Clean Ports Program

• About the Clean Ports Program
• Notices of Funding Opportunities (Closed)
• Important Dates
• Documents
• Eligible Applicants
• Eligible Activities
• Application Process
• Tools and Resources for Applicants
• Build America, Buy America: Office of Transportation and Air Quality
• Public Engagement

About the Clean Ports Program

The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 provided EPA with $3 billion to fund zero-emission port equipment and infrastructure as well as climate and air quality planning at U.S. ports. This funding program builds on EPA’s Ports Initiative that helps our nation’s ports, a critical part of our infrastructure and supply chain, address public health and environmental impacts.

EPA has announced 53 awarded grants for nearly $3 billion under two separate Notices of Funding Opportunities- the Zero-Emission Technology Deployment Competition AND the Climate and Air Quality Planning Competition. The grants will fund zero-emission port equipment and infrastructure as well as climate and air quality planning at U.S. ports located in 26 states and territories.

Project implementation will occur over the next three to four years depending on the scope of each project.

Clean Ports Program goals:

• Build a foundation for the port sector to continue to make progress in reducing air pollution from operations, positioning ports to lead on air quality improvements across the freight sector.
• Reduce diesel pollution in and around ports.
• Help ensure that meaningful stakeholder engagement and emissions reduction planning become a part of port industry standard practices.

View or download the  Clean Ports Program Infographic (pdf) (384.96 KB) .

View or download the Clean Ports Program Fast Facts (pdf) (119 KB, April 2024, EPA-420-F-24-020) or Datos rápidos del Programa de puertos limpios (pdf) (119 KB, April 2024, EPA-420-F-24-021).

Notices of Funding Opportunities

Zero-Emission Technology Deployment Competition

The Zero-Emission Technology Deployment Competition will fund zero-emission port equipment and infrastructure to reduce mobile source emissions (criteria pollutants, air toxics, and/or greenhouse gases) at U.S. ports, delivering cleaner air for communities across the country.

• Clean Ports Program: Zero-Emission Technology Deployment Competition Notice of Funding Opportunity (pdf) (1005.79 KB, Updated April 2024)

Climate and Air Quality Planning Competition

The Climate and Air Quality Planning Competition is poised to fund climate and air quality planning activities at U.S. ports; including emissions inventories, strategy analysis, community engagement, and resiliency measure identification, all of which will build the capacity of port stakeholders to continue to reduce pollution and transition to zero-emissions operations over time.

• Clean Ports Program: Climate and Air Quality Planning Competition Notice of Funding Opportunity (pdf) (695 KB, Updated: April 2024)

Important Dates

Documents

Documents for Grantees

• Guide for Vehicle, Equipment, and Infrastructure Activity Data Collection (pdf) (626.04 KB, June 2, 2025)

Application Attachments

• Standard Form SF 424 (pdf) (102 KB) – Application for Federal Assistance
• Standard Form SF 424A (pdf) (138 KB) – Budget Information for Non-Construction Programs
• EPA Form 4700-4 (pdf) (115 KB)– Pre-Award Compliance Review
• EPA Key Contacts Form (pdf) (44 KB) – Key Contacts Form
• 2024 Clean Ports Program Sample Project Narrative:
  • Zero-Emission Technology Deployment Competition (docx) (696.51 KB, Updated: April 2024)
  • Climate and Air Quality Planning Competition (docx) (680.28 KB, Updated: April 2024)
• 2024 Clean Ports Program Supplemental Application Template (xlsx) (1.35 MB, May 2024)
• Optional: 2024 Clean Ports Program Utility Partnership Template (pdf) (1.13 MB, Updated: April 2024)

Please note that the Supplemental Application Template was a required application attachment. This collection of information is approved by OMB under the Paperwork Reduction Act, 44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq. (OMB Control No. 2060-0754).

Application Reference Material

• 2024 Clean Ports Program Small Water Port Project Eligibility Information (pdf) (215.24 KB, February 2024)
• 2024 Clean Ports Program Dry Port Project Eligibility Information (pdf) (327.37 KB, February 2024)
• 2024 Clean Ports Program Disadvantaged Community County List (pdf) (294.86 KB, February 2024)
• 2024 Clean Ports Program Sample Scrappage Statement (pdf) (130.08 KB, February 2024)

Eligible Applicants

The following entities are eligible to apply for both competitions under the Clean Ports Program:

• Port authority
• State, regional, local, or Tribal agency that has jurisdiction over a port authority or port
• Air pollution control agency
• Private entity that:
  • Applies in partnership with an eligible entity above, and
  • Owns, operates, or uses facilities, cargo-handling equipment, transportation equipment, or related technology of a port.

Engaging Communities

While community groups were not eligible to apply directly for funding, the Clean Ports Program has been designed to ensure that near-port community engagement and equity considerations are key elements of the program. Priority points were awarded to projects that take place in disadvantaged communities experiencing poor air quality. Applicants were strongly encouraged to engage with local communities to inform their project, and EPA evaluated applications on the extent and quality of meaningful engagement activities before applying, during the project, and after project completion to ensure that community concerns are considered in proposed projects and beyond. For guidance on meaningful engagement with near-port communities, view our Community - Clean Port Collaboration Toolkit.

Eligible Activities

Eligible activities for the Planning Competition include:

• Emissions inventory and accounting practices (one or more required)
• Stakeholder collaboration and communication, including workforce planning analysis, with a focus on near-port communities
• Strategy analysis and goal-setting
• Resiliency planning

Eligible expenses for the ZE Technology Competition include:

• ZE Mobile Equipment that Serves a Port
  • Cargo handling equipment (e.g., terminal tractors, forklifts, top handlers, side picks, straddle carriers)
  • Drayage trucks
  • Locomotives and railcar movers
  • Harbor craft and other vessels (e.g., commercial and Tribal fishing vessels, tugs, ferries, patrol boats, workboats, dredges, pilot boats, barges)
• ZE Infrastructure Serving Mobile Equipment
  • Shore power for marine vessels
  • Electric charging and hydrogen fueling infrastructure as well as battery energy storage systems serving port equipment purchased as part of the applicant’s grant award
  • Solar and wind power generation systems that are installed to primarily power mobile equipment, including port equipment purchased as part of the applicant’s grant award
• ZE Technology Deployment Support Activities
  • Project-specific public engagement
  • Safety planning, operational planning, workforce training, and protocol development
  • Project management, administrative costs, and performance monitoring
  • Collection and analysis of in-use operational data to optimize/refine ZE technology implementation
  • Infrastructure testing
  • Permit application

Application Process

Application packages must be submitted electronically to EPA through Grants.gov by the deadline to be considered for funding. Specifically, the Grants.gov registration process requires that your organization have a Unique Entity Identifier (previously known as the DUNS number) and a current registration with the System for Award Management (SAM.gov); the process of obtaining both could take a month or more for new registrants.

Potential applicants without a Grants.gov account are encouraged to initiate the Grants.gov registration process well ahead of the deadline for funding since the registration process can take a month or more.

Organizations applying to this funding opportunity must have an active the System for Award Management registration. If you have never done business with the Federal Government, you will need to register your organization in SAM.gov. If you do not have a SAM.gov account, then you will create an account using the government sign in service (login.gov) to complete your System for Award Management registration. The registration is FREE. The process for entity registrations includes obtaining Unique Entity ID, a 12-character alphanumeric ID assigned an entity by SAM.gov, and requires assertions, representations and certifications, and other information about your organization. Please review the Entity Registration Checklist (pdf) (276 KB) for details on this process. It is recommended to begin the System for Award Management registration process prior to applying to this grant competition; registration may take more than a month to complete.

Applicants with existing Grants.gov accounts are encouraged to check the status of your System for Award Management account and address any account issues in advance of applying.

Please note that System for Award Management registrations do expire, and inactive accounts must re-register to be able to submit an application. If you have done business with the Federal Government previously, you can check your entity status using your government issued UEI to determine if your registration is active. The System for Award Management requires you renew your registration every 365 days to keep it active. Applicants must ensure that all registration requirements are met in order to apply for this opportunity through Grants.gov and should ensure that all such requirements have been met well in advance of the application submission deadline.

All applications must now be submitted through Grants.gov using the “Workspace” feature. Information on the Workspace feature can be found at the Grants.gov Workspace Overview Page. For more information on the registration requirements that must be completed in order to submit an application through Grants.gov, click on “Applicants” on the top of the page, and then click the “Get Registered” link on the page. Contact the Federal Service Desk for help with your System for Award Management account, to resolve technical issues or chat with a help desk agent: (866) 606-8220. The Federal Service desk hours of operation are Monday – Friday 8am – 8pm ET.

Tools and Resources for Applicants

Technical Resources for Ports: A collection of resources from EPA’s Ports Initiative with tools focused on shore power, emissions inventories, operational strategies, fuel cell technologies (pdf) (3.6 MB, July 2022, EPA-420-R-22-013), and more.

Best Clean Air Practices at Ports: Information, tools, and real world examples of best clean air practices for port-wide planning, drayage trucks , rail facilities , ocean-going vessels , cargo-handling equipment , and harbor craft compiled by EPA’s Ports Initiative.

Community Port Collaboration: Resources developed by EPA’s Ports Initiative to support effective communication and engagement between the port industry, communities, and other port stakeholders. Tools include the Ports Primer for Communities, Community Action Roadmap, pilot projects, and more.