Template revised September 22, 2016.

ACTION REQUESTED

Request Commission approval of the Port’s 2019 federal policy priorities and authorization for

staff to engage with federal officials and other partners in support of these priorities.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Since January of this year, Port of Seattle government relations staff has worked with

Commissioners, executive team members, and internal subject-matter experts to execute the

Port’s Commission-approved 2018 maritime and aviation federal policy priorities. Despite a

significant number of headwinds on Congressional and Administration action, the Port has been

able to both make substantial and tangible progress on core, long-held priorities while

FEDERAL LEGISLATIVE AGENDA

Priority Agenda Items

Portwide

 Welcoming and Competitive Immigration & Trade Policies:

a. Be a leading voice on immigration policies that ensure the Port, its partners and

its customers have the workforce to succeed in the global economy, and that

immigrants and refugees are fully welcomed into the opportunities that our

region’s economy provides.

Aviation

 Sufficient Infrastructure Funding and Flexibility:

COMMISSION AGENDA – Briefing Item No.8c Page 2 of 8

Meeting Date: December 11, 2018

Template revised September 22, 2016.

a. Provide leadership on efforts to raise the federal cap on the Passenger Facility

Charge (PFC) from $4.50 while maintaining the Port Commission’s ability to

determine whether or not to change the user fee based on locally determined

needs and competitive dynamics.

time issues through increased staffing, deployment of technology solutions, and

increased passenger screening canine teams (including working with TSA

leadership to implement third-party canine training and procurement by airports

for local TSA use).

 Increased Airport Communities Focus:

a. Increase FAA responsibility for direct engagement with local communities near

airports, both to respond to community concerns as well as inform residents of

any proposed changes; expedite hiring of the regional community engagement

and noise ombudsman staff approved by Congress in the past year.

to be examined.

 Expanded Sustainable Aviation Fuel Deployment:

a. Ensure clarity and authority for airports to use airport revenue and federal grant

funding to support the air quality and carbon reduction benefits of fuel

switching.

b. Seek new and expanded federal funding for research on sustainable aviation

fuels, as well as for feedstock processing and fuel production facilities, from

agencies including the U.S. Departments of Agriculture, Energy and

Transportation.

b. Support $50 million appropriation for the “donor port” HMT rebate program

authorized under Section 2106 of the 2014 Water Resources Reform and

COMMISSION AGENDA – Briefing Item No.8c Page 3 of 8

Meeting Date: December 11, 2018

Template revised September 22, 2016.

Development Act to compensate for the current structure and impacts of the

HMT.

 Terminal 5 Modernization Project:

 Fishing Fleet Modernization:

a. Advocate for reforms to NOAA’s Fisheries Finance Program (FFP) that would

remove prohibitions on loans and loan guarantees for the construction and

reconstruction of fishing vessels and that would include safeguards that prevent

overfishing, including limitations on the use of replaced vessels in international

fisheries; support increasing the FFP loan authority, which is presently $100

million annually; support other policies and programs that improve access to

financing in order to facilitate modernization of the North Pacific fleet.

Killer Whale (SRKW) restoration, including funding to support habitat

restoration, to manage predation of Chinook and other species critical to SRKW

recovery, to help cleanup legacy sources of contaminants that affect SRKW, and

to manage stormwater runoff. Support appropriations for the Puget Sound

Nearshore Ecosystem Restoration Project, the National Estuary Program, the

Puget Sound Geographic Program and the Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund.

 Seattle and Tacoma Harbor Deepening:

channels serving T-18, T-30 and T-5 in Seattle. Support funding for the feasibility

program. Support establishing a sustainable funding source for freight

infrastructure and ensure user fee proposals 1) do not hurt the competitiveness

of the Northwest trade corridor relative to others in North America; 2) are mode

neutral; and 3) funds should spent on improvements that benefit users who pay

the fees and not diverted to other uses.

COMMISSION AGENDA – Briefing Item No.8c Page 4 of 8

Meeting Date: December 11, 2018

Template revised September 22, 2016.

 Safe and Efficient Cargo Screening:

efficient movement of cargo through the Puget Sound gateway. The port seeks

increased federal funding for CBP staffing at maritime ports of entry and reforms

Port-wide

 Welcoming and Competitive Immigration & Trade Policies:

a. Advocate for new trade agreements that open new markets and level playing

fields for Washington employers and others who use the Port as their

international gateway, while creating verifiable, measurable and enforceable

standards to protect workers and the environment.

b. Support permanent legal protections for immigrant children currently eligible for

the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program.

c. Partner with key local stakeholders to implement programs that showcase the

 Sufficient Infrastructure Funding and Flexibility:

 Increased Community Focus:

a. Partner with federal agencies to improve human trafficking prevention and

intervention efforts.

 Sufficient Infrastructure Funding and Flexibility:

a. Ensure that federal agencies and members of Congress are supportive of in-

 Efficient and Safe Airport Operations:

b. Preserve TSA funding for Law Enforcement Officer reimbursement grants.

c. Continued engagement with federal regulators and policy-makers on improved

approaches to perimeter security and insider threat issues based on learnings

from the August 10

COMMISSION AGENDA – Briefing Item No.8c Page 5 of 8

Meeting Date: December 11, 2018

Template revised September 22, 2016.

d. Engage appropriately in the formation and work of the National In-Flight Sexual

Misconduct Task Force.

 Increased Airport Communities Focus:

a. Support changes to FAA policies that restrict noise insulation investments to

fire-fighting foams.

 Expanded Sustainable Aviation Fuel Deployment:

a. Engage the participation of key federal policy makers and regulators in the Port’s

Sustainable Aviation Fuels Industry Day.

b. Pursue policies through the annual National Defense Authorization Act that

leverage the U.S. Department of Defense as a key partner in sustainable aviation

fuels research and implementation.

Maritime

 Diesel Emissions Reductions, DERA and alternative fuels:

Act (DERA) program, which provides funding for emissions reduction programs.

 Pebble Mine at Bristol Bay and Offshore Drilling:

a. The Port of Seattle Century Agenda commits the Port to actions and policies to

ensure the long-term vitality of the Northwest fishing industry and to being the

greenest, most energy efficient port in North America. The Port believes the

proposed Pebble Mine at Bristol Bay and offshore drilling off the Washington

COMMISSION AGENDA – Briefing Item No.8c Page 6 of 8

Meeting Date: December 11, 2018

Template revised September 22, 2016.

flexibility to grant waivers from Jones Act regulations in extraordinary cases

when domestic shipping capacity is insufficient to respond to a given need and

when Puget Sound domestic maritime stakeholders validate that a waiver is

necessary to support the vitality of their industry.

COMMISSION AGENDA – Briefing Item No.8c Page 7 of 8

Meeting Date: December 11, 2018

Template revised September 22, 2016.

Additional Priority Issues the Port of Seattle is Monitoring:

Port-wide

 Welcoming and Competitive Immigration & Trade Policies:

a. Coordinate with federal agencies on implementation of REAL ID by the 2020

a. Ensure federal support for efforts to improve the environmental impact of the

Port’s activities, including funding for the port’s emissions reduction and water

quality programs.

b. Secure additional federal funding for key priorities within the Port’s economic

development, tourism development and workforce development programs.

c. Support the federal priorities of local government partners, such as increased

funding for homelessness & housing, securing transportation investments, and

policies that improve the environment and quality of life for our region’s

residents.

Aviation

 Efficient and Safe Airport Operations:

solutions – such as self-service/remote bag drop – that maximize security and

c. Encourage FAA to provide structure and systemic context to safety management,

and to require airports to establish and maintain a Safety Management System

to manage airfield risk.

d. Support Congressional efforts to research the impact of increased

Transportation Security Officer compensation on retention and overall net costs.

 Increased Airport Communities Focus:

a. Track federal efforts to evaluate changes to – and alternative metrics for – the

current 65 DNL standard for noise mitigation.

ATTACHMENTS TO THIS REQUEST -

COMMISSION AGENDA – Briefing Item No.8c Page 8 of 8

Meeting Date: December 11, 2018

Template revised September 22, 2016.

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