OLYMPIA, Wash.-Eleven ports across Washington, including the Port of Benton, have been awarded a total of $26.5 million for electrification projects.
According to the Washington State Department of Transportation, the Port Electrification Grant Program, created by the Washington State Legislature in 2023 and funded by the Climate Commitment Act, aims to reduce carbon emissions in the transportation sector.
“We are pleased to support cleaner air quality for those who live and work near the ports,” said Jason Biggs, director of WSDOT’s Rail, Freight and Ports Division. “This program helps ports switch from using fossil fuels, creates a better work environment for port staff and ensures nearby neighborhoods are healthier places to live.”
The Port of Benton in Richland was awarded $2.7 million for a shore power project.
According to a DOT press release on the funding, shore power projects are those undertaken to allow clean electrical power use while at dock rather than onboard combustion engines for ship operations.
