Clean Ports Program

Section 60102 of the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (or IRA) amended the Clean Air Act by inserting section 133 (42 U.S.C. 7433) to authorize the EPA's Clean Ports Program (or Grants to Reduce Air Pollution at Ports) to award grants to purchase or i

The EPA's Clean Ports Program funded zero-emission port equipment and associated infrastructure to reduce air pollution at U.S. ports, delivering cleaner air for communities across the country. It also funded planning activities to build capacity of port stakeholders to continue to reduce air pollution over time. This program built on the EPA's Ports Initiative to help our nation's ports address public health and environmental impacts.

Per the statute, the following entities are eligible to apply directly to the Clean Ports Program: port authorities; state, regional, local, or Tribal agencies that have jurisdiction over a port authority or a port; and air pollution control agencies. Private entities that own, operate, or use the facilities, cargo-handling equipment, transportation equipment, or related technology of a port may apply if they partner with one or more of the eligible entities. For certain competitive funding opportunities under this assistance listing, the Agency may limit eligibility to compete to a number or subset of eligible applicants consistent with the Agency's Assistance Agreement Competition Policy.

Grants can be used for the deployment of zero-emission port equipment and infrastructure to reduce mobile source emissions (criteria pollutants, air toxics, and greenhouse gases) at U.S. ports, delivering cleaner air for communities across the country. EPA will also fund port climate and air quality planning activities - including emissions inventories, strategy analysis, community engagement, and resiliency measure identification.

EPA expects only one round of funding for this grant program. The length of award is expected to be 4 years for the Zero-Emission Technology Deployment grants and 3 years for the Climate and Air Quality Planning grants.

This program was eligible for coverage under E.O. 12372, "Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs." An applicant should consult the office or official designated as the single point of contact in his or her State for more information on the process the State requires to be followed in applying for assistance, if the State has selected the program for review. EPA financial assistance programs and activities subject to intergovernmental review that are subject to review under State single point of contact procedures are identified at https://www.epa.gov/grants/epa-financial-assistance-programs-subject-executive-order-12372-and-section-204. Applicants for programs or activities subject to Intergovernmental Review that are not subject to State single point of contact review must provide directly affected State, areawide, regional, and local entities at least 60 days to review their application following notification by the EPA that the application has been selected for funding as provided by 40 CFR 29.8(a) and (c). Regarding pre-application assistance with respect to competitive funding opportunities under this assistance listing, the EPA will generally specify the nature of the pre-application assistance, if any, that will be available to applicants. For additional information, contact the individual(s) listed as "Information Contacts" in the competitive announcement.

The evaluation and selection criteria for competitive awards under this assistance listing will be described in the competitive announcement.

For competitive awards, EPA will review and evaluate applications in accordance with the terms, conditions, and criteria stated in the competitive announcement. Competitions will be conducted in accordance with EPA policies/regulations for competing assistance agreements.

Deadlines will be specified in the notice of funding opportunity.

Assistance agreement competition-related disputes will be resolved in accordance with the dispute resolution procedures published in 70 FR (Federal Register) 3629, 3630 (January 26, 2005) (available at https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2005/01/26/05-1371/notice-of-availability-of-class-deviation-assistance-agreement-competition-related-disputes . Copies of these procedures may also be found at: https://www.epa.gov/grants/grant-competition-dispute-resolution-procedures.