Cargo Business Newswire

Friday, April 18, 2014

EPA awards $4.2M to ports to curb pollution

The Environmental Protection Agency has launched their "Advancing Sustainable Ports" initiative with a round of grant funding meant to help improve the environmental performance of U.S. ports.

At the initiative's first summit last week in Baltimore, the EPA gave out $4.2 million in grant monies to six ports.

In Washington State, the Port of Seattle was awarded $1.2 million in incentives to replace 40 aging drayage trucks with trucks that feature 2010 or newer certified engines. The Port of Tacoma received $601,949 to repower a Tier 0 switcher locomotive with a Tier 3+ engine equipped with an automatic start-stop system to reduce idling.

In California, the Port of Los Angeles was awarded a $469,000 grant to retrofit 14 pieces of cargo handling equipment with diesel particulate filters. Port Hueneme received $500,000 to install shoreside power on Wharf No. 1 so that ships can plug in at all three berths simultaneously.

On the East Coast, $750,000 was granted to the Port of Baltimore to provide incentives to replace 35 older drayage trucks with trucks powered by 2010 or newer certified engines. The Virginia Port Authority received $750,000 to replace three Tier 1 shuttle carriers with Tier 4 hybrid diesel-electric shuttle carriers in operation at the Port of Virginia.

Through the new ports program, the EPA will work with port authorities to develop emission measurement tools that quantify and monitor energy use and environmental impact.