The Demands of Conflicting Change on Public Enterprise: West Coast Seaport Development and Environmental Regulation

Abstract

For centuries, seaports and harbors have been central to the economies of modern countries. They have acted as the primary transshipment points in the allocation of goods and services domestically as well as in foreign trade. With new transportation technologies and the growing interdependencies between regional, national, and international economies, port authorities have been experiencing enormous pressures to support economic development values by modernizing their harbor facilities. In the United States, foreign trade has grown at a remarkable rate over the last decade as compared to previous years. For West Coast ports, where the potential for future cargo growth is greatest, the combination of expanded trade with Asia and a change in shipping routes from the Panama Canal to overland continental rail has invigorated Pacific rim trade and is transforming these ports into intermodal transport gateways for the nation.'