INSERT LETTERHEAD
May 28, 2024
Administrator Regan
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
1200 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington DC 20004
Dear Administrator Regan,
On behalf of the City of South San Francisco, I am writing to support the Port of San Francisco and the San Francisco Bay Area Water Emergency Transportation Authority’s (WETA) joint application requesting $55 million from the Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean Ports Grant program for the San Francisco Zero Emission Ferry Project: Investing in Equitable, Healthy, and Connected Bay Area Communities. This transformative project will transition ferry operations along the San Francisco waterfront to zero-emissions, removing 455,000 metric tons of CO2 greenhouse gases and enhancing air quality at the Port of San Francisco and throughout the Bay Area airshed while connecting disadvantaged communities with high paying employment centers.
San Francisco Bay Ferry, the service operated by WETA, carried 2.2 million passengers in 2023 on the nation's cleanest high-speed, high-capacity ferry fleet. Thirteen of the agency's seventeen vessels now meet U.S. EPA Tier 4 emission standards and the agency has committed to convert more than 50% of the vessel fleet to zero emissions by 2035. In 2023, the agency completed its Blueprint for Zero Emission Vessel Transition, funded through a California Energy Commission grant, to inform development of a plan to transition the fleet to zeroemission vessels.
Having secured $127 million to deliver electric vessels and waterside charging infrastructure, final funding is required to deliver a series of projects that will complete the establishment of the first zero emissions fast ferry network in the country, connecting the two visitor and employment centers of Downtown San Francisco and Mission Bay with the new emerging waterfront neighborhood on Treasure Island, including final funding for 1) electrification infrastructure at the Downtown San Francisco Ferry Terminal, 2) construction of a 400 passenger zero emission vessel, 3) establishment of a Mission Bay Ferry Terminal, and 4) financial support of a regional maritime workforce development program to train over 150 participants ages 18-24 from disadvantaged and low-income communities in the greater San Francisco Bay Area and the re-entry population.
This new zero emission network will connect multiple disadvantaged communities served by SF Bay Ferry, including Oakland, Richmond, Vallejo and Alameda with the high paying financial and biotech employment centers in Downtown San Francisco and Mission Bay. These projects will accelerate a new standard for clean ferries in the nation and serve as a training platform for the Bay Area’s maritime workforce development program.
The City of South San Francisco offers its full support for this exciting project. We are confident that this project will deliver significant environmental, social, and economic benefits to the San Francisco Bay Area and beyond.
Thank you for your attention to this matter, and we sincerely appreciate your support and consideration.
Sincerely,
Mayor James Coleman
City of South San Francisco
A FERRY SYSTEM FOR THE FUTURE
THE DOWNTOWN SAN
FRANCISCO FERRY
TERMINAL currently
accommodates four SF
Bay Ferry routes, serving
more than 6,000
passengers daily via
approximately 150 ferry arrivals and departures. Benefits include:
A zero-emissions network will result in an estimated
455,000 metric tons of CO2 GHG reduction.
Support operation of the first zero emission vessels in the SF Bay Ferry fleet by 2026.
Connects multiple disadvantaged and low-income
communities to high paying employment centers with
a reliable, affordable, and frequent zero emission
transit service.
Provides zero emission transportation alternatives for communities that are in the top 25% of communities in
California most impacted by greenhouse gas
emissions.
Delivers a direct connection for passengers from ferry service to bus, light rail, historic streetcar and cable car, BART, Caltrain, Amtrak Bus services, and future
statewide high-speed rail network.
THE MISSION BAY FERRY
LANDING will provide critical
regional ferry service to and from
Mission Bay, Dogpatch, Potrero
Hill and the Central Waterfront
neighborhoods, supporting
current and future transit
demand, reducing vehicle trips,
and encouraging in-person office work attendance. Benefits include:
Create capacity for 6,000 daily passengers.
Support operation of the first zero emission vessels in the SF Bay Ferry fleet by 2026 by hosting the required charging equipment to support the use of battery electric zero
emission ferry vessels.
Serves an estimated 11,000 new housing units, 7 million square feet of new office and commercial space, over 1
million square feet of new retail space, and 70 acres of public open space.
Increases ferry ridership by providing reliable, time certain and direct transit between the east bay, downtown San
Francisco and the new major employment, housing and
entertainment venues in Mission Bay and Treasure Island, including UCSF Mission Bay hospital campus and the new
Chase Center.
ZERO EMISSION 400
PASSENGER FAST FERRY
This vessel will support the
nation's first zero emission
zero emission fast ferry
network connecting two
employment centers on
Port of San Francisco’s waterfront with emerging
neighborhoods. Benefits include:
Construction of the country’s first high-speed, highpassenger zero-emission vessel. Advances the adoption & implementation of electric
battery technology & related operating systems.
With five other electric vessels under development and several projects to convert diesel vessels to battery
electric technology, this project will help bolster the U.S. maritime and shipbuilding industries by attracting
battery and maritime manufacturers to the U.S.
Construction and operation of this vessel will provide real world experience operating a zero-emission vessel
and hands on training opportunities for the region’s
maritime workforce development program.
Contributes to meeting President Biden’s critical
environmental goal of reaching net zero emissions
economy-wide by no later than 2050.
MARITIME WORKFORCE
DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM
The Working Waterfront Coalition
(WWC) is an industry-led workforce
development initiative inclusive of
unions, workforce boards, and
community groups, aiming to
establish a skilled workforce pipeline
and address the shortage of
maritime professionals crucial for the operation and expansion of comprehensive regional ferry service. Benefits include:
Funding from this grant would provide maritime trade skills training for over 150 participants ages 18-24 from
disadvantaged and low-income communities in the
greater San Francisco Bay Area and the re-entry
population.
Training options include Marine Trades Training, Water Transportation Training and Career Technical Education
for individuals with a focus on zero emission technologies. Single point of contact to coordinate community services and resources, including child-care, nutrition assistance, general resources, soft skill development, legal assistance, and more.
Leverages existing hiring tax credits and incentives for employers.