, a notice of intent to sue letter under the federal Resource Conservation and Recovery Act sent to the neighboring...continued

To Russia With Love

March 14, 2008

Posted by David Pettit in Curbing Pollution , Health and the Environment , U.S. Law and Policy

Tags:
EPA, lysenkoism, ozonestandard, smog

Trofim Lysenko, a Russian biologist from a non-scientific background who rejected Mendelian genetics, was a favorite of Stalin because his theories of agronomy -- based on the (now discredited) concept of environmentally acquired inheritable traits -- promised vastly higher crop...continued

Breathe Deeply, Now

March 11, 2008

Posted by David Pettit in Curbing Pollution

Tags:
diesel, longbeachport, losangelesport, pollution

People who live near the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach don’t need to study atmospheric science to understand that they have a problem.  There is fine, black soot everywhere.  They can clean it up – and the next...continued

David Pettit
David Pettit
Director, Southern California Air Program
Santa Monica, CA
I grew up in the L.A. area and am a die-hard Dodgers and UCLA Bruins...
more

Feeds: Stay Plugged In

Switchboard Archives

David Pettit's archives