Four West Coast ports as well as two on the East Coast will
share a total award of $4.2 million in grant funding for clean diesel projects,
the US Environmental Protection Agency announced April 8.
The ports of Hueneme, Los Angeles, Seattle and Tacoma, as
well as the Maryland Port Administration and the Virginia Port Authority, will
share the funding. The grants, part of the Diesel Emissions Reduction Act, will
fund projects such as replacing older heavy-duty drayage trucks with trucks
powered by 2010 or newer certified engines, retrofitting cargo handling equipment
with diesel particulate filters and supplying shoreside power to ocean going
vessels.
“Ports are the main gateway for US trade and are critical to
our country’s economic growth, yet the communities surrounding ports face
serious environmental challenges,” EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy said in a
statement. “Through collaboration and innovation, we can achieve the goals of
economic growth and environmental stewardship.”
The Port of Seattle is set to receive the most funding, $1.2
million, which is to go toward a drayage truck replacement project. The project
provides incentives to replace 40 older heavy-duty drayage trucks with trucks
powered by 2010 or newer certified engines.
The Port of Tacoma has been awarded about $602,000 for a
project to repower a Tier 0 switcher locomotive with a Tier 3-Plus engine
equipped with an automatic start-stop system to reduce idling.
The Port of Hueneme was awarded $500,000 for a project to
complete the electrification of a major wharf and allow the port to supply shoreside
power to ocean going vessels at all three berths simultaneously, thereby
reducing emissions from ship idling.
The Port of Los Angeles is to receive $469,000 for a project
to retrofit 14 pieces of cargo handling equipment at the port with diesel particulate
filters.
The Maryland Port Administration and Virginia Port Authority
were awarded $750,000 each for emission reductions projects at their ports.
