EPA awards nearly $3 billion to electrify port infrastructure
The U.S. EPA announced nearly $3 billion in funding from the Inflation Reduction Act to improve and electrify port infrastructure.
EPA distributed that money to 55 selectees across 27 states and territories through its Clean Ports grants. The grants help install zero-emission freight and ferry technologies and the associated infrastructure. Nine applicants received funding specifically to electrify dray trucks or on-road vehicles.
President Biden visited Maryland’s Port of Baltimore to highlight the funding, which included $147 million in grants to the Maryland Port Administration.
EPA estimates the latest grants will eliminate more than 3 million metric tons of carbon pollution. The White House estimates the Clean Ports program will increase demand for American-manufactured electric cargo handling equipment at least six-fold over the life of the program.
The latest grants support the purchase of more than 1,500 units of cargo handling equipment, 1,000 drayage trucks, 10 locomotives, and 20 vessels, as well as shore power systems, battery-electric and hydrogen vehicle charging and fueling infrastructure, and solar power generation.
The Clean Ports funding comes from two separate programs: a Zero-Emission Technology Deployment Competition that directly funds zero-emission equipment and infrastructure, and a limate and Air Quality Planning Competition that funds climate and air quality planning projects.
Of the total funding, $2.8 billion from the zero-emission technology competition supports the projects of 25 applicants; $60 million from the air quality planning competition supports the projects of 30 applicants.
A full list of selected applicants is available on EPA’s website.
