PORT OF SEATTLE
MEMORANDUM
COMMISSION AGENDA
Item No.
7b
Date of Meeting
June 23, 2009
DATE: June 17, 2009
TO: Tay Yoshitani, Chief Executive Officer
FROM: Stephanie Jones Stebbins, Senior Manager, Seaport Environmental Programs
SUBJECT: Northwest Ports Clean Air Strategy 2008 Implementation Report
The purpose of this staff briefing is to present the Northwest Ports Clean Air Strategy 2008
Implementation Report. This briefing will include efforts and challenges to reaching the 2010
Strategy performance measures, as well as an overview of 2009 implementation commitments.
Reported 2008 Success toward the 2010 Strategy Performance Measures is as follows:
Ocean-Going Vessels:
o 29% of frequent callers met the performance measure
Container vessels: 7% of frequent callers used 0.5% or less sulfur fuel
Cruise Vessels: 100% of frequent callers used 1.5% or less sulfur fuel or
shore power
Cargo-Handling Equipment:
o 9% of CHE met or exceeded goal
o 41% of CHE made progress toward the goal
o 100% of CHE used ultra low sulfur diesel fuel and/or biodiesel blends
Rail
o Port continues to support commitments made by UP and BNSF Railway to the
U.S. EPA SmartWay Transport Partnership
o Louis Dreyfus switched to ULSD/B20 fuel for locomotive and facility operations
at T-86
Harbor Craft
o Port is supporting PSCAA in reducing emissions from harbor tug operations
Trucks
o 76% of known drayage trucks are MY 1994 or newer
COMMISSION AGENDA
T. Yoshitani, Chief Executive Officer
June 17, 2009
Page 2 of 2
BACKGROUND
On January 22, 2008, the Port of Seattle Commission adopted the Northwest Ports Clean Air
Strategy, a voluntary and collaborative effort of the Ports of Seattle, Tacoma and Vancouver
(B.C.) to reduce maritime and port-related emissions that affect air quality and climate change in
the Pacific Northwest. Developed in close collaboration with the Puget Sound Clean Air
Agency, Washington Department of Ecology, US Environmental Protection Agency, and
Environment Canada with input from stakeholders, customers, and citizens, the Strategy will
result in emission reductions to further improve air quality throughout the region.
The strategy has three primary emissions reduction objectives:
Reduce maritime and port-related air quality impacts on human health, the environment and
the economy;
Reduce contribution to climate change through co-benefits associated with reducing air
quality impacts; and
Help the Georgia Basin-Puget Sound region continue to meet air quality standards and
objectives.
The Strategy builds on the significant efforts the Ports of Seattle, Tacoma and Vancouver, BC
have invested in emission reductions and establishes common short-term (2010) and long-term
(2015) performance measures for further reducing emissions from cargo-handling equipment,
rail, harbor vessels, ocean-going vessels, and trucks.
PREVIOUS COMMISSION ACTION
On February 16, 2007, the Commission passed a series of environmental motions that required,
in part, that staff present an air quality action plan for Commission approval.
On January 22, 2008, the Commission adopted the Northwest Ports Clean Air Strategy.
On April 14, 2009, the Commission approved transfer of $2.3 million to Puget Sound Clean Air
Agency over the 2009 and 2010 budget years in support of maritime air emission reduction
efforts.
