Revisions to Port State
Environmental Policy Act
Policies
ITEM NO: ____7a Supp____
DATE OF
MEETING:_February 1, 2011
Briefing Overview
• State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA)
background
• Proposed revisions to existing Port SEPA
procedures
• Proposed new Port climate change policy
SEPA Background
• SEPA is a state law that directs local and
state agencies to identify and evaluate the
environmental impacts of their actions.
• SEPA was modeled after the National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).
• SEPA is intended to result in informed
decision making and better environmental
outcomes.
Port SEPA Procedures
• Current Port SEPA procedures:
– Resolution 3028 (adopted 1986)
– Resolution 3211 (adopted 1995)
– Resolution 3539 (adopted 2005)
• Need for Update/Revisions:
– Have been amended multiple times;
– Hard to track all of changes;
– Do not reflect changes to SEPA laws and
Port organization
Proposed Revisions
• Would consolidate procedures into a
single document;
• Updated to conform with current law;
• Reflect changes to Port organization and
process;
• Cleanup and edits that make the
document easier to use and read.
SEPA and Climate Change
Does SEPA require consideration of
climate change impacts?
– Legal challenges for failure to consider GHG
emissions in environmental review
– WA GHG reduction laws
– NEPA Guidance on Consideration of GHG emissions
– Ecology “Working Paper” on addressing GHGs and
climate change under SEPA
SEPA and Climate Change
Why a Port SEPA Climate Policy?
– Clarify to public and staff how Port will
address climate change under SEPA;
– Improve consistency with respect to
environmental decision making;
– Promote improvements to projects that
reduce GHG emissions.
What Is In The Proposed Policy
• Statement of Port policy to consider GHG
emissions and the effect of changes in climate
on proposed actions;
• Identification and calculation of project
emissions;
• Encouraging mitigation;
• Guidance for making “threshold determination”;
• Consideration of effects of climate change on
projects.
Next Steps
• 30 day public comment period;
• Staff consideration of public comments;
• First reading to Commission;
• Second reading to Commission – request
adoption
• Questions?
