Three Billion in IRA Climate Funds Awarded to Electrify Ports Around the U.S.

Today, the Biden administration announced historic levels of funding awards to ports in more than two dozen states across the nation through a program established by the Inflation Reduction Act. EPA’s Clean Ports Program awards announced today amount to nearly $3 billion to usher in a wave of zero-emissions trucks, cargo-handling equipment, and electric charging infrastructure across the United States.

“This infusion of $3 billion to electrify port trucks and port operations around the nation should help usher in a new era of moving goods in the U.S. without pumping pollution into portside communities,” said Paul Cort, director of Earthjustice’s Right To Zero campaign. “We want to see ports now quickly jump into action and build detailed blueprints for how they will use these funds to shape a zero-emissions future.”

Americans who live near shipping ports breathe some of the dirtiest air in the country — largely because of the harmful diesel emissions from trucks, cargo-handling equipment, and ships at ports. Indeed, the largest ports in the country, the twin port complex of the Ports of LA and Long Beach, are the largest fixed source of air pollution in the most ozone-polluted region of the country. The transition to shift ports to electric options will clean the air for millions of Americans living alongside ports and the goods movement industry.

In total, 55 grants amounting to nearly $3 billion are going to 27 states and territories. The grants are sizeable. For example, the Port of LA is receiving an infusion of $411 million, the Ports of New York and New Jersey $344 million, the Port of Detroit will see $21 million, the Georgia Port Authority will receive $49 million for the Port of Savannah, the Port of Philadelphia will receive $78 million, and the Port of Oakland will receive $322 million. These grants will support the deployment of zero-emission equipment, as well as vital charging infrastructure and planning projects at ports across the country to shift to an electric future.