(Courtesy of Port of Los Angeles)

Legislation that would change federal law to allow ports new authority over trucking is quickly gaining support.

As of Aug. 2, the Clean Ports Act had 65-co-sponsors, following the bill’s July 29 introduction by U.S. Rep. Jerrold Nadler and referral to the transportation and infrastructure committee. The co-sponsors heavily represent New York and California, as well as several other states.   

Other bill supporters include numerous labor and environmental groups and several city and port governments.

Current federal regulations bar states and their political subdivisions from regulating trucking price, route or service. U.S. code allows these entities to enact local rules over specific areas affecting trucking, such as hazardous cargo, but prevents these authorities from instituting other regulations affecting the areas named.

A U.S. court issued a temporary injunction against the Port of Los Angeles from enforcing some of its Clean Truck Program components because of an on-going American Trucking Associations lawsuit. That court order currently prevents the Los Angeles port from enforcing all of its program requirements, including that truckers regularly serving the port be carrier employees. 

Program supporters have said they can only achieve the plan’s environmental goals by barring owner-operators from regular port service. In the case’s court filings, the ATA accepted the port’s environmental standards, but disagreed with the employee requirement.

Ports on all U.S. coasts have said they want to follow the Los Angeles model, which has drawn several port city mayors’ backing.