NEW BEDFORD — The city has secured a $1 million grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to install electric power hook-ups on two of the port's piers, a system that will allow fishing vessels to run on electricity instead of diesel-powered generators when in port, federal and local officials announced Thursday.
Reducing the vessels' reliance on generators will reduce diesel emissions and also save the fishing industry a significant amount of money in fuel and other costs, officials said.
"This is an environmental program that's very important for the people of the city … but also invaluable for our fishing fleet," said Mayor Scott W. Lang.
The grant award was announced Thursday during a press conference held at the city's U.S. Coast Guard Park and attended by Lang, Rep. Barney Frank, EPA Region 1 Regional Administrator Curt Spalding and other officials.
Read the complete story at The South Coast Today [subscription site]
NOTE: The Standard-Times is a subscription site. Unregistered visitors are able to read three stories per month, and registered visitors may view ten. For unlimited access, please follow the subscription instructions on the site.