Biden administration announces $3 billion to reduce air pollution from US ports

The Biden administration on Tuesday announced $3 billion in funding through the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to reduce pollution and greenhouse gas emissions associated with U.S. ports.

EPA Administrator Michael Regan made the announcement on a call with reporters ahead of a planned visit Tuesday by President Biden to the Port of Baltimore, where the Maryland Port Administration is set to receive $147 million of the award.

Although American ports are vital to the U.S. and international community, “we cannot overlook the challenges faced by the communities that work and live near these ports,” Regan said on the call, noting the air pollution and potential for other environmental degradation associated with the status quo in those communities. “At EPA, we know that protecting people and our environment doesn’t come at the expense of a booming economy.”

The Biden administration has frequently sought to emphasize the economic benefits of decarbonization and increased proliferation, rather than a trade-off. The EPA said in its announcement that the Clean Ports Program will support 40,000 American jobs.

The program will aim to reduce over 3 million metric tons of carbon pollution associated with port activity over a 10-year period, mostly through installation of zero-emission freight and ferry infrastructure. The $3 billion announced Tuesday will go to an estimated 1,000 drayage trucks and 10 locomotives, as well as more than 1,500 units of machinery used to handle and move cargo, according to the EPA.

The Port of Baltimore, one of the Eastern Seaboard’s busiest, holds symbolic value after the collapse of the Key Bridge in March following a collision by a container ship. The accident killed six maintenance workers and briefly shut down imports and exports into the port, but the port had fully reopened by June. A full replacement for the bridge could come as soon as 2028.