Hydrogen for Ports Act
This bill supports infrastructure for hydrogen-derived fuels, including ammonia, at ports and in the shipping industry. Specifically, the Department of Energy must establish a program for infrastructure that supports the use of such fuels at ports and in the shipping industry. States, local governments, tribal governments, certain private entities, and other eligible entities may apply for grants.
[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6872 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
118th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 6872
To require the Secretary of Energy to establish a grant program to
support hydrogen-fueled equipment at ports and to conduct a study with
the Secretary of Transportation and the Secretary of Homeland Security
on the feasibility and safety of using hydrogen-derived fuels,
including ammonia, as a shipping fuel.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
December 19, 2023
Ms. Porter (for herself and Mr. Bilirakis) introduced the following
bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and
in addition to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, for
a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for
consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the
committee concerned
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To require the Secretary of Energy to establish a grant program to
support hydrogen-fueled equipment at ports and to conduct a study with
the Secretary of Transportation and the Secretary of Homeland Security
on the feasibility and safety of using hydrogen-derived fuels,
including ammonia, as a shipping fuel.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Hydrogen for Ports Act''.
SEC. 2. MARITIME MODERNIZATION GRANT PROGRAM.
(a) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Eligible entity.--The term ``eligible entity'' means an
entity described in subsection (d).
(2) Indian tribe.--The term ``Indian Tribe'' has the
meaning given the term in section 4 of the Indian Self-
Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 5304).
(3) Low-income or disadvantaged community.--The term ``low-
income or disadvantaged community'' means a community
(including a city, a town, a county, and any reasonably
isolated and divisible segment of a larger municipality) with
an annual median household income that is less than 100 percent
of the statewide annual median household income for the State
in which the community is located, according to the most recent
decennial census.
(4) Program.--The term ``program'' means the program
established under subsection (b).
(5) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of Energy.
(b) In General.--Not later than 180 days after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall establish a program under
which the Secretary shall provide grants, on a competitive basis, to
eligible entities for--
(1) the purchase, installation, construction, facilitation,
maintenance, or operation of, as appropriate--
(A) hydrogen- or ammonia-fueled cargo-handling
equipment, including, at a minimum, equipment used for
drayage applications;
(B) hydrogen fuel cell or ammonia-fueled trucks for
use at ports;
(C) hydrogen fuel cell or ammonia-fueled ferries,
tugboats, dredging vessels, container ships, bulk
carriers, fuel tankers, and other marine vessels;
(D) hydrogen fuel cell-based shore power for ships
while docked at the port;
(E) hydrogen fuel cell or ammonia onsite power
plants; and
(F) port infrastructure for hydrogen or ammonia
import, export, storage, and fueling; and
(2) the training of ship crew and shore personnel to handle
hydrogen or ammonia.
(c) Goals.--The goals of the program shall be--
(1) to demonstrate fuel cell, hydrogen, or ammonia
technologies in maritime and associated logistics applications;
(2) to assist in the development and validation of
technical targets for hydrogen, ammonia, and fuel cell systems
for maritime and associated logistics applications;
(3) to benchmark the conditions required for broad
commercialization of hydrogen, ammonia, and fuel cell
technologies in maritime and associated logistics applications;
(4) to assess the operational and technical considerations
for installing, constructing, and using hydrogen- or ammonia-
fueled equipment and supporting infrastructure at ports; and
(5) to reduce emissions and improve air quality in areas in
and around ports.
(d) Eligible Entities.--
(1) In general.--An entity eligible to receive a grant
under the program is--
(A) a State;
(B) a political subdivision of a State;
(C) a local government;
(D) a public agency or publicly chartered authority
established by 1 or more States;
(E) a special purpose district with a
transportation function;
(F) an Indian Tribe or a consortium of Indian
Tribes;
(G) a multistate or multijurisdictional group of
entities described in any of subparagraphs (A) through
(F); or
(H) subject to paragraph (2), a private entity or
group of private entities, including the owners or
operators of 1 or more facilities at a port.
(2) Joint eligibility with private entities.--A private
entity or group of private entities is eligible for a grant
under the program if--
(A) the private entity or group of private entities
partners with an entity described in any of
subparagraphs (A) through (G) of paragraph (1) for
purposes of applying for, and carrying out activities
under, the grant; and
(B) the entity described in the applicable
subparagraph of that paragraph is the lead entity with
respect to the application and those activities.
(e) Applications.--
(1) In general.--An eligible entity desiring a grant under
the program shall submit to the Secretary an application at
such time, in such manner, and containing such information as
the Secretary may require.
(2) Requirement.--The application of an eligible entity
described in subparagraph (H) of subsection (d)(1) shall be
submitted jointly with an entity described in subparagraphs (A)
through (G) of that subsection.
(f) Considerations.--In providing grants under the program, the
Secretary, to the maximum extent practicable, shall--
(1) select projects that will generate the greatest benefit
to low-income or disadvantaged communities; and
(2) select projects that will--
(A) maximize the creation or retention of jobs in
the United States; and
(B) provide the highest job quality.
(g) Priority.--In selecting eligible entities to receive a grant
under the program, the Secretary shall give priority to projects that
will provide greater net impact in avoiding or reducing emissions of
greenhouse gases.
(h) Leak Detection.--Each eligible entity that receives a grant
under the program shall conduct--
(1) a hydrogen leakage monitoring, reporting, and
verification (also known as ``MRV'') program; and
(2) a hydrogen leak detection and repair (also known as
``LDAR'') program.
(i) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be
appropriated to the Secretary to carry out this section $100,000,000
for each of fiscal years 2024 through 2028.
(j) Prohibition on Use of Funds.--None of the funds made available
under this section may be used to provide a grant to purchase fully
automated cargo handling equipment that is remotely operated or
remotely monitored with or without the exercise of human intervention
or control, if the Secretary of Transportation determines such
equipment would result in a net loss of jobs within a port or port
terminal.
SEC. 3. STUDY.
(a) In General.--The Secretary of Energy, in consultation with the
Secretary of Transportation and the Secretary of Homeland Security,
shall conduct, and submit to Congress a report describing the results
of, a study--
(1) to fully address the challenges to ensure the safe use
and handling of hydrogen, ammonia, and other hydrogen-based
fuels on vessels and in ports;
(2) to identify, compare, and evaluate the feasibility of,
the safety, environmental, and health impacts of, and best
practices with respect to, the use of hydrogen-derived fuels,
including ammonia, as a shipping fuel;
(3) to identify and evaluate considerations for hydrogen
and ammonia storage, including--
(A) at ports;
(B) on board vessels; and
(C) for subsea hydrogen storage; and
(4) to assess the cost and value of a hydrogen or ammonia
strategic reserve, either as a new facility or as a
modification to the Strategic Petroleum Reserve established
under part B of title I of the Energy Policy and Conservation
Act (42 U.S.C. 6231 et seq.).
(b) Requirements.--In carrying out subsection (a), the Secretary of
Energy, the Secretary of Transportation, and the Secretary of Homeland
Security shall--
(1) take into account lessons learned from demonstration
projects in other industries, including--
(A) projects carried out in the United States;
(B) projects carried out in other countries; and
(C) projects relating to the automotive industry,
buses, petroleum refining, chemical production,
fertilizer production, and stationary power; and
(2) evaluate the applicability of the lessons described in
paragraph (1) to the use of hydrogen in maritime and associated
logistics applications.
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Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Environment, Manufacturing, and Critical Materials.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Environment, Manufacturing, and Critical Materials.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation.
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