EPA Ports Initiative Newsletter

April 12, 2024

Reminders: 

• Reminder: Comments due by Monday, April 15^th on Clean Ports Program Proposed Build America Buy America (BABA) Waiver
• Clean Ports Supplemental Application Template now REQUIRED for Applicants + Other Minor NOFO Updates
• Reminder to Register for April 25th Webinar: EPA's Clean Ports Program – Frequent Questions and Answers
• Get Ready for the Clean Heavy-Duty Vehicles (CHDV) Grant Program!
• Clean Ports Program ‘Fast Facts’ Now Available

Comments Due April 15th: Clean Ports Program Proposed Build America Buy America (BABA) Waiver

For its new Clean Ports Program, the EPA has proposed a Public Interest General Applicability Waiver of Build America, Buy America (BABA) Act provisions because market analysis shows that there is a limited number of manufacturers and supply of mobile port equipment that would meet the BABA criteria.

EPA is requesting comment on its proposed limited public interest waiver for certain zero-emission (battery electric and hydrogen fuel cell) mobile port equipment (e.g., cranes, drayage trucks, yard trucks, other cargo handling equipment, locomotives, and vessels) to be funded in the $3 billion Clean Ports Program. Industry input and interagency research indicates that certain zero-emission mobile port equipment eligible under the Clean Ports Program may not meet the BABA requirements for manufactured products. Specifically, EPA is proposing:

1. To waive the 55% domestic content requirement for zero emissions mobile port equipment. Only the final assembly of zero emissions mobile port equipment must occur in the United States to be considered “produced in the United States” during the waiver period.
2. A supplemental de minimis waiver, waiving all aspects of BABA compliance for ten percent of material costs attributable to zero emissions mobile port equipment, that may be used for recipients of the Clean Ports Program only on zero emissions mobile port equipment.



You can view the proposed waiver on EPA’s BABA Waivers webpage.

We welcome your comments and feedback on this proposed approach. As part of the waiver process, the EPA opened a 21 day comment period on the proposed waiver. Please submit comments on the waiver by email to BABA-OTAQ@epa.gov using the subject line “Comment on Proposed Waiver of BABA Requirements for Clean Ports Program.”  Please note that any comment you submit in response to this waiver request will be treated separately from any materials that you submit as part of an application for Clean Ports Program funding.   The EPA would appreciate feedback as soon as possible and no later than the close of the comment period on Monday, April 15, 2024 at 11:59 PM (ET).

Clean Ports Supplemental Application Template now REQUIRED for Applicants + Other Minor NOFO Updates

Updates to the Clean Ports Program Notices of Funding Opportunities (NOFOs), Sample Project Narratives, and Supplemental Application Template are available NOW.

For a list of changes to the NOFOs, please view the first page of either NOFO. You can download the NOFOs from the Clean Ports Program webpage or from the Grants.gov listings for the Zero-Emission Technology Deployment Competition and the Climate and Air Quality Planning Competition. Both NOFOs will be open for 90 days. Applicants must submit all grant application materials to Grants.gov by: May 28 at 11:59 PM (ET).

The Sample Project Narratives for both competitions also have minor updates to reflect the edits made to the NOFOs, and are available now on the Clean Ports Program webpage.

Additionally, 2024 Clean Ports Supplemental Application Template has been updated on the Clean Ports Program webpage. Please note that the Supplemental Application Template is now a required application attachment. This collection of information is approved by OMB under the Paperwork Reduction Act, 44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq. (OMB Control No. 2060-0754).

The EPA previously updated the 2024 Clean Ports Supplemental Application Template to correct errors in data validation for certain columns and errors that were present for project locations in certain states. Thank you to our stakeholders who have altered us to these errors! For additional questions about the Supplemental Application Template, please reach out to cleanports@epa.gov.

Please keep the following pointers in mind when working with the Supplemental Application Template to avoid errors:

• Be sure that you are using the latest available version of the file, available on the Clean Ports Program webpage
• When downloading and saving a copy of the file, save the Excel files as ‘.xlsx’ files to ensure optimal performance and functionality.
• For best performance, do not delete any tabs from the workbook, as there are hidden tabs used for auto-populating select fields.
• Be cautious when copy/pasting information into the provided templates, as there may be formula and/or formatting that can be overwritten. When pasting, we recommend pasting only values into the workbook.

Register for April 25^th Webinar: EPA's Clean Ports Program – Frequent Questions and Answers

Register Now! On April 25^th from 1 PM – 2 PM (ET), EPA’s Ports Initiative will host a webinar to go over frequent questions and answers about the two Clean Ports Program Notices of Funding Opportunities (NOFOs).

This session will be recorded and posted to our website. Spanish interpretation and closed captioning will be available. For interpretation in a language other than Spanish, please request one week prior to the event by emailing cleanports@epa.gov.

For information on upcoming and past events from EPA’s Ports Initiative, please visit our Events page. 

Get Ready for the Clean Heavy-Duty Vehicles (CHDV) Grant Program

The Inflation Reduction Act invests $1 billion to replace existing heavy-duty vehicles with zero-emission vehicles, support zero-emission vehicle infrastructure, and train and develop workers. Under the EPA Clean Heavy-Duty Vehicles (CHDV) Program, the EPA plans to launch a grant program this spring to fund the purchase zero-emission heavy-duty vehicles, with $400 million allocated to projects in communities in air quality nonattainment areas.

The EPA will offer funding to eligible recipients to replace existing non-zero-emission Class 6 and 7 heavy-duty vehicles, including school buses, with Class 6 and 7 zero-emission vehicles. To support zero-emission vehicle adoption and deployment, funding may also be used for:

• zero-emission vehicle infrastructure
• workforce development and training
• project implementation costs

The EPA anticipates this grant funding opportunity will be open for applications through a Notice of Funding Opportunity released soon.

For more information, including tips on preparing to apply and anticipated eligible activities, visit the CHDV website.

To stay up to date on the latest information about the CHDV Program, sign up for the CHDV listserv.

Clean Ports Program ‘Fast Facts’ Now Available

The Clean Ports Program ‘Fast Facts’ are now available on the Clean Ports Program webpage in both English and Spanish! The Fast Facts provide a downloadable overview of the program, including program goals, eligibility, funding levels, and basic evaluation criteria details. 

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