Template revised April 12, 2018.

COMMISSION

AGENDA MEMORANDUM

Item No.

BACKGROUNDER

Date of Meeting

May 28, 2019

DATE: May 21, 2019

TO: Stephen P. Metruck, Executive Director

FROM: Elizabeth Leavitt, Senior Director, Environment and Sustainability

Sandra Kilroy, Director, Maritime Environment and Sustainability

Sally del Fierro, Director, Community Engagement

Christina Billingsley, Sr. Program Manager, Environmental Engagement

SUBJECT: Duwamish Valley Community Equity Program

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Recognizing that some near-Port communities experience a higher proportion of environmental

impacts and lack equitable access to the Port’s benefits to the region, the Port of Seattle and

the near-Port Duwamish Valley community launched a pilot project in 2017. Originally as part of

a U.S. EPA Environmental Justice Pilot Project technical assistance grant, the pilot project

focused on improving engagement with near-Port communities that experience environmental

justice issues. Following two years of focused work, the pilot phase of the project is complete

and the Port is prepared to transition the work into a long-standing program.

Port staff and community partners request Commission direction to establish an

Interdepartmental Team (IDT) that will build an ongoing Duwamish Valley Community Equity

Program (DVCE) that formalizes the collaboration with Duwamish Valley communities. The

Program seeks to achieve three shared goals: 1) Community-Port Capacity Building, 2) Healthy

Environment and Communities, and 3) Economic Prosperity in Place.

The Program will institutionalize the Port Community Action Team (PCAT) as a long-standing

community advisory committee, develop a Community Benefits Commitment that will serve as

a roadmap for “how” the Port will take action on shared priorities, leverage resources from

local agencies and external partners to maximize impact in the Duwamish Valley, and establish

an annual program evaluation process that is accountable and transparent.

BACKGROUND AND GOALS

In 2011, the Port’s Century Agenda called for the Port of Seattle to create opportunity for all,

steward our environment responsibly, partner with surrounding communities, and conduct

ourselves with accountability and transparency. To support these values, External Relations and

the Center of Expertise for Environment and Sustainability (COE) sought to build stronger

relationships between the Port, the environmental community, and our near-Port communities.

COMMISSION AGENDA – Briefing Item No.7a Page 2 of 4

Meeting Date: May 28, 2019

Template revised September 22, 2016.

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 and community jointly applied for an EPA technical assistance grant to begin this

process with a primary focus on environmental issues in the Duwamish Valley. The Port of

Seattle was one of only three ports in the nation selected to receive the technical assistance

grant.

Over the course of the pilot project, Port staff and community members identified that the

challenges facing the community were not only environmental impacts. Due to historic

discriminatory policies and institutional racism practiced by local governments, industries, and

other institutions, Duwamish Valley community members were excluded from generations of

economic mobility and civic processes. As a result, the launch of the new program must serve

multiple inequities affecting the community. After extensive strategic planning with community

partners, Port staff has identified three goals that are actionable within the Port’s RCW

authority:

Duwamish Valley Community Equity Program Goals

1. Community and Port Capacity Building for Ongoing Collaboration – Provide training

for Port staff to inclusively engage near-Port neighbors and build community capacity

that empowers their meaningful participation in Port decision-making processes that

affect the Duwamish Valley. Provide training for community members to better

understand the Port’s mission, operations, and programs and support for their ongoing

consultation on community engagement best practices.

2. Healthy Environment and Communities – Reduce environmental harms that impact

the health and livability of near-Port Duwamish Valley communities.

3. Economic Prosperity in Place – Innovate and convene Port-related industries to

support anti-displacement solutions through targeted access to living wage jobs,

training, career pathways, and other support programs that enable near-Port Duwamish

Valley neighbors to thrive in place.

PILOT PROJECT ACCOMPLISHMENTS TO DATE

On April 10, 2018, Port Commissioners authorized staff to continue deep community

engagement with the near-Port environmental justice communities of South Park and

Georgetown in the Duwamish Valley. Since then, the collaboration with communities has

resulted in significant and mutually beneficial gains:

- Port staff have gained knowledge and tools to more appropriately engage with low

income communities of color who experience environmental justice issues;

- Port processes have benefited from an equity lens provided by community partners;

- Community members have been able to meaningfully engage in Port benefits to the

region.

The below examples of accomplishments so far in the pilot project reflect each of these gains.

COMMISSION AGENDA – Briefing Item No.7a Page 3 of 4

Meeting Date: May 28, 2019

Template revised September 22, 2016.

 Establishment of the Port Community Action Team (PCAT): The formation of the PCAT

is an equitable engagement best-practice at the Port. In 2017, the PCAT was established

to ensure that community representatives from South Park and Georgetown

communities would be able to advise Port staff on the EPA Environmental Justice Pilot

Project. This practice is important for equity, since low income communities of color

often do not have capacity (ie: time, financial resources, familiarity with government

structures, etc.) to participate in standard Port processes. The Port is compensating

these community members for their involvement. The PCAT has so far provided training

and coaching to Port staff on inclusive engagement practices and cultural competency

that directly impact the effectiveness of achieving Century Agenda goals. PCAT members

advised the Port on initiatives such as: SAMP community engagement, hiring and

recruitment for Sr. Director of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion; inclusive communications

and marketing for multicultural audiences; and more.

 Green Jobs for Youth Stewards at Port Parks: In a landmark Port contract to promote

environmental equity, Maritime Environment and Sustainability has contracted with

DIRT Corps and Duwamish Valley Youth Corps to train local youth to as paid stewards of

the Port’s habitat sites at Terminal 107 Park, Terminal 108 Park, and Gears Park located

in South Park throughout 2019. DIRT Corps increases access to green jobs and fosters

healthy communities by providing on-the-job training for adult workers, specifically

encouraging women, people of color, LGBT, and veterans to enroll. The pilot project has

informed the Port that “the environment” is an interconnected concept in

communities– people have difficulty taking action to respond to the natural world and

climate change unless their families have basic needs met. This contract demonstrates

the Port’s ability to meet this intersectionality: the Port can enable communities to

meet basic needs of income generation and capacity building while supporting the

Port’s Century Agenda environmental and sustainability goals (specifically, to restore,

create, and enhance an additional 40 acres of habitat in the Green/Duwamish

Watershed and Elliott Bay).

 Targeted Youth Internships to Prevent Displacement: Since spring 2018, Human

Resources staff have targeted youth in the Duwamish Valley with interactive resume

workshops and career readiness activities to support low income youth of color to apply

for Port internships. Each year, at least six youth are placed in positions across the Port

such as the Commission Office, Maritime Environment and Sustainability, and External

Relations departments. This access makes a significant impact to help prevent

displacement of families due to economic pressures. The Port provides livable wage

internships for youth to gain basic skills in public administration, engineering and

construction, environment and sustainability, the maritime and aviation fields, and

skilled trades. These experiences have helped alumni secure new jobs in partner

organizations, at the Port, and help their families stay in place.

COMMISSION AGENDA – Briefing Item No.7a Page 4 of 4

Meeting Date: May 28, 2019

Template revised September 22, 2016.

 “Our Shared Duwamish River” Multilingual Boat Tour: In fall 2018, nearly 200

community members joined the Port for its first-ever multilingual boat tour of Elliott Bay

and the Duwamish River. Each year, External Relations offers its public education series,

“Port U” Tours to raise awareness about Port operations, impact, and involvement in

the community; in past years, narration was only offered in English. Port staff presented

information relevant to near-Port audiences such as the Port’s “Welcoming Port”

immigrant and refugee-friendly policies at Sea-Tac Airport, small business initiatives,

and the Port’s habitat restoration efforts along the river. Interpreters on board provided

translation in Vietnamese, Cambodian, Spanish, and English for families to learn more

about the Port’s mission and programs.

 Air Quality Monitoring Community Science Training: Northwest Seaport Alliance

funded a community science training to teach community members about air quality

monitoring. With technical support from Puget Sound Clean Air Agency, community

members learned how to use the air quality monitors and gather data to inform clean

air solutions. In this phase of the project, capacity building and understanding air quality

issues took primary focus. In future phases, community members will be able to use the

data to make recommendations on air quality actions such as placement of green walls,

rain gardens, and other potential opportunities.

 Mural Art and Educational Workshops: This winter, the Port sponsored a series of

educational workshops with over 40 participants in the Duwamish Valley Youth Corps to

connect near-Port community members with a greater understanding of the ecological

and cultural history of the river, local industries, and the Port. Renowned Native

American artist, Roger Fernandes, community leaders, and Port staff participated in

presentations to the youth. The educational sessions culminated in the creation of a

beautiful mural in South Park that tells the story of the growth of the city, industry, and

Port along the river, as well as the participants’ vision of a robust cleanup and a healthy

river for all.

ATTACHMENTS TO THIS BRIEFING

(1) Presentation slides

(2) Motion

PREVIOUS COMMISSION ACTIONS OR BRIEFINGS

April 10, 2018 – Commission authorization to continue

EPA Pilot Project with DV community