The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said it is taking “initial steps” in the development of programs that will invest $4 billion from the Inflation Reduction Act in clean port infrastructure initiatives.
[Above photo by the Port of Virginia]
The EPA noted in a statement that it is now seeking public input to inform the development of two new programs.
The first is a “Clean Ports Program” that will invest $3 billion in technologies to reduce air and climate pollutants at U.S. ports and create a zero-emission shipping future. The second is a “Clean Heavy-Duty Vehicle Program” that will invest an additional $1 billion to reduce vehicle emissions near ports, schools, and other truck routes.
The Clean Ports Program builds on EPA’s existing “Ports Initiative” and seeks to transform port infrastructure while boosting investments for zero-emission port equipment and technology that reduces climate and air pollutants and improves air quality at ports and surrounding communities.
Concurrently, the EPA said the new “Clean Heavy-Duty Vehicle Program” offers funds to offset the costs of replacing heavy-duty commercial vehicles with zero-emission vehicles, deploy infrastructure needed to charge, fuel, and maintain these zero-emission vehicles, and develop and train the necessary workforce.
Through responses to its Request for Information posted to the Federal Register, EPA said it hopes to improve its “understanding” of zero-emission trucks and port equipment as well as their associated charging and fueling infrastructure requirements.
That includes a “special focus” regarding the availability, market price, and performance of zero-emission trucks, zero-emission port equipment, electric charging and other fueling infrastructure needs for zero-emission technologies, and to what degree the content and components of these systems are manufactured in the United States. The deadline to submit comments for this RFI is June 5.
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