Leading sustainability consultancy Tunley Environmental is urging US port owners to start immediate planning for a massive new $3billion Federal Government funding package designed to help ports to decarbonise.

The grants are being made available as part of the US Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Clean Ports Program. The EPA is likely to issue a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) as early as February or March 2024, with final awards by the end of the year. The entire $3billion will be distributed in a single solicitation and award cycle. The funding was initially authorized in the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 as the Grants to Reduce Air Pollution at Ports Program.

Tunley Environmental is urging ports to identify what funding is best suited to their emission pain points and create a compelling proposal. Even ports at the very beginning of a decarbonization journey can benefit from planning grants worth millions of dollars.

“Ports serious about pitching for funding need to get their case in order quickly with the NOFO due in Q1 next year,” Tunley’s Environmental chief scientist Rob Moorcroft says. “Senior management will need to ensure the bid team gets all the help it can to turn around applications in a relatively short time frame.”

Moorcroft, who is helping Tunley create a 2040 zero carbon plan for Detroit/Wayne County Port, believes establishing a baseline starting point is essential for any port wishing to pitch. This can then determine which grants to apply for. An emissions baseline is an essential first step so that future progress can be charted.

“US ports will be at different stages of readiness. Some ports will have total operational control of their terminals, a baseline emissions inventory, and some decarbonization measures in place,” Moorcroft says.

“Other ports will have little control over private terminals and limited emissions inventory. For ports in this very early stage our advice would be to pitch for the planning grants.”

Moorcroft adds that those who have already started on the decarbonization journey could potentially target zero-emission technology grants. He said these grants could be worth hundreds of millions of dollars and can replace equipment emitting carbon creating with newer green technologies.

However, Moorcroft adds that planning must also factor in community engagement, the EPA having stated that this will be essential to any successful pitch.

“Our advice is to show your port is having meaningful communication with the families, businesses and organizations living and operating near the port,” Moorcroft says.

“Show evidence of correspondence, surveys and meetings, you must show you are listening, sharing information and have clear intent to make air quality and emissions improvements.

“Even if carbon measures are still to be put in place the key is to demonstrate you are engaging the community and are planning to action positive change.”

A final point Moorcroft and Tunley stress is that ports must be realistic.

“If a port has no emissions inventory baseline and a complex ownership structure, may be tough to apply for the bigger grants in a short time frame,” Moorcroft says.

However, with up to £3 million per application available for planning applications showing a commitment to working towards net zero there is motivation for all to engage in the process.

As Moorcroft states, the key is to work with a specialist experienced in the nuances of such application processes.