Priority Ports¶
26 U.S. Port Communities, Organized by Region¶
The International Council on Clean Transportation screens global ports for the intersection of at-berth vessel emissions volume and surrounding population vulnerability. Port Health Watch covers 19 priority U.S. ports plus 7 Great Lakes screening profiles — organized below by coastal region.
Two Publication Tiers
- Full Assessment — complete site-specific analytical depth published: overview, regulatory, air quality, community health (CDC PLACES census-tract analysis), monetized damages, interactive dashboard. Currently published for Duluth-Superior and New York / New Jersey.
- Screening Profile — overview, regulatory landscape, emissions context, and community-health framing published. Full analytical depth available through a research engagement.
Interactive Port Map¶
Marker size reflects relative emissions volume; color indicates regulatory tier. Click any marker for details and a link to that port's assessment.
Data: ICCT Port Emissions Screening (Sept 2024); Port Health Watch analysis. Map tiles: OpenStreetMap contributors.
Atlantic Coast (10 ports)¶
The longest stretch of port communities on the site, anchored by NY/NJ as the highest-impact East Coast port complex and home to the strongest state environmental-justice framework (NJ EJ Law, 2020).
| Port Complex | State | Tier | Pollutants (t/yr) | Population | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York / New Jersey | NY / NJ | Priority 1 | ~2,600 | 3.2M | Full Assessment |
| Virginia (Norfolk/Hampton Roads) | VA | Priority 1 | ~1,300 (scaled) | 400K+ | Screening |
| Charleston | SC | Priority 2 | ~900 (scaled) | 250K+ | Screening |
| Savannah | GA | Priority 2 | ~650 | 200K+ | Screening |
| Baltimore | MD | Priority 2 | ~550 | 350K+ | Screening |
| Miami / PortMiami | FL | Priority 2 | ~550 (scaled) | 300K+ | Screening |
| Port Everglades | FL | Priority 3 | ~400 | 180K+ | Screening |
| Philadelphia / Camden | PA / NJ | Priority 3 | ~400 (scaled) | 400K+ | Screening |
| Jacksonville | FL | Priority 3 | ~350 | 150K+ | Screening |
| Brunswick | GA | Priority 3 | ~300 (scaled) | 35K+ | Screening |
Gulf Coast (5 ports)¶
Tanker-dominated petroleum and petrochemical traffic, anchored by Houston/Galveston (busiest channel) and New Orleans (highest at-berth emissions of any Priority 2 port). Texas Gulf Coast hosts America's largest refining capacity.
| Port Complex | State | Tier | Pollutants (t/yr) | Population | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Houston / Galveston | TX | Priority 2 | ~1,000 | 1.5M | Screening |
| New Orleans | LA | Priority 2 | ~1,200 | 800K | Screening |
| Corpus Christi | TX | Priority 2 | ~900 (scaled) | 120K+ | Screening |
| Beaumont | TX | Priority 2 | ~700 (scaled) | 150K+ | Screening |
| Mobile | AL | Priority 2 | ~600 (scaled) | 190K+ | Screening |
Pacific Coast (3 ports)¶
The CARB-regulated benchmarks (LA/Long Beach, Oakland) plus Seattle-Tacoma as the largest unregulated Pacific port. California's at-berth regulation is the only mandatory framework in the country.
| Port Complex | State | Tier | Pollutants (t/yr) | Population | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles / Long Beach | CA | CARB Regulated | ~3,200 (pre-reg) | 1.5M+ | Screening |
| Oakland | CA | CARB Regulated | ~440 | 442K | Screening |
| Seattle / Tacoma | WA | Priority 2 | ~900 | 600K | Screening |
Great Lakes (1 priority + 7 screening)¶
The Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Seaway is a single interconnected emissions landscape: 110 ports, 953 vessels, 1.6 million tonnes of CO₂ from vessels in 2019 (ICCT GL-SLS inventory). Anchored by the Duluth-Superior Full Assessment, with seven additional screening profiles for U.S. Great Lakes ports.
| Port Complex | State | Tier | Annual Tonnage | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Duluth-Superior | MN / WI | Priority 3 | 25.3M | Full Assessment |
| Two Harbors | MN | Great Lakes Screening | ~13M (est.) | Screening |
| Silver Bay | MN | Great Lakes Screening | ~5M (est.) | Screening |
| Green Bay | WI | Great Lakes Screening | ~2M (est.) | Screening |
| Milwaukee | WI | Great Lakes Screening | ~2.5M (est.) | Screening |
| Cleveland | OH | Great Lakes Screening | ~13M (est.) | Screening |
| Toledo | OH | Great Lakes Screening | ~10M (est.) | Screening |
| Indiana-Burns Harbor | IN | Great Lakes Screening | ~2.5M (est.) | Screening |
Open the Great Lakes System hub →
Selection Criteria¶
Ports are prioritized based on:
- Emissions volume — total PM2.5, NOx, and SOx from ocean-going vessels at berth
- Population exposure — number of residents within 5 km of port terminals
- Environmental justice indicators — income levels, race/ethnicity composition, existing health burden (asthma rates, cardiovascular mortality), cumulative pollution exposure
- Regulatory status — whether the port operates under any mandatory at-berth emissions controls (currently California only)
Cross-Port Dashboard¶
The visualizations below compare at-berth emissions, population exposure, and industrial burden across all 11 priority ports using public primary-source datasets (ICCT, U.S. Census, EPA TRI, NOAA). Our proprietary analytical products — CDC PLACES cumulative-exposure profiles and monetized health damages — are shown in full only for our two public demonstration assessments: Duluth-Superior and New York / New Jersey. The equivalent analysis is available for every port on this site as part of a research engagement.
CARB Regulated · Priority 1 · Priority 2 · Priority 3
At-Berth Emissions — All 11 Priority Ports¶
Source: ICCT Port Emissions Screening (2024). Combined PM2.5, NOx, SOx at berth.
Exposed Population — All 11 Priority Ports¶
Source: U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates. Below-median-income residents within port impact zone.
EPA TRI-Reporting Facilities by Port County¶
| Port | County | TRI Facilities | Key Industrial Context |
|---|---|---|---|
| Houston | Harris County, TX | 500+ | Ship Channel petrochemical corridor; 200+ facilities |
| LA / Long Beach | Los Angeles County, CA | 700+ | 5 oil refineries, 9 rail yards in AB 617 zone |
| NY / NJ | Essex + Kings County | 120+ | Newark Ironbound industrial corridor |
| New Orleans | Orleans Parish, LA | 60+ | Cancer Alley terminus; 150+ petrochemical plants |
| Oakland | Alameda County, CA | 60+ | Waterfront and rail corridor industrial concentrations |
| Seattle | King County, WA | 50+ | Duwamish River Superfund site; 100+ hazardous waste sites |
| Jacksonville | Duval County, FL | 40+ | Talleyrand corridor; Kerr-McGee Superfund |
| Baltimore | Baltimore City, MD | 30+ | Curtis Bay-Hawkins Point industrial corridor |
| Savannah | Chatham County, GA | 30+ | Savannah River industrial operations |
| Port Everglades | Broward County, FL | 25+ | Petroleum distribution hub |
| Duluth-Superior | St. Louis County, MN | 22 | $486M+ AOC remediation zone |
Source: EPA Toxics Release Inventory, Envirofacts database (2024).
Wind Patterns & Dispersion — All 11 Priority Ports¶
Prevailing wind directions from NOAA Climate Data Online determine which communities are most frequently downwind of port emissions.
| Port | Prevailing Wind | Avg Speed | Primary Downwind Communities |
|---|---|---|---|
| LA / Long Beach | W / WSW (48%) | 7.1 mph | Wilmington, Carson, Compton (inland E) |
| Oakland | W / WNW (50%) | 8.8 mph | West Oakland, Emeryville (E) |
| NY / NJ (Newark) | NW / W (37%) | 9.3 mph | Ironbound, Kearny (SE/E) |
| Houston | SE / S (45%) | 7.7 mph | Galena Park, Channelview, Deer Park (NW) |
| New Orleans | S / SE (38%) | 8.1 mph | Lower 9th Ward, Arabi, Chalmette (N) |
| Seattle | S / SSW (43%) | 8.0 mph | SODO, Georgetown, Beacon Hill (N) |
| Savannah | SW / W (31%) | 7.5 mph | Garden City, Port Wentworth (NE/E) |
| Baltimore | NW / W (40%) | 8.5 mph | Dundalk, Canton, Fells Point (SE/E) |
| Port Everglades | E / SE (42%) | 8.9 mph | Davie, west Fort Lauderdale, Plantation (W) |
| Jacksonville | W / NW (31%) | 7.3 mph | Eastside, Trout River area (E) |
| Duluth-Superior | W / NW (39%) | 9.7 mph | East Hillside, downtown Duluth (E); West Duluth and Superior (under E winds) |
Source: NOAA NCEI Climate Data Online, 30-year climate normals and 2024 daily summaries from nearest airport weather stations.
Distinctive Port Context — Public-Infrastructure Highlights¶
| Port | Distinctive Context | Key Public-Record Anchor |
|---|---|---|
| LA / Long Beach | AB 617 Environmental Justice Zone | 48-sq-mi Wilmington/Carson/West Long Beach area; 2 ports, 5 refineries, 9 rail yards |
| Oakland | Emissions Reduction Trend (2005→present) | 2020 Seaport Air Emissions Inventory: PM2.5 -78%, DPM -86% since 2005 |
| NY / NJ (Newark) | ICCT Electrifying Ports Study (2023) | Full electrification: 292 km² → 55 km² emissions footprint |
| Houston | TRI Facility Density — Harris County | 500+ TRI facilities; 200+ petrochemical along Ship Channel |
| New Orleans | Multi-Parish Industrial Exposure | Orleans 60+ / St. Bernard (Chalmette Refinery) / Jefferson — Cancer Alley terminus |
| Seattle | Duwamish Superfund Context | Federal Superfund site; 100+ hazardous waste sites in valley |
| Savannah | Expansion Projection — TEU Growth to 2035 | $4B expansion: 5.6M TEUs (2024) → 12.5M TEUs (2035) |
| Baltimore | Curtis Bay Industrial Burden | EJScreen 94th pctile toxic air releases MD; medical waste incinerator, CSX coal terminal |
| Port Everglades | Shore Power Timeline — $160M Implementation | 8 cruise terminals planned for FY2030/31; tankers remain uncontrolled |
| Jacksonville | Kerr-McGee Superfund Context | $53M cleanup (2025); Talleyrand Ave groundwater; adjacent to Marine Terminal |
| Duluth-Superior | MERC Coal Terminal Closure (June 30, 2026) | ~8,500 tCO₂/yr eliminated; St. Louis River AOC 80+ management actions |
Sources: CalEPA AB 617 Community Air Protection Program; Port of Oakland 2020 Seaport Air Emissions Inventory; ICCT Electrifying Ports Study (February 2023); EPA TRI; EPA Superfund Site Records; Georgia Ports Authority expansion plans; EPA EJScreen; Port Everglades 2023 Shore Power Study; Duluth Seaway Port Authority Climate Action Plan.
Demonstration Ports — Full Analytical Depth¶
The sections below show the complete analytical depth available for every port on this site, using our two fully-public demonstration assessments: Duluth-Superior and New York / New Jersey.
Estimated Annual Health Cost¶
Source: Port Health Watch analysis using EPA BenMAP methodology and Value of Statistical Life ($11.8M, 2024-adjusted).
Community Health Profile — CDC PLACES¶
| Port | Asthma | COPD | Heart Disease | Depression | Obesity | Poor Health | High BP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NY / NJ (Newark) | 12.8% | 7.5% | 7.2% | 21.0% | 36.5% | 22.5% | 38.0% |
| Duluth-Superior | 11.0% | 6.4% | 6.3% | 26.1% | 36.8% | 18.3% | 30.5% |
Source: CDC PLACES (2024 release), census tract–level health estimates. Port-adjacent tract averages.
Full Cross-Port Analysis Available
The cross-sectional health-cost analysis and CDC PLACES profiles for all 19 priority ports — plus census-tract scenario modeling, monetized avoided damages, and FOIA-enhanced regulatory context — are available through a research engagement.
Contact us to discuss a cross-port or site-specific assessment: research@porthealthwatch.org
Commissioning a Full Assessment¶
Any of the 17 screening-profile ports (or 7 Great Lakes screening ports) can be upgraded to a full site-specific assessment matching the analytical depth of the Duluth-Superior and NY/NJ published assessments. Port community organizations, environmental justice coalitions, port authorities, and policymakers can commission assessments through our Services page or by contacting us directly.
Methodology
All port assessments — screening and full — use the same peer-reviewed quantification framework. See our Methodology for complete sourcing and analytical standards.
See the comparison table for sortable side-by-side data across all 19 priority ports.