South Carolina agencies team up to cut port emissions

South Carolina agencies team up to cut port emissions    In a further sign that environmental issues have become the top priority for U.S. ports, the South Carolina State Ports Authority announced a formal partnership with the state’s Department of Health and Environmental Services (DHEC) to cut port-related air emissions.
   The agreement is primarily designed to improve air quality in the city of Charleston, which hosts one of the nation’s largest container ports. It calls on DHEC to designate an individual to coordinate air quality evaluations for new and existing port facilities, and develop training programs for port authority personnel on an annual basis.
      The port authority said it will take several steps to improve air quality, including:
   * Fund the purchase, installation and utility costs for a particulate matter monitoring station for DHEC.
   * Conduct an emissions inventory of existing facilities within 18 months.
   * Purchase cleaner equipment for the Navy Base Terminal.
   * Use cleaner engines when rebuilding existing equipment or replacing retired equipment.
   * Evaluate the use of cleaner fuels, such as biodiesel and ultra-low sulfur diesel.
   * Evaluate the future use of ship-to-shore electric power for ships at berth, or “cold ironing.”
   * Carry out air quality education and outreach and pursue anti-idling initiatives.
   * Include contractor guidelines in construction bid documents to minimize air impacts
   The Port of Charleston is in the process of replacing four diesel-electric container cranes with all-electric models. Port officials said efforts to improve truck and vessel productivity would also improve the environment by reducing ship and truck emissions.