Press Releases

Washington, DC -- Last week, Rep. Salud Carbajal reintroduced the bipartisan Expanding Maritime Environmental and Technical Assistance Program (META) Act. The legislation supports the reduction of air emissions from ports and vessels by authorizing an additional $3 million for the Maritime Environmental and Technical Assistance Program, which will fund research and activities related to zero-emission technologies. Representative Bob Gibbs (R-OH) co-led the legislation in the House and Senator Edward Markey (D-MA) introduced companion legislation in the Senate.

As Chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation, Representative Carbajal will hold a hearing on "Practical Steps Toward a Carbon-Free Maritime Industry: Updates on Fuels, Ports, and Technology" today at 11:00am ET. A livestream is available here.

"Commerce by sea is cleaner and safer than land, but traditional maritime fuel emits harmful greenhouse gases which contribute to climate change. Without decisive action in the maritime industry and elsewhere, we are going to experience severe impacts on our way of life from sea-level rise, flooding, and more frequent extreme weather events," said Rep. Carbajal. "I'm glad to be introducing this bipartisan bill with Senator Markey and Representative Gibbs, which invests in research and development of zero-emission port and vessel technology so we can reduce emissions in the maritime sector."

“The international maritime sector is a substantial contributor to global carbon emissions and the worsening climate crisis,” said Senator Markey. “We need to find a way to decarbonize our ports and vessels for a holistic transition to a clean energy future. This legislation will provide much-needed funding to the maritime sector to enable more research and help make that low-carbon transition.”

Full bill text is available here.

Rep. Salud Carbajal represents California’s 24th congressional district, encompassing Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo and part of Ventura County. He sits on the House Armed Services Committee, Agriculture Committee, and Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, where he serves as the Chair of the Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation.

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