The Biden administration is awarding $3 billion in grants to update and electrify port infrastructure across the U.S., which it says will translate to cleaner equipment, cleaner air and thousands of new port jobs.
27 states and U.S. territories are set to get $3 billion in Inflation Reduction Act funding, much of which will go toward new electric or hydrogen-powered freight-handling equipment and infrastructure.
The plan calls for the deployment and installation of new trucks, locomotives, ships, shore power systems for docked ships and solar power generation, which together are expected to eliminate more than three million tons of carbon emissions over a ten-year period. More gains are expected as old diesel-powered equipment is retired.
This would represent a modest reduction in port emissions. For comparison, in 2019 the three largest ports in the U.S. combined reported more than 2.5 million tons of CO2 equivalent emissions.
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The funding and the demand for new tech it drives is expected to help support some 40,000 new union jobs, including more than 6,500 manufacturing roles. Many ports set to receive money plan to train workers on the new equipment and develop plans for engaging with their local communities.
"Today’s historic $3 billion investment builds on President Biden’s vision of growing our economy while ensuring America leads in globally competitive solutions of the future," said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan in a statement on the new investment. "Delivering cleaner technologies and resources to U.S. ports will slash harmful air and climate pollution while protecting people who work in and live nearby ports communities."
