Redding Today

In response to the Senate Select Committee on Ports and Movement hearing held on Wednesday, November 3, Senator Brian Dahle (R-Bieber) released a statement addressing the ongoing port crisis in California.

"The current port crisis will take time to resolve, but with the holiday season fast approaching, we need to focus our efforts on it more intensely," said Dahle. He emphasized the need for a single lead point of contact to coordinate stakeholders and facilitate new ideas and solutions.

Dahle also criticized the California Air Resources Board (CARB) and local air districts for not pausing their regulations amid the crisis. "These regulations are failing to recognize the gravity of this situation and the reality that the supply chain is fully interrupted," he stated. He warned that without CARB's cooperation, companies and ports could face excessive fines and penalties.

Additionally, Dahle highlighted the importance of ensuring safety for truckers, dock workers, ship crews, and others involved in resolving the backlog of containers on over 70 ships currently offshore. "We need to ensure the safety of our truckers, dock workers, ship crews, and everyone else who are working tirelessly to tackle the Mount Everest of containers awaiting them," he added.

A video of Senator Dahle’s comments during the committee hearing is available online.

California's 1st Senate District includes all or parts of Alpine, El Dorado, Lassen, Modoc, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Sacramento, Sierra, Siskiyou, Shasta counties as well as portions of Tehama, Butte, Colusa, and Glenn counties.