Photo Credit: Shen Photography

On Tuesday, November 5th, 2024, fourteen University of Southern California students from the Sol Price School of Public Policy and Viterbi School of Engineering had the pleasure of welcoming David Libatique, the Deputy Executive Director of Stakeholder Engagement for the Port of Los Angeles, and Aaron Hake, the Executive Director of the Riverside County Transportation Commission (RCTC) and the Western Riverside County Regional Conservation Authority (RCA). Hake and  Libatique joined a graduate class for a discussion on port operations, goods movement, and transportation policy in Southern California, facilitated by USC Professors Eric Shen and Marlon Boarnet. 

The Port of Los Angeles

Libatique began by emphasizing the Port of Los Angeles’ critical role in California and the national economy. He explained that, with the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach (POLA and POLB) being the largest container port complex in the United States, POLA/POLB serve as the primary Pacific gateway for imports and exports moving from 30 to 40 percent of all containerized freight entering the U.S. 

Libatique gave an overview of the Port of Los Angeles. A five-member Board of Harbor Commissioners governs the Port of Los Angeles. POLA develops infrastructure through revenue bonds as a landlord port and then leases land to terminal operators through long-term contracts.  Libatique explained that these bonds typically require payments over 20-30 years and reflect the port's long-term commitment to a strong and efficient supply chain. 

Libatique also highlighted several significant challenges tied to the port's operations, such as the harmful environmental impacts of diesel trucks and the role of diesel as a carcinogen. He explained how community concerns over carcinogenic diesel halted a significant terminal expansion project in the Port of Los Angeles in the mid-2000s, leading both ports (L.A. and Long Beach) to pivot toward sustainable practices such as pollution reductions, community engagement, supply chain efficiency, and now, advancing workforce development. The result has led to a series of innovations in policy, operation, and engagement, which have resulted in important improvements in sustainability and community engagement.

Public Policy and Warehousing

Riverside County is one of the fastest developing regions in the country due to lower-cost housing in the greater Los Angeles region. The recent growth in Riverside County has included warehousing developments and jobs associated with goods movement. Hake described an overview of the RCTC,  which is the county transportation commission for Riverside County and manages a multi-modal transportation program funded in part through a voter-approved sales tax increment. Much of Hake’s discussion focused on Riverside County, relating the region's quick economic growth, development, and affordability, which has turned the area into an economically promising hub both for residential development and warehousing. While the region's zoning regulations have allowed the county to accommodate the growing number of warehousing and generate revenue from warehouse taxes, the growth of that sector brings both jobs and environmental and quality of life impacts. Hake described the region's efforts to balance those tensions in planning and policy-making.

The Movement of Goods and Supply Chain

This discussion from Libatique and Hake provided students with an understanding of the changing landscape of goods movement in Southern California. It offered students an overview of the challenges related to sustainability, port operations, goods movement, and transportation policy in Southern California's industrial regions, such as areas of Riverside County. The information shared during these discussions provided students with insight into the environment and growing economies and how they relate to public policy and planning. 

As with many METRANS events, student engagement and mentoring were an important part of the discussion. Libatique and Hake provided students with advice to prepare them to work in transportation and related fields. Libatique and Hake emphasized the importance of students understanding decision-making processes and regulatory frameworks and being skilled at facilitating informed communication.