Dirty tricks: Why is Congress voting to scrap California’s clean air protections? 

Just last week, the U.S. House of Representatives voted to revoke a federal waiver that allows California to protect its residents from cancer-causing pollution released by ships, most of them foreign, docking at the state’s ports. 

Americans should understand just how reckless this is — and why the consequences extend beyond California.

The waiver allows California to enforce its Ocean-Going Vessels At-Berth Regulation. In plain terms, the program requires ships to stop pumping toxic diesel exhaust, proven to cause detrimental health outcomes, into the air while they are docked.

These shipping companies have valid solutions available. They can plug into shore power (the electric grid) and turn off their engines, or they can use technology that captures pollutants before they reach nearby communities. 

Even when a ship is not moving, it typically keeps diesel-powered auxiliary engines running to supply electricity for lights, ventilation, pumps, refrigeration and other onboard systems. A vessel may remain at a port for hours or even days, releasing soot and smog-forming gases close to homes, schools and workplaces. 

That pollution is not harmless. Diesel exhaust is known to the State of California to cause cancer, while exposure to air pollution is also linked to asthma, heart and lung disease, cognitive decline and premature death. The microscopic particles in diesel exhaust can travel deep into the lungs and enter the bloodstream.

The health burden is especially severe in communities surrounding California’s busiest ports. In a 2022 survey of Wilmington residents, 54 percent reported black spots or oily........

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