Senators Murray, Cantwell Announce $16 Million for Zero-Emission Trucks at the Ports of Seattle and Tacoma

New federal funding comes on top of recent $12 million grant for the Northwest Seaport Alliance to develop charging hubs for electric trucks serving the Ports of Seattle and Tacoma, support transition to zero-emission trucking-MORE HERE

Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senators Patty Murray (D-WA), Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, and Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, announced $16 million in federal funding for the deployment of zero-emission trucks at the Ports of Seattle and Tacoma. The grant is being awarded to The Northwest Seaport Alliance (NWSA) through the Department of Transportation's Reduction of Truck Emissions at Port Facilities (RTEPF) Grant Program. Funding comes from the Highway Trust Fund and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law both senators helped pass.

"I was just at the Port of Tacoma earlier this year hearing from Commissioners Ang and Mohamed about the steps our state's two biggest ports are taking to decarbonize-and transitioning to zero-emission trucks is a huge part of those efforts. This new funding will enable the Ports of Seattle and Tacoma to purchase dozens of new clean drayage trucks, reducing greenhouse gas pollution and improving air quality in nearby neighborhoods," said Senator Murray. "Washington state's ports are a driver of so much economic activity and job creation across our state, and I'll always be a champion for our ports-that includes making sure they have the resources they need to be part of the clean energy future."

"Trucks coming in and out of the ports of Seattle and Tacoma are the second leading cause of emissions at the ports, degrading local air quality and contributing to carbon pollution. This funding will enable the Ports to purchase over 35 zero-emission shipping container trucks and build the necessary fueling infrastructure, creating jobs and cleaner air at the heart of Washington's trade economy," said Senator Cantwell.

"The Northwest Seaport Alliance is deeply grateful to Senator Murray, Senator Cantwell, and our Congressional Delegation for their leadership in helping secure $16 million in funding from the Federal Highway Administration's Reduction of Truck Emissions at Port Facilities Grant Program. These funds will be instrumental in advancing our Zero-Emission Drayage Truck Incentive Program and accelerating the transition to zero-emission drayage trucks in the Puget Sound," said Kristin Ang, Port of Tacoma Commission President and The Northwest Seaport Alliance Co-Chair.

"The Managing Members of The Northwest Seaport Alliance have introduced bold policies aimed at eliminating seaport-related Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 2040, and Scope 3 emissions by 2050 or sooner. Securing grant funding from programs like the Reduction of Truck Emissions at Port Facilities is critical to the successful transition to zero emissions operations for truck drivers. These funds will also support the network of charging infrastructure needed by truck drivers across the region," said Hamdi Mohamed, Port of Seattle Commission President and The Northwest Seaport Alliance Co-Chair.

The $16 million grant will go toward the deployment of between 36 and 58 zero-emission drayage trucks-which haul shipping containers and other cargo-through vehicle purchases and the development of charging and fueling infrastructure in the Seattle-Tacoma region. This investment will reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve air quality in overburdened communities near port facilities, improve jobs by providing affordable access to healthier vehicles for independent operators and small trucking companies, and produce a regional workforce development strategy for the transition to zero-emission trucks.

Senators Murray and Cantwell have long worked-and leveraged their respective committee chairmanships-to support Washington state's ports. Last year, Murray and Cantwell announced a $54 million Port Infrastructure Development Program (PIDP) grant for the Port of Tacoma's Husky Terminal Expansion project and, separately, $12 million from the Charging and Fueling Infrastructure (CFI) Grant Program in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law for the Ports of Seattle and Tacoma to develop electric truck charging hubs. Earlier this year, Murray toured the Port of Tacoma's Husky Terminal and hosted a roundtable discussion on how the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is benefitting Washington state ports in a major way-PHOTOS HERE. Earlier this month, Senators Cantwell and Sen. Murray helped NWSA secure a $24.5 million Federal Highway Administration grant to help the Port of Tacoma replace a failing fish passage culvert with a new bridge.

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