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“RECOGNIZING THE 100TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE PORT OF LONG BEACH” mentioning the U.S. Dept. of Commerce was published in the Extensions of Remarks section on pages E1224 on July 1, 2011.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
RECOGNIZING THE 100TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE PORT OF LONG BEACH
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HON. LAURA RICHARDSON
of california
in the house of representatives
Friday, July 1, 2011
Ms. RICHARDSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the 100th Anniversary of one of the world's busiest transportation centers, the Port of Long Beach. In my District, one out of every 8 people is employed by the Port, and over 300,000 jobs across Southern California are directly involved in its operations.
As a Member of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, I look to the Port of Long Beach as a model seaport, bringing business and economic opportunities to our area through ever more efficient methods of facilitating economic trade, guided by a philosophy that is sensitive to our environment and prepared for emergencies.
Mr. Speaker, on June 24, 1911, the Port of Long Beach, located on 800 acres of marshland at the mouth of the Los Angeles River, was officially opened to the world. The S.S. Iaqua unloaded 280,000 feet of redwood lumber at a small pier of wood and concrete, becoming the first ship to call on the Port of Long Beach. The port now services nearly 5,000 vessels and handles more than $100 billion worth of goods each year.
After the Los Angeles Dock and Terminal Company, the Port's original owner, declared bankruptcy in 1916, the City of Long Beach acquired the harbor and appointed a Board of Harbor Commissioners to direct its operations. In 1925, it was decided that the Port ought to be an independent city department with its own independent board.
Since then, the histories of Long Beach and its port have been intertwined. After nearly a decade of dredging and harbor improvements, in 1926 the Port of Long Beach attained ``deep water'' port status and recorded 1 million tons of cargo having passed through its piers since the Iaqua. The 1930's witnessed the expansion of the San Pedro Bay breakwater and the discovery of oil, ushering in an era of unprecedented growth for the Port and the City of Long Beach.
The U.S. Navy established a facility in 1940 at Terminal Island that would become the Long Beach Naval Shipyard, which provided critical support to America's operations in the Pacific during World War II, and remained a major military facility until 1997.
The port continued to grow in size, capacity, and technological sophistication. It became the first of its kind in the Americas to install a shore-based radar system in 1949, and Time Magazine dubbed the Port of Long Beach ``America's Most Modern Port.'' In 1973 the Port of Long Beach became the first port in the Western Hemisphere to receive the Environmental ``E'' Award from the American Association of Port Authorities for its efforts to prevent oil spills, process sewage, clean the harbor, and monitor water quality, and received the E-Star Award from the United States Department of Commerce one year later.
In 1980, the Port of Long Beach was the first American port of call for Chinese ships following normalized relations. 1996 and 1997 saw the Port of Long Beach handling more shipping containers than any other U.S. port. Today, nearly 1 out of every 5 American shipping containers pass through its facilities.
The Port also continues its legacy of environmentally sensitive operations through its Green Port Policy and its Clean Air Action Plan which have become the model for similar facilities around the world seeking to improve water quality, reduce emissions, prevent contamination, protect wildlife, and implement sustainable practices in daily operations.
In recent years, the Port of Long Beach has taken unprecedented steps to connect with its surrounding communities, offering free tours of the Port to the public, holding community forums, awarding scholarships, pioneering trade-related educational programs, and hosting the annual Green Port Fest.
Mr. Speaker, I call on my colleagues to join me in recognizing the Port of Long Beach for a century of innovation and the critical role it plays in American trade with the world. I am thankful for the contributions to American shipping made during the Port's history, and I acknowledge the critical importance of the Port to America's continuing prosperity and future trade for the next 100 years.
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