Template revised January 10, 2019.

COMMISSION

AGENDA MEMORANDUM

Item No.

8b

ACTION ITEM

Date of Meeting

December 10, 2019

DATE: November 22, 2019

Request adoption of Resolution No. 3767: A resolution of the Port of Seattle Commission

establishing a Duwamish Valley Community Benefits Commitment Policy to guide the

implementation of the Duwamish Valley Community Equity Program (DVCEP) and other Port

operations that impact the Duwamish Valley Community (Community).

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

On May 28, 2019, the Port Commission adopted Motion 2019-07 authorizing the creation of the

DVCEP and directing staff to collaborate with the Community to achieve three shared goals:

Community and Port Capacity Building for Ongoing Collaboration, Healthy Environment and

Communities, and Economic Prosperity in Place. Motion 2019-07 directed Port staff to develop a

stakeholders in the form of one-on-one meetings, group presentations, and meetings with

community organizations to ensure Community feedback was incorporated into the policy

directive. In total, over 300 community stakeholders and 27 community-based organizations

were informed or consulted about the policy directive.

BACKGROUND

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

impacts and lack equitable access to the benefits generated by the Port, 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

Template revised June 27, 2019 (Diversity in Contracting).

Over the course of the pilot project, Port staff learned that the challenges facing the Community

were not limited to environmental impacts. Due to historic and current discriminatory policies

and institutional racism practiced by local governments, industries, and other institutions,

Duwamish Valley community members have been excluded from generations of economic

mobility and civic involvement. Previous inequities such as redlining and underinvestment in

community infrastructure established patterns of disparities that continue to this day,

contributing to significant cumulative health impacts. As a result, the DVCEP established by the

Commission Motion 2019-07 addresses multiple inequities affecting the community.

community-based consultants and are compensated for contributing their expertise. This

partnership has created significant mutual benefit to the Port and the Community.

The PCAT provides training and coaching to Port staff on inclusive engagement practices and

cultural competency that directly impact the effectiveness of achieving Century Agenda goals. In

addition to co-writing Port of Seattle Motion 2019-07 and Resolution No. 3767, PCAT members

provided consultation on areas such as:

• Multicultural leader engagement during the scoping for environmental review of the

SAMP Near Term Projects;

• Hiring and recruitment for the Senior Director of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion position;

This policy directive will ensure the Port’s collaboration with the Community to achieve three

shared goals:

The Executive Director, or a delegate, shall be accountable to ensure the implementation and

adequate annual funding of the DVCEP. To date, the Port has allocated $292,000 in 2020 toward

implementing the DVCEP.

Template revised June 27, 2019 (Diversity in Contracting).

Goal 1: Community and Port Capacity Building for Ongoing Collaboration

In alignment with the Port’s equity initiatives to address institutional racism and recognizing that

the most effective methods for solving inequities come from communities themselves, the

DVCEP shall build Port and Community capacity to ensure meaningful, equitable engagement and

partnership. To this end, the DVCEP will foster shared decision making, support existing and

upcoming community leaders, and collaborate with Community on activities that advance

mutually beneficial outcomes. The Port’s action areas include, but are not limited to:

The Port shall proactively address climate change and other environmental factors that affect the

health of the Community. The Port shall encourage the NWSA to partner with Community to

address impacts on the Community resulting from the movement of goods to and from NWSA-

operated cargo terminals, such as climate change and air quality emissions, truck traffic and noise

issues, and water quality. The Port’s action areas include, but are not limited to:

Goal 3: Economic Prosperity in Place

The Port shall support anti-displacement solutions that enable the Duwamish Valley Community

to thrive in place through equitable access to training, jobs, career pathways, and Port-related

economic opportunities. The Port’s action areas include, but are not limited to:

Template revised June 27, 2019 (Diversity in Contracting).

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