SAN DIEGO — For decades, diesel engines and a haze of pollution have been present in San Diego’s South Bay. Now, a large influx of federal funds is set to transform the Port of San Diego by using clean energy.
California was awarded $1 billion from the EPA and the Port of San Diego will be getting nearly $59 million. This will allow them to build more electric infrastructure and transition away from using diesel to help reduce emissions.
"I think if it's actually going to improve the air quality it would be really helpful," said Azalea, a college student.
Azalea grew up in San Diego and now goes to college here. She's familiar with the industrial pollution in the South Bay.
"Sometimes when I walk my dog around here I can get a strong smell of the bay. It's really intense," she said.
San Diego's Port is working to offset the air quality impacts in areas like Barrio Logan and National City. The nearly $59 million in EPA funding is being received along with an additional $28 million from the port, its tenants and the air pollution control district.
"What it will be doing is allowing us to electrify the rest of our equipment on our Tenth Avenue Marine Terminal and put in shore power plugs which means ships can plug in when they come into 10th Avenue and National City Marine Terminal," said Job Nelson, the vice president of strategy at the Port of San Diego.
The port started using new all-electric cranes last month. They're the first of their kind at a port in North America. The port now looks to use this new funding to invest in electric trucks.
"We have an electric truck stop. The first of its kind that we're building down by National City Marine Terminal that allows us to buy 25 new electric trucks to call the terminals home," he said.
The port is working toward a goal of becoming fully electric by 2030.
"We continue to be a port of firsts and this will help us continue that tradition," he said.
The port and EPA are working together and hope to start these new projects in early 2025.