The EPA has chosen 55 candidates throughout 27 states and territories to obtain practically $3 billion in grant funding by way of the company’s Clear Ports Program. These grants are aimed toward enhancing air high quality by supporting the deployment of zero-emission gear and related infrastructure.
“As we speak’s historic $3-billion funding builds on President Biden’s imaginative and prescient of rising our economic system whereas guaranteeing America leads in globally aggressive options of the longer term,” stated EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “Delivering cleaner applied sciences and assets to US ports will slash dangerous air and local weather air pollution whereas defending individuals who work in and stay close by port communities.”
In February, the EPA introduced two separate funding alternatives for US ports: a Zero-Emission Know-how Deployment Competitors to instantly fund zero-emission gear and infrastructure to scale back cellular supply emissions; and a Local weather and Air High quality Planning Competitors to fund local weather and air high quality planning actions.
After a rigorous utility evaluation course of, the EPA chosen 55 purposes to obtain this funding. Purposes to the Clear Ports Program have been evaluated partially on their workforce growth efforts, to make sure that tasks will broaden entry to high-quality jobs.
Chosen tasks cowl a variety of apparatus used at and round ports—funding will help the acquisition of zero-emission gear, together with over 1,500 items of cargo dealing with gear, 1,000 drayage vehicles, 10 locomotives and 20 vessels, in addition to shore energy programs, battery-electric and hydrogen automobile charging and fueling infrastructure, and solar energy technology.
The company estimates that utilizing the brand new gear will cut back emissions by over 3 million metric tons of CO2, 12,000 quick tons of NOx, and 200 quick tons of PM2.5 within the first 10 years of operation—not together with advantages from retiring older automobiles.
Chosen tasks embody:
The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ) has been chosen to obtain $344,138,000 for a undertaking that features the deployment of electrical cargo dealing with gear and drayage vehicles with supporting charging infrastructure. The undertaking additionally contains the set up of vessel shore energy infrastructure.
The Detroit/Wayne County Port Authority has been chosen to obtain an anticipated $21,906,000 for a undertaking on the Port of Detroit, which can embody the deployment of battery-electric cargo dealing with gear, vessels and railcar movers, together with charging gear and photo voltaic arrays.
The Georgia Ports Authority (GPA) has been chosen to obtain an anticipated $48,764,000 to improve the Port of Savannah and the Port of Brunswick with vessel shore energy programs. These programs will permit ships to plug in to electrical grid energy and switch off auxiliary diesel engines whereas in port. The undertaking additionally contains the alternative of diesel terminal tractors with new electrical terminal tractors and the set up of electrical charging infrastructure.
The Philadelphia Regional Port Authority has been chosen to obtain an anticipated $77,651,000 to deploy zero-emission port gear, together with cargo dealing with gear and related charging infrastructure.
The Port Division of the Metropolis of Oakland has been chosen to obtain an anticipated $322,168,000 to deploy zero-emission know-how on the Port of Oakland. Challenge actions embody the deployment of electrical and hydrogen cargo dealing with gear, drayage vehicles, charging infrastructure and a battery vitality storage system.
Lots of the tasks embody the scrappage of current diesel-powered gear, and all embody group engagement actions, workforce coaching on zero-emission gear, and efforts to broaden entry to high-quality jobs in near-port communities.
The company anticipates making awards as soon as all authorized, statutory and administrative necessities are happy. Selectees will work with EPA over the approaching months to finalize undertaking plans earlier than receiving ultimate awards and transferring into the implementation section. Challenge implementation is anticipated to happen over the subsequent three to 4 years.
Supply: EPA
