Last week, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla announced $74.5 million in grant funding from the Department of Transportation Maritime Administration to decarbonize, upgrade, and rehabilitate key ports along California’s coast.The grants come as a part of the Port Infrastructure Development Program and are made possible by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.California’s ports play an important role in the nation’s economy, moving hundreds of billions of dollars’ worth of trade annually. These ports process about 40 percent of all containerized imports and 30 percent of all exports in the United States. The announcement includes funding for cleaner, energy efficient ports.“The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law continues to deliver for Californians by funding key projects across the state to strengthen our ports,” said Senator Padilla. “This funding will boost clean shipping efforts, rehabilitate degraded port infrastructure, and streamline daily operations up and down the California coast, making our ports more efficient for workers and safer for neighboring communities.”#placement_573654_0_i{width:100%;max-width:550px;margin:0 auto;}var rnd = window.rnd || Math.floor(Math.random()*10e6);var pid573654 = window.pid573654 || rnd;var plc573654 = window.plc573654 || 0;var abkw = window.abkw || '';var absrc = 'https://ads.empowerlocal.co/adserve/;ID=181918;size=0x0;setID=573654;type=js;sw='+screen.width+';sh='+screen.height+';spr='+window.devicePixelRatio+';kw='+abkw+';pid='+pid573654+';place='+(plc573654++)+';rnd='+rnd+';click=CLICK_MACRO_PLACEHOLDER';var _absrc = absrc.split("type=js"); absrc = _absrc[0] + 'type=js;referrer=' + encodeURIComponent(document.location.href) + _absrc[1];document.write('');“I’d like to thank our federal partners for this strategic investment in expanding our on-dock rail capabilities, which will strengthen our position as the Port of Choice and alleviate truck traffic on local roads,” said Port of Long Beach CEO Mario Cordero. “This grant is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our Port teammates and their continued contributions to successfully making us a leading gateway for trans-Pacific trade.” “I am thrilled to see our coastal communities throughout California working together to support offshore wind development,” said Humboldt Bay Harbor District Board Vice President Stephen Kullmann. “Not only are we taking meaningful steps to address the climate crisis, but we are also striving to achieve the highest standard of responsible development while bringing real benefits to our local communities.”Last month, Senator Padilla urged the Environmental Protection Agency authorize the California Air Resources Board’s request for its Ocean-going Vessels At-Berth Regulation to reduce pollution originating from shipping and ports. googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('ad-1515727'); });