By Mark Edward Nero
The Port of Hueneme will receive more than $3 million in
federal grant funding for the purpose of infrastructure improvements and air
emission reductions, the port revealed Dec. 26.
“This program will bring nearly $3 million of added funding,
underscoring our significant role within our community and California’s
economy,” Board of Harbor Commissioners President Jason Hodge said.
Most of the funding, which comes from a branch of the US
Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFI) Fund, is expected to go
toward the port’s development of state mandated shoreside power at terminals.
The shoreside power project, which would allow ships to cut
their engines while at dock, is expected to cut diesel particulate matter by 92
percent, nitrous oxide by 98 percent, and carbon dioxide by 55 percent,
according to the port.
The Port of Hueneme, which is run by the Oxnard Harbor
District, is located in Ventura County, California, about 80 miles north of Los
Angeles. It moves about $7 billion in goods annually.
In addition to the shoreside power project, funding from the
grant is earmarked for support of a nonprofit project called FOOD Share, which
has a goal of bringing millions of pounds of fresh, healthy and affordable food
to underserved areas in Ventura County.
