Trapac troubles.

The first terminal expansion project at the Port of Los Angeles in more than five years is hitting some snags in the early going.

In the month since the Los Angeles Harbor Commission approved a $1.5 billion project to expand and modernize the terminal owned by Wilmington-based Trapac Inc., the port has agreed to pay more than $1 million for delaying the original vote and a group of labor organizations and environmentalists has filed an appeal to block the project from moving forward.

The port had ordered two cranes to be delivered to the Trapac terminal in November in anticipation of the project being approved before then. But the vote was delayed until Dec. 6, leaving Trapac with storage costs totaling $1.1 million until they were finally delivered Dec. 13.

The harbor commission voted to reimburse Trapac the entire cost of storing the cranes.

Meanwhile, labor and environmental groups have filed an appeal with the Los Angeles City Council to block the expansion project, saying it violates the California Environmental Quality Act.

The council has yet to consider the appeal.

Staff reporter Richard Clough can be reached at [phone], ext. 251, or at [e-mail].