2023 CITT: Decarbonization: Truth, Consequences and Hard Choices

CITT hosted its annual State of the Trade and Transportation Industry Town Hall Meeting on November 17 at the Pointe Conference Center on the campus of California State University, Long Beach (CSULB). This year’s focus was on port decarbonization. Since the inaugural event in 2001, the CITT Town Hall has featured robust discussions about controversial topics. Past Town Halls have addressed issues running the gamut from labor strikes to chassis shortages to the impacts of a global pandemic. This year’s focus on port decarbonization featured an expert panel and the presentation of the 2023 Domenick Miretti Award.

The 2023 Town Hall opened with a documentary film followed by a roundtable panel discussion addressing decarbonization challenges across the supply chain.

This year’s expert panelists included:

• Genevieve Giuliano, Distinguished Professor and Margaret & John Ferraro Chair in Effective Local Government, USC Sol Price School of Public Policy
• Trelynd Bradley, Deputy Director for Sustainable Freight and Supply Chain at the California Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz).
• Sarah Dawn Saltzer, Managing Director, Stanford Center for Carbon Storage
• Jack Hedge, Vice President of Hydrogen Hub Development at BayoTech
• Tom O'Brien, Associate Dean, College of Professional and Continuing Education, State University Long Beach

Brief biographies for each panelist can be found in the event’s program, linked here.

The morning’s events concluded with a tribute to the late Richard D. “Rick” Cameron, who served as the Deputy Executive Director of Planning and Development for the Port of Long Beach.

The 2023 Town Hall was made possible in part by:

• Gold Sponsor: Port of Los Angeles
• Silver Sponsors: Majestic Reality Co., WSPA, and Yusen Terminals
• Bronze Sponsors: Dialed-In Partners and Fehr & Peers

The Town Hall series provides a unique forum for frank and honest discussion about the most pressing issues affecting California’s ports and the supply chain. This could not happen without the individuals who attend the Town Hall each year and the resources provided by our sponsors. The staff at CITT wishes to express our gratitude for their help in making this year’s Town Hall a success.