Amendment 3 - RTEPF NOFO 693JJ323NF00005.pdf

U.S. Department of Transportation

Notice of Funding Opportunity Number 693JJ323NF00005

“Reduction of Truck Emissions at Port Facilities

Grant Program”

Amendment #3

Dated 5/24/2023

This amendment to NOFO 693JJ323NF00005 incorporates the following changes to the version originally posted to Grants.gov on April 27, 2023 (Original/Base), and as amended on May 4, 2023 (Amendment 1), and May 22, 2023 (Amendment 2):

1. On page 1 of 50, on the cover page of the NOFO, make the following revision (see red underlined text for revisions):

U.S. Department of Transportation

Notice of Funding Opportunity Number 693JJ323NF00005

“Reduction of Truck Emissions at Port Facilities

Grant Program”

Issue Date: 4/27/2023

Application Due Date: 7/26/2023

2. On page 3 of 50, in the NOFO Summary Information table, make the following revision (see red underlined text for revisions):

Summary Information

Funding Opportunity

Summary:

Up to $160 million in Federal funding to provide grants to eligible entities to reduce idling and emissions at port facilities, including through the advancement of port electrification.

Federal Agency Name: U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT)

Federal Highway Administration (FHWA)

Office of Operations

1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE

Mail Drop: E86-205

Washington, DC 20590

Attn: Chip Millard

Funding Opportunity

Title:

Reduction of Truck Emissions at Port Facilities Grant Program

Announcement Type: This is the initial announcement of this funding opportunity. This is not a follow-on notice.

Funding Opportunity

Number:

693JJ323NF00005

Type of Award: Grant agreements

Assistance Listing

Number:

20.205 (Highway Planning and Construction)

Application Due Date: Submission Deadline: Applications Due by 7/26/2023 at 11:59

PM Eastern Time through www.Grants.gov

Questions: Submit Questions to: RTEPF@dot.gov http://www.grants.gov/ mailto:RTEPF@dot.gov

3. On page 25 of 50, under SUBMISSION DATES AND TIMES in Section D.4, make the following revision (see red underlined text for revisions):

a. Deadlines.

Applications must be submitted electronically through grants.gov no later than 11:59 p.m., Eastern Standard Time on 7/26/2023 (the “application deadline”).

4. On page 10 of 50, under ELIGIBLE PROJECT LOCATIONS in Section C.3, make the following revisions as they relate to the definition of “ports” for this NOFO (see red underlined text for revisions):

ELIGIBLE PROJECT LOCATIONS

Eligible project locations for deployment projects using RTEPF Grant Program funds include areas within or adjacent to ports and intermodal port transfer facilities. Testing and evaluation projects can be conducted anywhere but must be focused on reducing truck emissions within or adjacent to ports and/or intermodal port transfer facilities. For purposes of the RTEPF Grant Program, ports are considered to be marine or water facilities where ships take on or discharge cargo. Intermodal port transfer facilities are facilities that handle the transfer of freight shipments between two or more modes of transportation. The goods at intermodal port transfer facilities are transported via shipping containers, truck trailers, or as bulk cargo, and are transferred between marine vessels and trucks, marine vessels and rail cars, or rail cars and trucks.

5. On pages 31 - 32 of 50, under TECHNICAL MERIT in Section E.1, revise the last bullet of the technical merit criteria as follows (see red underlined text for revisions):

TECHNICAL MERIT:

• Degree the proposed project or technology testing, evaluation, or deployment aligns with DOT's program vision and program and administration goals, as listed in

Section A.4 of this NOFO.

o Means to achieve the program goal:

▪ Promoting development of port-related infrastructure that reduces emissions from port-related truck idling, including the electrification of port operations, which can include truck parking electrification.

▪ Promoting development of on-truck technologies that reduce emissions from port-related truck idling.

▪ Promoting use of zero or low emissions powertrains or fuels on trucks.

▪ Reducing truck congestion within or adjacent to ports, which can include promoting enhanced rail intermodal connections at ports.

▪ Other improvements that reduce port-related emissions from idling trucks, including through the advancement of port electrification and improvements in efficiency, focusing on port operations, including heavy-duty commercial vehicles, and other related projects.

o Administration goal of Climate Change and Sustainability:

▪ Significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the transportation sector, such as through transitioning to clean vehicles and fuels, including electrification, and/or incorporating carbon-reducing uses of the rights-of-way or other carbon reduction strategies.

▪ Reduce the lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions from the project materials, such as through reducing the emissions from the manufacturing, installation, maintenance, and/or disposal of those materials.

▪ Address the disproportionate negative environmental impacts of transportation on disadvantaged communities, such as through considering the benefits and burdens a project may create, and what communities would be most affected.

▪ Avoid adverse environmental impacts to air or water quality, such as through reduction in Clean Air Act criteria pollutants and greenhouse gases.

• For the program goals listed above and in Section A.4, the degree the proposed project, technology testing, evaluation, or deployment quantifies the truck emissions reductions at port facilities that 1) will be achieved for deployment projects or 2) are projected to be achieved for testing and/or evaluation projects.

• Readiness of the proposed project(s) and/or technology(ies) to be tested, evaluated, and/or deployed and the likelihood of success of the applicant to deploy and sustain the proposed project(s) and/or technology(ies). This includes whether the applicant has clearly articulated achievable timeframes for completion of its project. In addition, the applicant should:

o Address any regulatory environment and other obstacles to deployment including compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act and other required permitting as applicable.

o Address and explain if the proposed project will or may require exemption from the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS), Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSR), or any other regulation and, if so, how the applicant will apply for any necessary exemptions.

o Address and explain if the proposed project will or may require a waiver under the Buy America Act.

• Determination whether the proposed project(s) is located in an EPA designated non-attainment area for National Ambient Air Quality Standards for at least one of the four criteria pollutants (carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, ozone, and particulate matter), and the degree the proposed project(s) quantifies how it will reduce emissions of one or more of the criteria pollutants and/or greenhouse gases and decrease the impact truck operations at port facilities have on cities and other municipalities near the port.

• Degree to which the project sponsor has developed a community outreach action plan, including plans to conduct equity-focused community outreach and public engagement with adjacent and nearby communities, including Tribal communities, impacted by the port’s truck emissions and receive community support for the proposed project during the project’s planning.

• Scalability or portability of the proposed project technology deployment or innovations to other jurisdictions.

• Degree to which the applicant accounts for the life-cycle costs of the project to promote the state of good repair.

• Degree to which the applicant evaluates the effectiveness (i.e., cost-benefit) of activities proposed, including through providing cost-benefit analysis of their organization’s proposed project in their application. Degree to which the applicant details its approach to evaluating the effectiveness of activities proposed in their application.

All other terms, conditions and requirements of this Notice of Funding Opportunity remain unchanged.

- END OF NOFO AMENDMENT 3 -