Template revised September 22, 2016.
COMMISSION
AGENDA MEMORANDUM
Item No.
7a
ACTION ITEM
Date of Meeting
April 10, 2018
DATE: April 3, 2018
TO: Executive Director Stephen P. Metruck
FROM: Elizabeth Leavitt, Senior Director, Environment and Sustainability
Christina Billingsley, Environmental Engagement, Public Affairs
Sally del Fierro, Director, Community Engagement
ACTION REQUESTED
Request Commission authorization for the Executive Director to execute an amendment with a
local community health organization, Just Health Action, and authorize a total estimated
project cost of $175,000 as part of a U.S. EPA Stakeholder Engagement and Capacity Building
grant awarded in 2017 for a project with the Duwamish Valley communities of South Park and
Georgetown.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Port of Seattle has been engaged over the last year in a pilot project with the Duwamish
Valley (DV) communities of South Park and Georgetown and local community health non-profit,
Just Health Action, as part of a U.S. EPA Stakeholder Engagement and Capacity Building grant
awarded in 2017. This technical assistance grant, recently extended to assist the Port and
community stakeholders until fall 2018, focuses on refining and improving stakeholder
engagement within near-Port Environmental Justice (EJ) communities.
The Port recognizes that neighboring communities experience a higher proportion of impacts
from our operations. This pilot has identified new avenues to implement Century Agenda
commitments to partner with surrounding communities, promote social responsibility, and
steward our environment responsibly, such as:
• Integrate new best practices into the Port’s community engagement processes;
• Expand the Port’s cultural competency within marginalized communities;
• Build stronger near-Port community relationships;
• Convene others to help address industrial impacts and create opportunities and
benefits for near-Port communities.
To acknowledge the Commission meeting’s location in the Duwamish Valley, Port staff will
provide a preceding photo presentation of the Center of Expertise in Environment and
Sustainability’s ongoing work along the Duwamish River preceding the Commission Action
Request. The presentation will include habitat restoration, Superfund cleanup work, storm
water management, and community engagement.
COMMISSION AGENDA – Action Item No. 7a Page 2 of 6
Meeting Date: April 10, 2018
Template revised September 22, 2016; format updates October 19, 2016.
JUSTIFICATION
The Port and Just Health Action were jointly awarded the grant, making this partnership unique
amongst the three awardees nationwide. The EPA has provided technical assistance for one
year to support collaborative action between the Port of Seattle and Duwamish Valley
community members, facilitated by non-profit partner, Just Health Action, to pilot the “near-
Port Community Capacity Building Project.”
Just Health Action’s work since 2004 in the Duwamish Valley provides distinct experience in the
specific needs of the pilot project. Its work targets the participation of low income, immigrant,
and minority communities in environmental health programs that improve health equity for all.
The organization regularly partners with community members, educational institutions, non-
profit organizations, community-based groups, businesses, and government agencies to
support environmental and community health issues in the Duwamish Valley.
In order to ensure durable outcomes, the EPA has extended its technical assistance to pilot
project partners until September 30, 2018 (Attachment B). As a result, Just Health Action
remains the most appropriate service provider to ensure the ongoing success of the project.
Moving forward under the grant, the Port executed a non-competitive personal services
consulting contract with Just Health Action for $49,999.00 on May 19, 2017. The Port
recommends we continue with Just Health Action and amend the contract authorizing JHA to
continue work on this project. In accordance with RCW 53.19.060 (1) we are requesting
Commission authorization to amend the existing contract in lieu of moving forward with a new
competitive process. The amended contract value will be $224,999 which exceeds fifty percent
of the value of the original contract. This amendment will be filed and made available for public
inspection prior to the proposed starting date of services under the amendment.
DETAILS
The 2011 Century Agenda calls for the Port of Seattle to steward our environment responsibly,
partner with surrounding communities, and conduct ourselves with accountability and
transparency. To support these values, Public Affairs and the Center of Expertise for
Environment and Sustainability (COE) seek to build stronger relationships between the Port, the
environmental community and our near-Port neighbors. A key strategy to improve these
relationships is to establish an open dialogue about the environmental impact that port-related
operations have on near-Port communities. In fall 2016, the Port applied for an EPA technical
assistance grant to begin this process with a primary focus in the Duwamish Valley. The
application was submitted jointly with the local environmental and community health non-
profit, Just Health Action, (JHA) which offers dedicated expertise in this subject matter and
geographic focus.
COMMISSION AGENDA – Action Item No. 7a Page 3 of 6
Meeting Date: April 10, 2018
Template revised September 22, 2016; format updates October 19, 2016.
Through the EPA’s Pilot Project, selected ports and near-Port communities (Port of Seattle and
Duwamish Valley facilitated by Just Health Action) have received technical assistance from the
EPA to support project goals to:
• improve environmental health outcomes for communities affected by ports and
associated goods movement facilities, and
• improve environmental performance at ports by equipping industry and community
stakeholders with information, skills and guidance to effectively develop and
implement collaborative actions that reduce environmental pollution.
Pilot project participants have spent the past year testing and refining the EPA’s new draft
stakeholder engagement and capacity building tools, the Ports Primer for Communities, the
Community Action Roadmap, and the Environmental Justice Primer for Ports.
In addition, significant progress has been made in 2017. The Port and DV stakeholders began
constructive dialogue on environmental health and livability concerns, informed the community
about the Port’s legal authorities and role in regional economic development, identified
additional avenues and resources to address concerns, and began developing shared goals for
ongoing partnerships.
Duwamish Valley community members provided the Port with a list of opportunities that would
help address concerns and impacts from Port operations. A Port-Community Action Team was
formed to prioritize and work on the community’s issues. Project participants have made
progress on this groundbreaking project and have identified the need for additional time and
funding to bring the pilot project to successful completion.
The Port is poised to gather the lessons learned from the pilot and incorporate them into
strategic planning and new engagement best practices Port-wide. The process has already
revealed critical opportunities to integrate equity and inclusion best practices into
commonplace Port operations and programming. For example, staff has identified tangible and
immediate action areas related to the Port’s community engagement practices, hiring and
recruitment processes, environmental and sustainability planning, and public communications
and outreach procedures. The project needs additional time and resources to ensure that these
lessons get appropriately integrated into Port operations and processes.
Scope of Work
The scope of work will include:
(1) Consultation on best practices working with near-Port communities, focusing on low-
income and minority community members;
(2) Workshops and other relevant engagement activities related to the pilot project,
(3) Analysis on outcomes to ensure sustainability and long-term project impact for
community and Port stakeholders;
COMMISSION AGENDA – Action Item No. 7a Page 4 of 6
Meeting Date: April 10, 2018
Template revised September 22, 2016; format updates October 19, 2016.
(4) Collaboration with Port staff and leadership to develop and negotiate a Community
Benefits Agreement;
(5) Assistance in implementing tangible action areas that improve community access to
Port benefits;
(6) Recommendations on social equity and inclusion policy development and best
practices related to Port operations.
Schedule
April 2018 to April 2020 is the anticipated amended timeline of the current contract to support
Duwamish Valley communities through Just Health Action. Community engagement work will
begin immediately upon Commission action.
Activity
Commission design authorization
2018 Quarter 2
Design start
NA
Commission construction authorization
NA
Construction start
NA
In-use date
NA
Cost Breakdown
This Request
Total Project
Design
$0
$0
Construction
0
0
Total
$0
$0
ALTERNATIVES AND IMPLICATIONS CONSIDERED
Alternative 1 – Do not renew the contract with DV community through Just Health Action.
Cost Implications: Zero.
Pros:
(1) Lowest financial cost.
Cons:
(1) This alternative will undermine the Port’s achievements already made through its pilot
of community engagement best practices over the past year and does not take
advantage of the EPA’s extension of the technical assistance grant.
(2) The project will end without final pilot project outcomes achieved for neither
community nor Port stakeholders.
This is not the recommended alternative.
COMMISSION AGENDA – Action Item No. 7a Page 5 of 6
Meeting Date: April 10, 2018
Template revised September 22, 2016; format updates October 19, 2016.
Alternative 2 – Minimal funds provided for contract renewal with DV community through Just
Health Action.
Cost Implications: $144,000.
Pros:
(1) Lower financial cost for continuing project next steps.
Cons:
(1) A reduced commitment will enable the project to continue until fall 2018, when the EPA
pilot concludes, but will not provide enough time to develop and implement
opportunities to effectively address foundational community concerns related to Port
operations.
(2) Limited resources will not tangibly address DV community concerns nor reduce Port-
associated harms to community health.
This is not the recommended alternative.
Alternative 3 – Fully fund partnership and collaboration in the DV community through Just
Health Action.
Cost Implications: $175,000
Pros:
(1) This option will ensure that the project fully achieves the desired outcomes of both Port
and community stakeholders.
(2) This option will ensure confidence in DV and other near-Port EJ communities that the
Port is an ally and trusted public agency to support economic prosperity throughout our
region.
(3) This option is the strongest demonstration of the Port’s commitment and positions the
Port for national recognition through the EPA Ports Initiative.
Cons:
(1) Higher initial cost.
This is the recommended alternative.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS
Cost Estimate/Authorization Summary
Capital
Expense
Total
COST ESTIMATE
Original estimate
$0
$175,000
$175,000
AUTHORIZATION
Previous authorizations
0
0
0
Current request for authorization
0
0
$175,000
Total authorizations, including this request
0
0
$175,000
Remaining amount to be authorized
$0
$0
$175,000
COMMISSION AGENDA – Action Item No. 7a Page 6 of 6
Meeting Date: April 10, 2018
Template revised September 22, 2016; format updates October 19, 2016.
Annual Budget Status and Source of Funds
The source of funds is the Center of Expertise on the Environment and Sustainability.
Financial Analysis and Summary
Project cost for analysis
$175,000
Business Unit (BU)
NA
Effect on business performance
(NOI after depreciation)
NA
IRR/NPV (if relevant)
NA
CPE Impact
NA
Future Revenues and Expenses (Total cost of ownership)
NA
ATTACHMENTS TO THIS REQUEST
(1) Presentation slides
(2) EPA Letter Indicating the Extension of Technical Assistance for the Project into Sep.
2018
(3) Community-identified Opportunities and Concerns List
PREVIOUS COMMISSION ACTIONS OR BRIEFINGS
None
