New Orleans, LA — The Port of New Orleans (Port NOLA) has been awarded a fifth round of grant funding to continue its award-winning air quality initiative, the Clean Truck Replacement Incentive Program (Clean TRIP). With this latest round, the Clean TRIP funding is able to expand eligibility to include drayage trucks serving port terminals within the entirety of its three-parish jurisdiction (Jefferson, St. Bernard, and Orleans).
On Thursday, January 20, 2022, the Board of Commissioners of the Port of New Orleans voted unanimously to receive $346,180 from Louisiana’s Department of Environmental Quality, bringing total federal and state support to approximately $3.21 million. This grant, matched by truck owners, will fund the purchase of at least 10 new vehicles by September 30, 2022. To date, the voluntary cost-sharing program has resulted in the replacement of 76 old diesel cargo trucks with new, cleaner-burning models, and also resulted in annual reductions of 96% reduction of small particulate matter (PM2.5), a pollutant that causes respiratory problems, as well as a 90% annual reduction of nitrous oxides, a precursor to ozone. Together, the grant funding and truck driver contributions total a $6 million investment in local air quality.
“The Port of New Orleans is pleased to expand our successful Clean TRIP program so eligible truck drivers in St. Bernard, Jefferson and Orleans parishes who provide drayage services to ports can update their trucks and contribute to collective efforts to improve air quality in our region,” said Brandy D. Christian, Port NOLA’s President and CEO. “Truckers work with more reliable equipment and residents in our region benefit from air quality improvements.”
Owners of drayage trucks with 2009 engine model years and older that replace those vehicles with trucks having 2015 (or newer) emissions compliant engines, could qualify. Other criteria: current trucks must have been owned for at least 24 months prior to replacement and have records for service to a drayage facility within Port NOLA’s jurisdiction for the previous 12 months. Clean TRIP provides 50% of the cost of a new truck, with a maximum award of Clean TRIP funds of $35,000 per truck. Qualifying truck owners may replace up to two trucks with this funding if they have never replaced a truck previously with Clean TRIP. Applications for Clean TRIP can be downloaded from http://cleantrip-portno.com, or picked up from the Port Administration Building at 1350 Port of New Orleans Place, the Louisiana International Terminal Community Connection Office at 6201A East St. Bernard Highway in Violet, La. Those with Transportation Worker Identification Cards (TWIC) can also pick up applications at the Truckway Circle Building at 50 Nashville Ave., New Orleans, La. Interested truck owners my find more information at www.portnola.com/sustainable-development/clean-trip or contact 504-528-3538.
Port NOLA is committed to sustainable development and continues to be recognized for its strategic investments in infrastructure while balancing the needs of industry stakeholders, its neighbors, and its natural resources. The Port is an active member of Green Marine, a voluntary environmental certification program for the North American maritime industry.
In June of 2021, Clean TRIP was awarded special recognition for “Best Community Partnership” from Southeast Louisiana Clean Fuels Partnership. The port also received a Lighthouse Award of Excellence for Environmental Improvement and Stakeholder Involvement in 2021 by the American Association of Port Authorities for the Port Inner Harbor Economic Revitalization Plan (PIER Plan).
