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Referenced Laws
chapter 31
29 U.S.C. 158(f)
Section 1
1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Zero-Emission Vessel Innovation Act.
Section 2
2. Zero-emission vessel innovation fund The Secretary of Transportation shall establish a program to be known as the Zero-Emission Vessel Innovation Program (in this section referred to as the Program) to support the research, design, development, demonstration, and deployment of zero-emission vessels and retrofit or replacement of existing vessels with zero-emission technologies and charging or fueling infrastructure. In carrying out the Program, the Secretary may provide eligible entities with finance mechanisms to support eligible projects, including grants, low-interest loans, and loan guarantees. In carrying out the Program, the Secretary shall prioritize eligible projects that— advance the efficiency and reliability, and reduce the costs, of zero-emission vessel development; improve the components, controls, manufacturing, materials, and infrastructure that support zero-emission vessels; reduce underwater noise emissions from vessels; emphasize technologies with environmental co-benefits such as biofouling reduction; advance synergies between offshore renewable energy development and maritime decarbonization and ocean noise, such as through the deployment of zero-emission and quiet offshore wind support vessels; utilizes a project labor agreement or community benefits agreement; advance environmental justice and engage communities affected by maritime transport in all phases of the project including the development, planning, and execution of the project; and support workforce training and development for the research, development, demonstration, deployment, and maintenance of zero-emission and clean alternative fuel vessels and charging or fueling infrastructure. In carrying out the Program, the Secretary shall make publicly available each year on the website of the Department of Transportation applications submitted for funding mechanisms under this section, including applications selected and not selected for funding. In carrying out the Program, the Secretary shall, to the maximum extent practicable— coordinate with each relevant office in the Department and any other Federal agency; leverage existing resources and programs of the Department and other relevant Federal agencies; leverage public-private partnerships; and engage and solicit input from environmental justice communities and environmental organizations on project impacts and benefits. The Secretary may use up to 10 percent of the amounts made available to carry out this section for administrative costs for carrying out the program under this section. All laborers and mechanics employed by a subgrantee of an eligible entity, and any subgrantee thereof at any tier, to perform construction, alteration, installation, or repair work that is assisted, in whole or in part, by funding awarded under this section shall be paid wages at rates not less than those prevailing on similar construction, alteration, installation, or repair work in the locality as determined by the Secretary of Labor in accordance with subchapter IV of chapter 31 of title 40, United States Code. There is authorized to carry out the program under this section $1,000,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2025 through 2034. No funds made available to carry out this section shall be spent for the study, design, implementation, or installation of automated vessels, automated vessel operating systems, automated cargo handling systems on a vessel, or automated cargo handling systems for loading or unloading vessels. In this section: The term automated means any vessel or cargo handling system that performs any or all core functions without human operation. The term charging infrastructure— means the physical systems, equipment, and facilities necessary to supply electrical power to vessels for the purpose of recharging the batteries or energy storage systems of such vessels; and includes, with respect to zero emission vessel technology, shore power facilities, onshore charging stations, and any associated equipment required to support the electrification of maritime transportation. The term community benefits agreement means an agreement signed by community groups and an eligible entity, identifying the community or labor benefits the entity agrees to deliver in return for community support or workforce availability for a project. The term eligible entity means— an owner or operator of a United States-flagged vessel; a United States based manufacturer of vessels; manufacturers of components, technologies, or materials that support zero-emission and clean alternative fuel vessels; a port authority; a terminal operator at a port; and academic institutions or nonprofit entities in a joint application with an entity listed in subparagraphs (A) through (E). The term eligible project means a project to support the research, design, demonstration, development, and deployment of— zero-emission vessels; clean alternative fuel vessels; vessel energy efficiency technology (such as wind assistance and systems that minimize underwater noise emissions); shore power and corresponding vessel technology; and zero-emission and clean alternative fuel infrastructure, including bunkering and storage, for vessels. The term environmental co-benefits means the additional positive environmental impacts or advantages that arise as a result of implementing a particular policy, technology, or initiative. The term fueling infrastructure means the infrastructure and facilities essential for supplying, storing, handling, and distributing alternative fuels or energy sources used for powering vessels. The term maritime decarbonization means the process of reducing or eliminating carbon dioxide emissions associated with maritime transportation activities and involves implementing a range of strategies, technologies, and policies aimed at mitigating the environmental impact of shipping operations, including the adoption of alternative fuels, energy efficiency measures, operational improvements, and regulatory measures designed to promote the transition to zero emission vessel technologies. The project labor agreement means a pre-hire collective bargaining agreement with 1 or more labor organization that establishes the terms and conditions of employment for a specific construction project and is described in section 8(f) of the National Labor Relations Act (29 U.S.C. 158(f)). The term clean alternative fuel means a fuel or energy source that results in at least 90 percent fewer greenhouse gas emissions than a baseline of conventional marine fossil fuel on a life-cycle (well-to-wake) basis, measured in grams of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions per unit of energy, that is proven to be safe for people, communities, and the marine environment. The term zero-emission vessel means a vessel that produces zero emissions of any criteria pollutant, precursor pollutant, or greenhouse gas, other than water vapor during its operation, typically by utilizing renewable energy sources such as wind, clean alternative fuels, and efficiency technologies.
Section 3
3. Zero-Emission Vessel Innovation Advisory Committee Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Transportation, in coordination with the Executive Director of the Maritime Administration, shall establish an advisory committee, to be known as the Zero-Emission Vessel Innovation Advisory Committee (in this section referred to as the Committee. The Committee shall be composed of not fewer than 15 members, who shall be appointed by the Secretary, in coordination with the Executive Director. Members appointed pursuant to paragraph (1) shall include— not less than 1 representative of each relevant Federal agency, as determined by the Secretary; not less than 2 representatives of labor groups; not less than 3 representatives of the research community, which shall include academia and National Laboratories; not less than 2 representatives of nongovernmental environmental justice organizations; not less than 2 representatives of nongovernmental environmental organizations; not less than 2 representatives of the maritime industry; not less than 2 representatives of the zero-emissions fuels industry; not less than 1 representative of a State government; not less than 2 representatives from United States ports; and any other individual whom the Secretary, in coordination with the Director, determines to be necessary to ensure that the Committee is composed of a diverse group of representatives of industry, academia, independent researchers, and public and private entities. The Secretary shall designate a member of the Committee to serve as Chair. The Committee shall advise the Secretary and the Executive Director with respect to the Zero-Emissions Vessel Innovation Fund by— identifying and evaluating any zero-emission shipping technologies being developed by the private sector or other Federal agencies; identifying technology gaps in the private sector in zero-emissions shipping, and making recommendations to address those gaps through the implementation of the Fund; surveying and analyzing factors that prevent the adoption of zero-emission emissions shipping technologies by the private sector; recommending technology screening criteria for technology supported under the fund; and specifying near-term and long-term qualitative and quantitative objectives relating to the development of zero-emissions shipping technologies. The Committee shall meet not less frequently than 2 times per year, at the call of the Chair. Not later than 30 days after the date on which the members are appointed under subsection (b), the Committee shall hold a first meeting. Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this Act, and not less frequently than once every 3 years thereafter, the Committee shall submit to the Secretary a report on the progress of achieving the purposes of the program described in section 2(a). The report under paragraph (1) shall include— a description of any technology innovation opportunities identified by the Committee; a description of any technology gaps identified by the Committee; an evaluation of the progress of the program and the research, development, and demonstration activities funded; an assessment of the extent to which progress has been made under the program in developing commercial, cost-competitive zero-emission shipping technologies; and an assessment of the effectiveness of the program in coordinating efforts within the Department and with other Federal agencies to achieve the purposes of the program. Not later than 60 days after receiving a report from the Committee under subsection (e), the Secretary shall submit a copy of such report to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate.