PORT OF SEATTLE
MEMORANDUM
COMSSION AGENDA
-
POLICY AND STAFF BRIEFING
Date
of
Meeting
DATE:
January 2 1,2009
TO:
Tay Yoshitani, Chief Executive Officer
FROM:
Charlie Sheldon, Seaport Managing Director
Stephanie Jones Stebbins, Senior Mgr., Seap
d"
nvironmental Program
Sarah
l?lagg, Air Quality Program Mgr., Seaport Environmental Program
SUBJECT:
Briefing on Northwest Ports Clean Air Strategy Implementation Status
The purpose of this briefing is to present an update on the Northwest Ports Clean Air Strategy
implementation. This briefing will include an overview of the At
-
Berth Clean Fuels Vessel
Incentive Program, cargo
-
handling equipment retrofits, development of a Clean Truck Program,
and stakeholder outreach.
BACKGROUND
On January 22, 2008, the Port of Seattle Comnlission 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
(201
5)
performance measures for further reducing emissions from cargo
-
handling equipment,
rail, harbor vessels, ocean
-
going vessels, and trucks.
