The Port partnered with Tacoma Rail and Totem Ocean Trailer Express to apply for a federal Diesel Emission Reduction Act grant. The grant would help improve air quality in the Port industrial area by funding retrofits of locomotive and vessel engines.

In total, 39 elected officials and organizations in Washington state and Alaska provided letters of support for the application, signaling strong community support for the project. The Environmental Protection Agency is expected to announce its selection in late March.