CONFERENCE RECAPS: PARTNERSHIPS
Partnerships, community, and clean air How the Port of Stockton is rebuilding trust and cutting emissions
T he Port of Stockton is demon- strating how ports can address environmental justice, emis- sions reduction, and community part- nerships while modernizing operations and reducing emissions. Indeed, the California inland port has spent the past several years transforming its rela- tionship with neighboring commun- ities while investing heavily in cleaner technology. Jeff Wingfield, the Port’s Deputy Director of Regulatory and Public Affairs, and Joe Carrillo, Regional Vice President, Northern California, SSA Marine, spoke about how collab- oration has been key to the transform- ation. “What’s really been able to make this work for us and what’s been a huge change in Stockton over the past five years has been developing relationships and partnerships,” Wingfield told attendees. A strategic inland port Located in California’s Central Valley, the Port of Stockton sits at a major transportation crossroads. Interstate 5, one of the West Coast’s primary north–south highways, crosses directly over the port, while Highways 99, 4, and 580 provide links to regional and Bay Area markets. San Francisco is about 75 miles to the west. This multimodal connectivity has helped the Port grow into a major bulk and breakbulk gateway. The Port now includes about seven million square feet of covered storage, 12,000 linear feet of dock space, and roughly 75 miles of rail infrastructure. Expansion plans include adding another 15 miles of rail. But the same connectivity that sup- ports cargo movement has also con- tributed to environmental pressures on
...the California inland port has spent the past several years transforming its relationship with neighboring communities while investing heavily in cleaner technology.
surrounding neighborhoods. “While all those transportation modes are amazing for us,” Wingfield said, “they also generate a lot of emissions that affect the local community.” The issue is particularly acute in nearby South Stockton commun- ities, where asthma rates are more than twice the California average. Wingfield emphasized the human impact of those statistics, recalling that a leader of a local environmental justice organization once died from an asthma attack. “The issue is very real for that environmental justice group,” he said. A new focus For many years, the Port focused on broader city initiatives but paid less attention to neighborhoods clos- est to its operations. That changed when South Stockton was designated an environmental justice community under California’s Assembly Bill 617. The designation required closer col- laboration with residents and environ- mental groups through the state’s Community Air Protection Program. Wingfield acknowledged that the early days were difficult. “When we first got involved with the steering committee, it was just us getting rocks thrown at us for about the first two years,” he said. Much of the tension came during the pandemic, when virtual meet- ings prevented meaningful in-person engagement. Once restrictions lifted, the Port began inviting residents and environmental advocates for on-site
tours. The impact was dramatic. “We turned all these haters into support- ers,” Wingfield said. “Ninety percent of the people who came out on the tours would say, ‘You guys are doing the right thing.’” Supporting local neighborhoods The Port also began investing more directly in nearby communities such as Boggs Tract, a low-income neigh- borhood adjacent to the Port’s prop- erty. Truck traffic once passed directly through the area near an elementary school, a situation that residents had long complained about. Wingfield said the Port chose to engage with the neighborhood directly rather than through intermediaries. “We said we want to have our own relationships. We’re going to become the supporter of this area.” One initiative involved leasing port land for just $1 per year to a com- munity garden operated by the Edible Schoolyard program. The garden pro- vides fresh produce in a neighborhood considered a food desert. Every week, residents line up to receive bags of fruits and vegetables along with recipes. The Port also supports neighbor- hood cleanups, clothing drives for stu- dents, and events such as school dances and field trips. Wingfield noted that these efforts may seem small but play an important role in building trust. “It’s not about cleaning up the trash,” he said of the neighborhood cleanups. “It’s about showing that we’re invested in this community.”
March 2026 — PACIFIC PORTS — 43
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