EPA Ports Initiative Newsletter

November 8, 2023

Newsletter Items: 

• REMINDER TO REGISTER: November 9th Voyage to Justice Panel Discussion at EPA’s Community, Equity and Resiliency Virtual Open House 
• View the Slides from EPA’s Clean Ports Program – First Look! Webinar
• 2023 Port Infrastructure Development Program Awards Announced 
• REMINDER: Open Funding Opportunities 

EPA’s Community, Equity & Resiliency initiative provides spaces for communities to learn, connect, dream and cultivate ideas to create positive change with Inflation Reduction Act and other new Investing in America funding opportunities. 

Join us November 6 - 14, 2023 for a Virtual Open House! 

Community partners and potential grant applicants are invited to participate in engaging live panel discussions and educational fireside chats about the potential transformational impacts of the Inflation Reduction Act and other Investing in America funding. 

Voyage to Justice

As part of the Virtual Open House, a Voyage to Justice panel discussion will take place tomorrow, November 9th, at 4 PM EST. Join us for a discussion centered on our ports and exploring solutions to the unique challenges faced by those living in and near port communities - including air and water pollution, industrial waste, and inadequate infrastructure.

Panelists include: 

• Haley Galliano (Moderator) - EPA Office of Chief Financial Officer 
• Ana Baptista - New Jersey Environmental Justice Alliance, Board of Trustees | Associate Professor of Environmental Policy 
• Daneca Tran - PCAT, Port Community Action Team 
• Leticia Gutierrez  -  Air Alliance Houston, Co-facilitator of Houston-area Healthy Port Communities Coalition 

EPA’s Ports Initiative recently hosted a webinar on EPA’s plans for the new Clean Ports Program, a $3 billion Inflation Reduction Act program to fund zero-emission port equipment and infrastructure as well as climate and air quality planning at U.S. ports. 

We provided updates on key program design elements including anticipated eligible activities and equipment, evaluation criteria, program structure, timeline, and more. EPA anticipates this new funding opportunity will become available for application through a notice of funding opportunity (NOFO) released in late winter 2024. 

Thank you to all stakeholders who attended and participated in the webinar! Slides from the webinar are now available on the Ports Initiative Events page. English and Spanish recordings and a Spanish version of the slides will be available soon.

2023 Port Infrastructure Development Program Awards Announced

On November 3rd, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration (MARAD) announced over $653 million to fund 41 port improvement projects across the nation under the Port Infrastructure Development Program (PIDP). The selected projects will strengthen supply chain reliability, create workforce development opportunities, speed up the movement of goods, and improve the safety, reliability and resilience of ports. 

“Modernizing the nation’s port infrastructure is vital to the reinforcement of America’s multimodal system for transporting goods. The advantages of cargo movement on water extend well beyond the maritime domain,” said Maritime Administrator Ann Phillips. “By funding port infrastructure development, the Biden-Harris Administration is ensuring that goods move reliably and in greater quantities, strengthening supply chain resiliency across all modes of transportation, and addressing the negative impacts of port operations on public health and the environment that have harmed communities living near ports.”   

Multiple projects to advance electrification and reduce emissions at ports received funding, including: 

• National City Marine Terminal Berth Rehabilitation & Electrification Project ($11,250,000) San Diego, California: The project will upgrade two berths at National City Marine Terminal (NCMT) by rehabilitating degraded infrastructure, installing electrical infrastructure and equipment that will allow oceangoing vessels to connect to grid-based electricity while alongside the terminal berth, and installing terminal and warehouse lighting upgrades and associated infrastructure. 
• Ko’Kwel Wharf Improvements Project ($7,729,650) North Bend, Oregon: The project will fund repairs to the dock face along Lot 2 of the Ko’Kwel Wharf, will bring 800- amp service and a shore power outlet box to the wharf to reduce or eliminate the need for idling diesel engines, and includes development phase activities leading to the future extension of the Ko’Kwel Wharf dock. 

REMINDER - Funding Opportunities Open Now

Diesel Emissions Reduction Act 2022-2023 Notice of Funding Opportunity

To accelerate the upgrade and turnover of the legacy diesel fleet, EPA recently released a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for the 2022-2023 Diesel Emissions Reduction Act (DERA) National Grant Program that is open through December 1. 

EPA is soliciting applications nationwide for projects that significantly reduce diesel emissions and exposure, especially from fleets operating at ports and other goods movements facilities and areas designated as having poor air quality. Priority for funding will also be given to projects that engage and benefit local communities, protect grant-funded investments from severe weather events caused by climate change, and applicants that demonstrate their ability to promote and continue efforts to reduce emissions after the project has ended.   

All application packages need to be submitted electronically to EPA through Grants.gov no later than Friday, December 1, 2023, at 11:59 p.m. (ET) to be considered for funding.

Important Deadlines

For more information, you can find webinar slides and a questions and answers document on the DERA National webpage. You can also contact DERA@epa.gov with questions.

For information about past DERA grants at ports, visit the Ports Initiative’s new interactive table and bar chart here: Overview of DERA Grants Awarded for Port Projects. 

Climate Pollution Reduction Implementation Grant Competitions

EPA released two Notices of Funding Opportunity (NOFOs) announcing competitions for $4.6 billion in implementation grant funding under the Climate Pollution Reduction Grants (CPRG) program. The $4.3 billion general competition is open to states, municipalities, tribes, and territories, and the $300 million tribes and territories competition is available only to eligible tribes and territories. Eligible applicants will compete for CPRG implementation grants to fund measures in applicable Priority Climate Action Plans. 

The deadline to apply to the general competition is April 1, 2024. The deadline to apply to the Tribes and territories competition is May 1, 2024. 

Important Deadlines

For more information, including how to apply, webinar recordings, and application materials, visit the CPRG Implementation Grants webpage. For other questions related to CPRG implementation grants, email CPRG@epa.gov. 

For more information on resources and best practices to address diesel emissions at ports, please visit EPA's Ports Initiative website.

Previous newsletters can be found here: EPA Ports Initiative Newsletter | US EPA