On February 28, 2024, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released two separate Notices of Funding Opportunity (NOFOs) for a total of almost $3 billion in grants in its Clean Ports Program. With financing from the Inflation Reduction Act, the NOFO designated the Zero-Emission Technology Deployment Competition will provide $2.8 billion to fund zero-emission port equipment and infrastructure, in an effort to reduce mobile source emissions at US ports. The other NOFO, designated the Climate and Air Quality Planning Competition, will provide $150 million to fund climate and air quality planning activities.

Applications under both programs must be submitted by May 28, 2024, at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time. Eligible applicants under both NOFOs include:

a) Port authorities.

b) State, regional, local or Tribal agencies that have jurisdiction over a port authority or a port.

c) Air pollution control agencies.

d) Private entities that apply in partnership with one of the entities in (a), (b), or (c) and that own, operate, or use the facilities, cargo-handling equipment, transportation equipment, or related technology of a port.

This opportunity furthers the EPA’s initiative to build a foundation for the port sector to transition over time to fully zero-emissions operations, positioning ports to serve as a catalyst for transformational change across the freight sector.

Additional details can be found on the EPA’s Clean Ports Program webpage.