The US Environmental Protection Agency has awarded the Port of Oakland a $277,885 grant to help with upgrading cargo-handling equipment and reduce exhaust emissions on the waterfront.
The funds are for use at the TraPac marine terminal, one of five terminals operating in Oakland. The port said it contacted all four terminal operating companies in Oakland about pursuing the environmental grant. Several expressed interest, but ultimately TraPac was the only one that stepped forward.
Under the EPA’s National Clean Diesel Funding Assistance Program Diesel Emissions Reduction Act (DERA) grant, TraPac will use the funds to upgrade four rubber-tired gantry cranes and a top-pick – equipment used in container yards to load boxes onto trucks for delivery to customers.
All are to be be re-engineered with clean diesel engines or exhaust filters.
The retrofits and upgrades are expected to result in significant emissions reductions, including a 94 percent reduction in carbon monoxide; a 92 percent drop in oxides of nitrogen; a 44 percent reduction in diesel particulate matter; and a 41 percent reduction in hydrocarbons.
The project is scheduled to be completed by December 2016.
“These reductions represent another great step towards our progress in meeting the port’s goal of reducing health risk related to diesel particulate matter emissions by 85 percent,” Richard Sinkoff, the director of environmental programs and planning at the port, said.
