Port of Long Beach receives environmental leadership award

The Port of Long Beach (POLB) has received the 2026 Edmund G. "Pat" Brown Award in recognition of its work to pair economic growth with responsible environmental practices.

The annual award, presented by the California Council for Environmental Balance (CCEEB), a nonprofit, nonpartisan coalition of business, labor and public leaders, recognizes an individual or organization whose activities protect the environment while enhancing economic growth. It is named for Edmund Brown, who served as governor of California from 1959 until 1967.

"Governor Pat Brown knew that economic prosperity and environmental sustainability can exist side by side," said Long Beach Harbor Commission President Frank Colonna. "We are happy to continue his legacy."

A highlight of the POLB's environmental and economic work is its Green Port Policy, which was adopted in 2005 and described as "an aggressive, comprehensive and coordinated approach to reduce the negative impacts of Port operations" on the port's website. Goals include promoting sustainability, protecting the community from environmental impacts of port operations and employing the best available technology to avoid or reduce environmental impacts. The port is also making strategic infrastructure improvements, including a recent $58 million investment in zero-emission equipment, toward a goal of being the world's first zero-emissions port, POLB officials said.

The POLB is served by Pacific Harbor Line, which interchanges with BNSF Railway and Union Pacific Railroad.