Making waves: Long Beach Harbor budget increases 140 percent; dredging and filling operations, land acquisitions are under way at land-poor port.Making waves: Long Beach Harbor budget increases 140 percent Dredging dredging, process of excavating materials underwater. It is used to deepen waterways, harbors, and docks and for mining alluvial mineral deposits, including tin, gold, and diamonds. and filling operations, land acquisitions are under way at land-poor port The Long Beach Harbor Department this week begins its 1990-1991 fiscal year with a $539 million budget for its port, about 140 percent higher than last year and $85 million more than adjacent Port of Los Angeles The Port of Los Angeles is located on San Pedro Bay in the San Pedro neighborhood of Los Angeles, approximately 20 miles (30 km) south of downtown. Also called Los Angeles Harbor and WORLDPORT LA . The majority, $470 million, is earmarked for capital improvements, including buying land, bringing rail lines to the piers and building more cargo-loading terminals. The figure is unprecedented and represents a five-fold increase in capital spending capital spending Spending for long-term assets such as factories, equipment, machinery, and buildings that permits the production of more goods and services in future years. from two years ago. "That $470 million probably will be spent," predicted Louise M. DuVall, president of the Long Beach Board of Harbor Commissioners. The five-member panel earns $50 per meeting governing the Harbor Department which, in turn, administers the Port of Long Beach. "We're land poor. So we're dredging and filling and we're buying land for new terminals," explained DuVall, a Long Beach attorney. While the cash is committed to projects, some spending will take place in future fiscal years, cautioned Paul Brown For the politician, see Paul Brown (Georgia politician). Paul Eugene Brown (September 7, 1908 - August 5, 1991) was a coach in American football and a major figure in the development of the National Football League. , managing director of administration and maintenance. The top priorities for the port, which handles $50 billion in cargo annually, are expansion of Pier J and construction of the so-called West Street Terminal, which would be leased to a sole tenant, Hanji Shipping Co. of South Korea. Together they are expected to expand the amount of cargo capacity of the port by 50 percent. "We suffer from a shortage of land," commented Commissioner David L. Hauser. The professional mortgage broker and real estate lender said the port has had to turn away business. "We are in a constant mode to go out and acquire other properties." About $168 million is set aside just for land purchases. Perhaps the largest acquisition would be the approximately 500-acre site owned by the Union Pacific railroad Union Pacific Railroad, transportation company chartered (1862) by Congress to build part of the nation's first transcontinental railroad line. Under terms of the Pacific Railroads Act, the Union Pacific was authorized to build a line westward from Omaha, Nebr. on both sides of the Cerritos water channel. DuVall would not estimate the cost because negotiations are still under way with Union Pacific. Some soil contaminated contaminated, v 1. made radioactive by the addition of small quantities of radioactive material. 2. made contaminated by adding infective or radiographic materials. 3. an infective surface or object. with hazardous waste Hazardous waste Any solid, liquid, or gaseous waste materials that, if improperly managed or disposed of, may pose substantial hazards to human health and the environment. Every industrial country in the world has had problems with managing hazardous wastes. would have to be carted away from the site. Also, oil wells would have to be relocated and the land they have caused to sink would have to be filled in. Far smaller are the non-capital expenditures slated. Personnel will consume $19 million, up 7 percent from the last fiscal year. Operations is pegged at $17 million, up 8 percent, and debt service rose 34 percent to $34 million. The port issued bonds last November, netting $242 million. Dripping into bond proceeds since then, the port has been able to "stockpile stock·pile n. A supply stored for future use, usually carefully accrued and maintained. tr.v. stock·piled, stock·pil·ing, stock·piles To accumulate and maintain a supply of for future use. revenues," said Brown. The result -- an extraordinary cash position: $145 million left of bond proceeds and $262 million carried over from last year. The port sold the bonds to take advantage of declining interest rates "even though we had a fair amount of cash then," explained port Director of Finance Michael Slavin. "Looking out five years we had such an array of projects that we wanted to make sure that we could plan to go ahead without worrying where the funds would come from." The Long Beach City Council approved the budget this month. Highlights include: * Pier J expansion. A southern pier adjoining the Queen Mary Queen Mary, Queen Marie, or Queen Maria may refer to: Queens Britain England
An island off southern California in the southern Santa Barbara Islands. Discovered in 1542, it has been a noted resort center since the 1920s. has been brought by barge for the retention site. * West Seventh Street Terminal. Having demolished a former Procter & Gamble soap plant soap plant, any of various plants having cleansing properties. A few are of commercial importance, but most soap plants are used locally, as in early times, for toilet and laundry purposes. on the 55-acre site, the port plans 1,000 feet of new concrete wharf and three container cranes for its South Korean tenant, Hanji. Completion is expected next year and would hike port capacity by 13 percent. * Leadership. Last year's $120,818 salary allocated for the executive director's post was eliminated. Joe Prevratil, who held that post last year, resigned to work as a private consultant. His assistant's post, funded at $36,116 was also cut. At the direction of the commissioners, the Harbor Department's bureau chiefs will take turns in the No. 1 spot. It is currently filled by Steve Dillenbek, managing director of the commerce and development bureau. * Travel. Expenses are budgeted at $465,200. The executive offices control $375,000 of the total and trade promotion accounting for $25,000. PHOTO : Port: Cargo being loaded |
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