Los Angeles Port Receives $3 Billion Boost for Clean Ports Initiative

PORT Of LOS ANGELES – On March 14, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, Councilmember Tim McOsker, Port of LA executive director Gene Seroka, and Rep. Nanette Barragán (CA-44) join U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Michael Regan at the Port of Los Angeles to celebrate new federal investments in zero-emission port equipment and infrastructure, air quality planning projects, and enhanced efforts to protect the health of communities near U.S. ports. 

The Congresswoman secured $3 billion for the Clean Ports program in the Inflation Reduction Act, which was based on her Climate Smart Ports Act. This investment is a key element of President Biden’s Investing in America Agenda to deliver environmental benefits for all, address the climate crisis and negative air pollution impacts, and create jobs and opportunities for communities across the country. 

Administrator Regan and Rep. Barragán were joined by representatives of nearby port communities, including People’s Collective for Environmental Justice, East Yard Communities for Environmental Justice, and Wilmington residents to discuss the longstanding disproportionate air pollution burdens suffered by nearby residents and how the new investments will address this challenge. 

Mayor Bass noted that she was able to vote on the Inflation Reduction Act for the EPA Clean Ports grant program while she was in Congress before she ran for Mayor.

“Thanks to historic legislation passed by Congress, legislation that I was able to vote for, Los Angeles continues to lock arms with the Biden-Harris Administration to deliver federal funding to transform our infrastructure, including here at the Port of Los Angeles,” Bass explained. “These investments are not only keeping our economy strong and creating good-paying jobs but also will reduce emissions to combat climate change and improve air quality in our most vulnerable communities. Thank you Administrator Regan for all of your support in Los Angeles.” 

Regan applauded Mayor Bass for her leadership to build a greener Los Angeles, and Congresswoman Barragan for her tireless work to secure critical investments for cleaner ports across the country.

“It was a pleasure to be in Los Angeles today to see firsthand how the Port of Los Angeles is driving our economy forward using clean, sustainable technologies and solutions”, Regan said. 

Councilmember McOsker noted the economic benefits and the environmental harm to residents living in the port’s shadow face.

“As the busiest container port in North America, I’m glad to see that the federal government is investing to help leverage the development and deployment of zero-emission port equipment and infrastructure,” McOsker said. “Fully and timely meeting the Port’s sustainability goals will improve the quality of life in these communities. We must at the same time make sure that we work to retain the good jobs we have and retrain and up-skill our workers with the new equipment. We can have both a clean environment and a strong economy.” 

Seroka expressed pride in the advances the Port of Los Angeles has made in reducing environmental impacts of port operations, but noted there is still much work that still needs to be done. 

“We greatly appreciate EPA Administrator Regan’s visit to get a first-hand look at some of the equipment we are testing, and we are excited about the opportunity to partner with the EPA as we chart a path to help decarbonize the maritime industry.”

On that same day, Mayor Bass signed a historic Letter of Intent (LOI) with the Minister for Foreign Trade and Development of Finland Ville Tavio that will promote climate cooperation and economic development between the City of Los Angeles and the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland for the first time in history. The agreement is the result of more than two years of collaboration on shared goals for carbon neutrality and the clean energy transition and will further propel Los Angeles to achieve 100% clean energy by 2035. 

The week prior, Mayor Bass announced that the City of Los Angeles captured 5 billion more gallons of stormwater in February 2024 than in February 2023 and secured federal funding to increase composting practices, reduce food waste, and continue building a greener Los Angeles. In addition, Los Angeles is leading the way in electrifying the city’s transportation system, with the most electric vehicles and electric vehicle chargers of any metro area in the United States.