Port of LA gets $412 million from EPA to help reduce emissions

Seven California ports, including the Port of Los Angeles, will receive more than $1 billion to shift to zero-emissions operations, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced Tuesday, Oct. 29.

The Port of Los Angeles will receive the largest of the state grants — $412 million.

That amount will be matched by the port and its private sector partners with an additional $236 million, bringing the total amount to $644 million.

The money, port Executive Director Gene Seroka said in a written comment, is a “transformative investment that will be a tremendous boost to our efforts to meet our ambitious zero emission goals, improve regional air quality, and combat climate change, while accelerating the port industry’s transition to zero emissions across the country.”

Nationwide, the EPA is giving $3 billion in clean port investments that will help fund 55 zero-emissions infrastructure planning projects to reduce pollution and tackle climate change.

“Our nation’s ports are critical to creating opportunity here in America, offering good-paying jobs, moving goods and powering our economy,” sEPA Administrator Michael S. Regan said in the announcement of the national awards on Tuesday. “Delivering cleaner technologies and resources to U.S. ports will slash harmful air and climate pollution while protecting people who work in and nearby port communities.”

The new funding for the Port of Los Angeles will go toward:

• Buying nearly 425 pieces of battery electric, human-operated ZE cargo-handling equipment.
• Installing 300 new ZE charging ports and other related infrastructure,
• Deploying 250 ZE drayage trucks.

The grant also will provide $50 million for a community-led ZE grant program, workforce development and related engagement activities.

Overall, the zero-emission, battery-electric equipment purchases in the Port of L.A. supported by the new grant funding will include:

• 337 yard tractors.
• 56 top handlers.
• 24 heavy duty forklifts.
• 10 battery-electric storage systems.
• Two solar arrays (collections of multiple solar panels that generate electricity).
• 300-plus chargers.
• 250 drayage trucks.
• Auto terminal vessel shore power AMP connection.

Other California ports receiving money are:

• Port of Oakland, with $322.17 million to reduce emissions and fully decarbonize operations.
• Port of Stockton, receiving $110.47 million to make it the first small port with ZE terminal operations and increase the ZE workforce in Northern California.
• Port of San Diego, receiving $58.6 million to support that port’s longstanding commitment to the electrification of San Diego’s maritime cargo handling facilities and freight transportation.
• Port of San Francisco, which will get $55.39 million to transition ferry operations along the waterfront to zero-emissions.
• Port of Hueneme, receiving $42.29 million that will go to the port’s Reducing Emissions and Supporting Health projects.
• Port of Redwood City, which will get $1.97 million for a program planning for hydrogen-based fueling and infrastructure planning, climate and air quality.

The Port of L.A. funding, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said in a written comment, will make it possible for the nation’s busiest port to continue reducing greenhouse gas emissions and improving air quality.

U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla, D-California, also touted the grant.

“The San Pedro Bay ports move the goods that power our economy,” he said. “This historic investment of over $400 million in the Port of Los Angeles is a monumental step forward in accelerating the zero-emission infrastructure transition.”

U.S. Rep. Nanette Barragan, D-San Pedro, called the grant a “game changer.”

The ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach have been focused on reducing pollution stemming from their operations since 2005, when both ports passed a joint Clean Air Action Plan, putting the LA-LB port hub at the forefront of the push to bring clean operations to the nation’s ports. Upcoming deadlines set out in the plan include transitioning all port cargo equipment to zero-emissions by 2030 and the ports’ joint drayage truck fleet to zero-emissions by 2035.

“Replacing diesel-powered port and freight equipment with clean, zero-emission technologies,” said EPA Pacific Southwest Regional Administrator Martha Guzman, “will reduce pollution, improve health outcomes in communities that have suffered for too long, and help advance the campaign to address climate change.”