The West Oakland Environmental Indicators Project alleges in its petition and complaint in Alameda County Superior Court that the project will contribute to local air pollution, noise, carbon emissions and water pollution.
The advocates are seeking to stop the project, or if the Port moves forward with it, that the Port makes sure the environmental impacts are mitigated as the California Environmental Quality Act requires.
Margaret Gordon, a co-founder of the group and a former Port Commissioner said the project would have severe negative impacts on the health of the community.
She also accused the Port of Oakland Commissioners from" completely ignoring the public health impacts that would be caused by the dust blowing off the open-air piles of gravel aggregate into our neighborhoods.”
The project involves the company Eagle Rock Aggregates, a subsidiary of Polaris Materials Corporation, which is a subsidiary of U.S. Concrete.
According to the complaint, sand and gravel will be housed at the Port with no covering. Port officials have said it will be kept moist. Piles will be as high as 25 feet, each containing as much as 329,000 tons of material, according to the complaint.
Spokespersons for the Port and U.S. Concrete did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment.