U.S. Reps. Nanette Barragán (D-CA) and Robert Garcia (D-CA) and U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla (D-CA) recently introduced bicameral legislation that would establish a pathway to eliminate domestically operating ocean shipping company greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
The Clean Shipping Act of 2023 would clean up the shipping industry, protect the health of port communities, address environmental injustice, and provide climate crisis solutions by authorizing the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to regulate carbon intensity standards for maritime fuel.
“The Clean Shipping Act is the game-changer we need to clean up the shipping industry and improve public health in port communities, including communities of color living in my district near the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach,” Barragán said. “The support of the legislation by the environmental community and the shipping industry shows that zero-emissions shipping is the future, and America should lead the way. To successfully decarbonize the shipping industry at the speed and scale necessary to address the climate crisis, the EPA must set clear standards for zero-emission fuels and zero-emission port technology.”
According to legislation proponents, it is endorsed by the Sierra Club, the Pacific Environment, the Ocean Conservancy, the Environmental Defense Fund and Friends of the Earth.
“The Clean Shipping Act of 2023 is a strong, necessary step that will make our maritime ports greener and address ongoing challenges contributing to the global climate crisis,” Garcia said. “Not only does this bill drastically decrease shipping emissions in the United States, but it brings long-awaited justice to our port-adjacent communities that have suffered the consequences of port pollution for far too long.”