Court Refuses to Stop Construction at Port

Dashing the hopes of a coalition of environmental and community groups, a state appellate court in Los Angeles on Monday denied an emergency request to halt construction of a terminal in the Port of Los Angeles.

The court on Friday heard arguments from both the coalition and the Port Authority regarding a stay of construction on the project’s first phase--a 1,200-foot wharf for the China Shipping and Holding Co. that environmental groups say will worsen air quality for residents, some of whom live within 500 feet of the project.

But the court did agree that the coalition had raised “substantial issues,” and agreed to hear arguments on Oct. 18 for an environmental review of the project, which is expected to be finished by then.