Many West Oaklanders feel that significant environmental improvements are still a long way off.

"There's a lot of talk. People talk about how 'this needs to be done, we're going to do this'" said Shirley Burnell, a community activist and co-director of West Oakland ACORN, "but still things are being pushed out. Instead of doing something today or tomorrow or next week we're still talking years."

 West Oakland's struggles over diesel pollution linked to high local rates of asthma and cancer brought a confrontational protest to a recent Port of Oakland meeting -- the latest in a year-long clash between residents, port officials and the trucking industry.