Regulatory & Financial Landscape¶

Multi-Agency Jurisdiction¶

The Port of New Orleans operates within a regulatory environment shaped by federal agencies, the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality (LDEQ), and port authority governance. No single agency has comprehensive authority over all port-related emissions and environmental impacts.

Data Sources¶

Source	Publisher	Data Provided	Access
LDEQ Records	LDEQ	Air permits, enforcement actions, compliance history	deq.louisiana.gov
EPA Region 6	EPA	Clean Air Act oversight, EJScreen, TRI data	epa.gov/aboutepa/epa-region-6-south-central
Port NOLA Reports	Port of New Orleans	Annual reports, Green Marine scorecards	Public records
USACE New Orleans District	USACE	Navigation permits, dredging, harbor maintenance	mvn.usace.army.mil
USCG Sector New Orleans	USCG	Vessel inspections, marine safety, hazardous materials	uscg.mil

Regulatory Map¶

Federal Agencies¶

Agency	Jurisdiction	Port Relevance
EPA Region 6	Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, RCRA, CERCLA	Air quality oversight, TRI reporting, EJScreen, environmental justice
USACE New Orleans District	Rivers & Harbors Act, CWA §404	Mississippi River navigation, dredging permits, harbor construction
USCG Sector New Orleans	Ports & Waterways Safety	Vessel inspections, marine casualties, hazardous materials
MARAD	Maritime Administration	Port infrastructure grants, vessel disposal

State Agency — Louisiana¶

Agency	Jurisdiction	Notes
LDEQ	State air quality, water quality, waste	Primary state environmental regulator; criticism for permitting practices in overburdened communities
LA Dept of Health	Public health surveillance	Disease reporting, health advisories, community health assessment

The Regulatory Gap¶

California's CARB At-Berth Regulation has been in effect since 2014, strengthened in 2020, and authorized by EPA under the Clean Air Act in October 2023. This authorization legally enables any state to adopt California's identical standard.

Louisiana has not done so, and no equivalent rulemaking is underway.

LDEQ Regulatory Environment¶

The regulatory environment in Louisiana presents particular challenges. The state has faced criticism for permitting practices that allow new petrochemical facilities in communities already overburdened by pollution, and recent legislation has been introduced to limit community challenges to industrial permitting.

The CARB Gap

While California mandates at-berth emissions controls and the EPA has authorized other states to adopt the identical standard, Louisiana has no equivalent regulation and no rulemaking underway. The Port of New Orleans — the largest at-berth emitter among Priority 2 ports — has zero mandatory at-berth emissions controls.

Green Marine Participation¶

Port NOLA joined the Green Marine voluntary environmental certification program in 2014. Green Marine is a voluntary environmental certification program for the North American maritime industry with performance indicators rated on a five-level scale (Level 1: regulatory compliance through Level 5: leadership/excellence).

However, voluntary measures have not resulted in mandatory at-berth emissions controls. Green Marine membership demonstrates environmental engagement but does not require specific at-berth emissions reduction targets.

Pathways to At-Berth Emissions Reduction¶

1. State Adoption of CARB-Equivalent Regulation¶

Louisiana could adopt California's at-berth standard under the EPA authorization.

2. Port Authority Voluntary Commitment¶

Port NOLA could require at-berth controls as a condition of terminal leases or as part of its Green Marine certification commitments.

3. Federal EPA Clean Ports Funding¶

The $3 billion Clean Ports Program (IRA Section 60102) — disbursement status under current administration requires FOIA verification.

4. Carbon Credit Incentives¶

Voluntary carbon market frameworks currently under development could provide revenue to fund capture deployment without regulatory mandates.

5. Community-Driven Advocacy¶

Rise St. James, Friends of the Earth, and Gulf Coast coalitions are actively campaigning for zero-emission port goals and Community Advisory Councils at Louisiana ports. Rise St. James has built national visibility for environmental justice concerns along the Mississippi River industrial corridor.

Advocacy Organizations

Rise St. James: National visibility for Cancer Alley environmental justice; zero-emission port advocacy
Friends of the Earth: Gulf Coast zero-emission port coalition
Gulf Coast coalitions: Community Advisory Council campaigns at Louisiana ports

Last updated: April 2026

Data sources: LDEQ, EPA Region 6, USACE New Orleans District, USCG Sector New Orleans, Port of New Orleans, Green Marine, Rise St. James