Port staff received news that the Port of Hueneme was among the awardees to receive funds through the EPA’s Diesel Emissions Reduction Act (DERA). The funds will be used to complete an enhanced phase II to the Port’s existing Shore Power Project that will allow additional vessels to simultaneously connect to the Port’s Shore Power system.
Following passage of AB 32 by the state assembly, programs were put in place to allow ships at berth in California ports to turn off their more polluting marine engines dramatically reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The Port’s recently completed project “represents a giant leap forward for us and the community” said Port CEO and Director Kristin Decas. “Over the lifetime of this project (30 years), annual emissions from refrigerated cargo vessels also known as “reefer vessels” will be reduced”. Anticipated reductions are as follows:
“Green is no cliché for the Port of Hueneme. This enhancement allows for maximum utilization of our shore power infrastructure while enhancing environmental sustainability, a top priority in our business plan to improve the quality of life while bringing prosperity to the communities we serve. This project represents perhaps the single largest reduction in air emissions by one project in the history of the county,” said Port Commission President Mary Anne Rooney.
Congresswoman Julia Brownley, a strong supporter of the Port’s shore power program said upon receiving news or the DERA award, “The Port of Hueneme is a critical economic engine for Ventura County, and I am so pleased to have worked with Port CEO Kristin Decas in support of the Diesel Emissions Reduction Act grant. Not only will it help improve air quality, but it will allow the port to better compete for business in the international market.”
Port CEO Decas emphasized the importance of recognizing the support of Congresswoman Brownley as well as the strong partnership with the Ventura County Air Quality Control District which also contributed funding important in helping the Port complete the project on time and on budget. While the Port was responsible for the bulk of the $13 million price tag the project also could not have happened without the leadership of many other players including the Governor’s administration, Senator Fran Pavley, the California Air Resources Board (ARB) and the South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD), who administered $4.5 million in grant funds from the state’s Proposition 1B funding.