Grant comes from EPA’s new Clean Ports Program
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, and Representative Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (D, WA-03) announced that the Port of Vancouver is receiving a $22.5 million grant to purchase and install new cranes and improve shore power. The competitive grant was awarded by the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Clean Ports Program, one of many important infrastructure upgrades and carbon reduction initiatives that the lawmakers supported in the historic Inflation Reduction Act.
“The Port of Vancouver is an economic powerhouse for Clark County and Southwest Washington—this federal funding will help the Port transition to renewable energy and cut down on carbon emissions in a big way,” said Sen. Patty Murray. “I was proud to help pass the Inflation Reduction Act and help secure a landmark investment in building a stronger, clean energy economy—it’s good to see federal dollars come back to Vancouver. As Senate Appropriations Chair, I will continue to fight for investments that fuel our clean energy transition while strengthening our economy.”
“Southwest Washington’s ports support good family-wage jobs, keep stuff moving we take for granted each day, and strengthen our rural and ag economies,” said Rep. Gluesenkamp Perez. “It’s important we invest in our ports and the machinery and infrastructure that keeps our region moving forward. These funds will support two harbor cranes to improve efficiency and cargo loading at the Port of Vancouver, as well as new shore power at Terminal 1 which will stimulate growth for our local small businesses.”
With the funds, the Port of Vancouver will buy two electric mobile harbor cranes. The Port will also install 6,000-kW capacity for crane powering/charging for terminal operations, and install 480 voltage shore power for cruise vessels at the publicly accessible Terminal 1. These upgrades will improve operational efficiency at the Port by stationing cranes at Terminal 3, which will invite a variety of cargoes that cannot currently be handled at this location.
As then Assistant Majority Leader, Senator Murray helped ensure passage of the Inflation Reduction Act and worked to help establish EPA’s Clean Ports Program. As Senate Appropriations Chair, in Fiscal Year 2024, Murray secured $9.29 billion in essential funding for EPA’s critical responsibilities to protect our environment and public health. Under tough fiscal constraints, Murray provided modest increases across all EPA programs in the face of drastic cuts proposed by House Republicans—ensuring EPA could keep researchers, scientists, and other specialists on the job to safeguard our environment and make today’s awards possible.
Senator Murray has been a champion of Washington state’s ports, from making sure ports were eligible for the RAISE (originally TIGER) grant program she created as Chair of the Transportation Appropriations Subcommittee in 2009. The RAISE program Murray established marked the first time port authorities were eligible to apply for competitive federal grants. As a senior member—and now Chair—of the appropriations committee, Senator Murray helped create and fund PIDP; the competitive grant program was established in the Fiscal Year 2019 transportation appropriations bill, which was enacted in February 2019. Since then, Murray has played a key role in securing more than $1.2 billion funding for PIDP in annual appropriations bills since its inception. Senator Murray also fought to make sure the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law included $2.25 billion over five years for PIDP.
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