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The San Pedro Bay complex has received the prestigious Clean Air Excellence Award for its San Pedro Bay Ports Clean Air Action Program (CAAP), marking the sixth time the plan has been recognized with an award.

The CAAP was chosen from among 130 programs submitted to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for its impact and innovation in improving air quality, and its potential as a model for ports worldwide.

The program includes a number of initiatives aimed at reducing harmful emissions from ships, trucks, trains and other heavy equipment used in the movement of cargo through the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach. The aim of the CAAP is to reduce emissions in the San Pedro Bay port complex by more than 45 percent by 2012.

"We're very honored to receive a Clean Air Excellence Award for the Clean Air Action Plan," said Long Beach Board of Harbor Commissioners President Mario Cordero [pictured]. "We have worked intensely with our partner agencies to create a strategy that would result in major pollution reductions and it's gratifying to see those efforts recognized."

The CAAP received the top honor in the Regulatory/Policy Innovations category, which recognizes polices that promote public involvement during their development, encourage compliance beyond applicable laws and regulations and provide flexibility to regulated stakeholders.

"It is a great honor to receive such a prestigious, highly competitive award with our friends at the Port of Long Beach," said Geraldine Knatz, Ph.D., Executive Director of the Port of Los Angeles. "This recognition from such a distinguished group of experts reaffirms that we are on the right track in our work to bring cleaner air to Southern California, as well as other communities where our landmark program is replicated."