The Biden-Harris Administration has announced a significant investment in clean port initiatives, with the South Carolina State Port Authority set to receive nearly $1,845,783 from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Clean Ports Program. This funding is part of the broader Investing in America agenda aimed at tackling climate change and promoting clean energy.
Specifically, the Port of Charleston will benefit from a Climate and Air Quality Planning Grant anticipated to be around $1,325,000. The grant will facilitate updates to emissions inventories and analysis of emission reduction strategies, including exploring state-wide hydrogen equipment feasibility. Workforce needs will also be considered in this feasibility analysis. A community port advisory committee is proposed as part of this initiative.
This funding is sourced from President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act—the largest historical investment in combating climate change—and aims to reduce diesel air pollution while promoting well-paying jobs at U.S. ports.
EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan emphasized the importance of ports for job creation and economic power: “Today’s historic $3 billion investment builds on President Biden’s vision of growing our economy while ensuring America leads in creating globally competitive solutions of the future.”
Acting Regional Administrator Jeaneanne Gettle highlighted EPA's goal: “The goal is to build a foundation for the port sector to transition over time to fully zero-emissions operations.”
Ports are crucial for moving goods across the country but also contribute significantly to diesel air pollution. The Clean Ports Program intends to address this by installing zero-emission technologies and infrastructure that are expected to eliminate more than 3 million metric tons of carbon pollution nationwide.
Earlier this year, EPA announced funding opportunities for U.S. ports focusing on zero-emission technology deployment and climate planning activities. Following an extensive review process, 55 applications were selected for funding under these initiatives.
Projects will involve battery-electric and hydrogen-powered equipment purchases such as cargo handling equipment, drayage trucks, locomotives, vessels, and associated infrastructure like shore power systems and solar power generation.
The estimated environmental benefits include reductions of over 3 million metric tons of CO2 emissions within ten years of operation based on initial project plans.
This program aligns with President Biden's Justice40 Initiative which seeks to direct federal investments' benefits toward disadvantaged communities affected by pollution. It also emphasizes community engagement and equity considerations as critical components of project evaluation.
Awards will be finalized once all requirements are met, with implementation expected over three to four years depending on each project's scope.
For more information about selected applications under the Clean Ports Program, interested parties can visit the official selections webpage.