The EPA Ports Initiative recently released the Case Study of the San Pedro Bay Ports’ Clean Air Action Plan 2006–2018 and four associated factsheets. The Clean Air Action Plan (CAAP) at the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, collectively known as the San Pedro Bay Ports (SPBP), is a groundbreaking program and this case study provides a summary of the CAAP’s background and history followed by three focused discussions on environmental justice and levers of community influence; technologies and practices for development and deployment; and the 2017 Clean Truck Program. Best practices and lessons learned presented in the case study that other port operators and near-port communities may find useful when implementing air quality actions include the importance of:

• Collaborating among ports and communities,
• Conducting emission inventories,
• Setting quantified emissions targets,
• Supporting technical innovations, and
• Developing partnerships with industry and government. 

In 2017, EPA selected the Port of Providence (ProvPort), the City of Providence, the Environmental Justice League of Rhode Island (EJLRI), community stakeholders and other interested local entities to receive EPA technical assistance and pilot a draft Community-Port Collaboration Toolkit. This pilot project was one of four pilots that were collectively known as the Near-Port Community Capacity Building Project. Together these local partners aimed to develop a multi-stakeholder working group to facilitate long-term conversation between near-port residents, businesses, government agencies and port-related stakeholders. 

EPA conducted a needs assessment with a wide range of stakeholders that led to three site visits that included meetings and tours of the Port of Providence and near-port neighborhoods. EPA used the Environmental Justice Primer for Ports in a training that helped the multi-stakeholder working group develop a shared language around environmental justice. Facilitated dialogue during the training led to new insights for improving relationships between port-related representatives and community leaders over the long-term.

There were many successful outcomes from this Providence Pilot and a set of insights were developed that could help other port and near-port community collaborations.

Several federal funding opportunities are currently accepting applications that are related to ports, near-port communities and rail yards including the following.

• Environmental Protection Agency - Healthy Communities Grant Program for communities in EPA Region 1 (Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont and 10 Tribal Nations). Deadline to apply: May 20.

• Environmental Protection Agency - Environmental Justice Small Grants (EJSG) Program. Through EPA Ports Initiative, funding available for approximately six projects that address air quality issues at coastal and inland ports or rail yards. Deadline to apply: June 1.

• Environmental Protection Agency - The Environmental Justice Collaborative Problem-Solving (EJCPS) Cooperative Agreement Program. Deadline to apply: June 1.

• Department of Transportation - Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) Transportation Discretionary Grants. Deadline to apply: July 12.

• Maritime Administration - Port Infrastructure Development Program. Deadline to apply: July 30.

• Department of Defense/ U.S. Army Corps of Engineers - Broad Agency Announcement (BAA). Deadline to apply: February 28, 2022.

• Environmental Protection Agency Opening Late April 2021 - Tribal and Insular Area Grants: Diesel Emissions Reduction Act (DERA)