The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Transportation Administration (FTA) announced $384.4 million in federal funding from President Biden’s bipartisan infrastructure legislation. This is to expand and improve ferry services in communities across the country and accelerate the transition to zero-emission transportation.
In total, the FTA has awarded 23 grants in 11 states and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The grant will fund projects such as replacement of old vessels, expansion of the fleet and construction of new terminals and docks. For Alaska, the award represents an investment of approximately $286 million in the Alaska Marine Highway, which serves remote areas throughout the state. About $100 million in state grants will be used for low-emission and no-emission ferries to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the transportation sector.
“These grants connect people to jobs, services and urban centers while reducing climate pollution, and improve ferry services in communities most dependent on waterways, often in more rural and remote areas. and growing,” said the U.S. Secretary of Transportation. Pete Buttigieg.
Funding made available through three FTA competitive grant programs will reduce emissions by facilitating ferry services in rural areas, modernizing urban ferry systems and accelerating adoption of zero-emission technologies .
The FTA’s Rural Ferry Services Program provides states with competitive funding for rural ferry services. The FTA has awarded him $252.4 million to his eight projects in four states.
The FTA’s Electric or Low Emission Ferry Pilot Program provides competitive funding for electric or low emission ferries and charging equipment that use alternative fuels or on-board energy storage systems to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The FTA has awarded $97.6 million to seven projects in seven states.
The FTA’s Passenger Ferry Grants program supports capital projects to establish new ferry services and to repair and modernize ferry vessels, terminals, and urban facilities and equipment. The FTA awards his $34.4 million to his eight projects in six states and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
“Today’s announcement represents a record amount of support for transit ferries in our country,” said FTA Administrator Nuria Fernandez. “And thanks to the President’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Act, for the first time, we can offer competitive subsidies to local passenger ferry services to help ferry operators reduce their climate impact. can.”
Some selected ferry projects include:
The Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities has received six grants of nearly $286 million to build passenger ferries to replace or modernize older ships and to upgrade significant docks in several communities. to hold. This grant will improve the condition and quality of the Alaska Marine Highway system, which runs 3,500 miles and serves 35 communities.
• The Maine Department of Transportation will receive $28 million through the Electric or Low Emission Ferry Pilot Program to build hybrid-electric vessels to replace 35-year-old vessels at the end of their useful life. The new hybrid-electric vessel will reduce greenhouse gas emissions and promote environmental sustainability for the approximately 600 residents of Islesboro Island, a rural community in upper Penobscot Bay that relies on passenger ferry services.
• The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) will receive $6.6 million through the Passenger Ferry Grant Program to modernize the Hingham Ferry Dock, improve safety and accessibility, and keep it in good condition. By stabilizing ferry docks, restructuring walkways, upgrading lighting, safety and security systems, and facilitating backup power, MBTA will increase ferry capacity, operational flexibility and resilience.
Projects were selected for funding based on the criteria set forth in the Opportunity Funding Notice. In response to the Opportunity Funding Notice, the FTA received 47 eligible applications in 16 states and one region, totaling approximately $602 million in applications.
