HR 6866 — Securing Smart Investments in our Ports Act

(a) Port and Intermodal Improvement Program.— (1) General authority.— Subject to the availability of appropriations, the Secretary of Transportation shall make grants, on a competitive basis, to eligible applicants to assist in funding eligible projects for the purpose of improving the safety, efficiency, or reliability of the movement of goods through ports and intermodal connections to ports. (2) Eligible applicant.— The Secretary may make a grant under this subsection or subsection (b) to the following: (A) A State. (B) A political subdivision of a State, or a local government. (C) A public agency or publicly chartered authority established by 1 or more States. (D) A special purpose district with a transportation function. (E) An Indian Tribe (as defined in section 4 of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 5304), without regard to capitalization), or a consortium of Indian Tribes. (F) A multistate or multijurisdictional group of entities described in this paragraph. (G) A lead entity described in subparagraph (A), (B), (C), (D), (E), or (F) jointly with a private entity or group of private entities, including the owners or operators of a facility, or collection of facilities at a port. (3) Eligible projects.— The Secretary may make a grant under this subsection— (A) for a project, or package of projects, that— (i) is either— (I) within the boundary of a port; or (II) outside the boundary of a port, but is directly related to port operations or to an intermodal connection to a port; and (ii) will be used to improve the safety, efficiency, or reliability of— (I) the loading and unloading of goods at the port, such as for marine terminal equipment; (II) the movement of goods into, out of, around, or within a port, such as for highway or rail infrastructure, intermodal facilities, freight intelligent transportation systems, and digital infrastructure systems; (III) operational improvements, including projects to improve port resilience; (IV) environmental and emission mitigation measures; including projects for— (aa) port electrification or electrification master planning; (bb) harbor craft or equipment replacements or retrofits; (cc) development of port or terminal microgrids; (dd) providing idling reduction infrastructure; (ee) purchase of cargo handling equipment and related infrastructure; (ff) worker training to support electrification technology; (gg) installation of port bunkering facilities from oceangoing vessels for fuels; (hh) electric vehicle charge or hydrogen refueling infrastructure for drayage and medium or heavy duty trucks and locomotives that service the port and related grid upgrades; or (ii) other related port activities, including charging infrastructure, electric rubber-tired gantry cranes, and anti-idling technologies; or (V) port and port-related infrastructure that supports seafood and seafood-related businesses, including the loading and unloading of commercially harvested fish and fish products, seafood processing, cold storage, and other related infrastructure. (B) notwithstanding paragraph (6)(A)(v), to provide financial assistance to 1 or more projects under subparagraph (A) for development phase activities, including planning, feasibility analysis, revenue forecasting, environmental review, permitting, and preliminary engineering and design work. (4) Prohibited uses.— A grant award under this subsection may not be used— (A) to finance or refinance the construction, reconstruction, reconditioning, or purchase of a vessel that is eligible for such assistance under chapter 537, unless the Secretary determines such vessel— (i) is necessary for a project described in paragraph (3)(A)(ii)(III) of this subsection; and (ii) is not receiving assistance under chapter 537; or (B) for any project within a small shipyard (as defined in section 54101). (5) Applications and process.— (A) Applications.— (i) In general.— To be eligible for a grant under this subsection or subse...