New EPA funding for Port NOLA’s Clean TRIP program

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has given the Port of New Orleans (Port NOLA) a $1.24-million grant for its Clean Truck Replacement Incentive Program (Clean TRIP). Clean TRIP has made use of federal and state clean diesel grants to voluntarily improve air quality by replacing older diesel cargo trucks with newer cleaner-burning models.

Since 2016 when the program was launched, 58 trucks have been replaced, which has resulted in a 96% reduction in fine particulate emissions – the equivalent of removing 73,000 cars from local roadways for a year, as well as 542 tonnes less carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions.

Over the next year, Port NOLA expects to replace an additional 42 trucks, for a total of 100 trucks replaced since 2016.

Port NOLA has garnered various recognition for this initiative, including a Clean Fleet Award for five consecutive years (2015-2019) from the New Orleans Clean Fuels Partnership, and the Environmental Leadership Award from the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality.

Photo from the Port NOLA’s website