Template revised September 22, 2016.
COMMISSION
AGENDA MEMORANDUM
Item No. 8k
ACTION ITEM Date of Meeting February 11, 2025
DATE: January 31, 2025
TO: Stephen P. Metruck, Executive Director
FROM: Eric Schinfeld, Sr. Manager, Federal and International Government Relations
SUBJECT: Federal Legislative Agenda for 2025
ACTION REQUESTED
Commission adoption of the 2025 Federal Legislative Agenda.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Over the last twelve months, Port of Seattle government relations staff have worked with
Commissioners, Port executives, and internal subject-matter experts to execute the Port’s
Commission-approved 2024 federal policy priorities. In partnership with our Congressional
delegation and other public and private sector collaborators, the Port has been able to make
substantial progress at the federal level in ways that tangibly benefit the Port, the region, and
the users of our aviation and maritime facilities.
In particular, the Port’s signature achievement was partnering with near-airport cities to
successfully advocate for the final Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Reauthorization Act to
include both 1) a set of shared aircraft noise and emissions policies and 2) language creating
increased flexibility related to the future of North SeaTac Park. Other major victories included
the inclusion of Port priorities in the Senate FY25 Transportation Appropriations bill and the
Water Resources Development Act, as well as successful applications for millions of dollars in
federal grants and Congressionally Directed Spending requests.
However, the November 2024 federal elections have resulted in a significant change in the
political landscape in Washington, DC – leading to full Republican control of the White House and
Congress in 2025. Therefore, it is highly likely that major aspects of the new federal government’s
policy agenda will diverge significantly from the Port’s goals and priorities. Put another way, we
are likely to be limited in our ability to push new policies and will be focused significantly on
advocating against policies that could negatively impact the Port and its constituents.
To that end, the Port’s 2025 federal agenda is structured in a different way than past documents.
Instead of a long list of proactive goals, the agenda includes a more limited list of opportunities
for progress but also several areas that are potential risks or concerns. We anticipate a more
balanced effort of both “offense and defense” in the year ahead.
Following Commission approval of this draft legislative agenda, staff will begin engaging local and
national partners to pursue the successful passage and implementation of these priorities.
COMMISSION AGENDA – Action Item No. 8k Page 2 of 5
Meeting Date: February 11, 2025
Template revised September 22, 2016.
FEDERAL LEGISLATIVE AGENDA
I. Areas of Potential Progress
a. Extension of Sustainable Aviation Fuels Tax Credit: Utilize Congressional discussions
regarding making the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act permanent to secure an extension of the
Clean Fuel Production Tax Credit from two years to ten years, in order to provide
investment certainty to developers of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) production and
blending facilities.
i. Partner with airlines, refiners, farmers and others to ensure that this is seen
as a bipartisan issue with energy independence and national security
implications.
ii. Promote the inclusion of alternative maritime fuels in the Clean Fuel
Production Tax Credit as well
b. Retention of Proposed Fiscal Year 2025 Appropriations Investments: Work closely
with Congressional leaders to ensure that any final fiscal year 2025 (FY25)
appropriations legislation includes proposed investments that would benefit the Port,
including:
i. Funding to add 1,000 new Customs & Border Protection Officers, including a
focus on deploying a significant portion of these new staff to air and sea
gateways.
1. Work to leverage any major new Congressional investments in border
security through a “reconciliation package” includes this funding as
well
ii. Funding for key Transportation Security Administration (TSA) programs,
including Transportation Security Compensation Program, the law
enforcement officer (LEO) reimbursement program, the state/local canine law
enforcement officer reimbursement program, and the TSA staffing of exit
lanes.
iii. Funding for a newly created Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) Transition
Grant Program, as authorized in the 2024 FAA Reauthorization Act, to help
airports with the transition to these new foams, including the costs of
replacing or cleaning current equipment.
c. Implementation of Congressionally Approved Policies:
i. Ensure FAA implementation of the four StART Priorities included in the 2024 FAA
Reauthorization legislation, including the provision directing a study of ultrafine
particles from aircraft engines; a report on federal programs and policies relating
to adding airport capacity; the development of a deadline and a stakeholder
advisory group for the FAA’s Noise Policy Review.
ii. Ensure implementation of FY25 Senate Appropriations Committee report
language that directs the FAA to allow certain airports to use existing federal
funding to repair or replace federally funded sound insulation in near-airport
residences.
COMMISSION AGENDA – Action Item No. 8k Page 3 of 5
Meeting Date: February 11, 2025
Template revised September 22, 2016.
iii. Ensure implementation of language in the 2024 Water Resources Development
Act’s House Committee report that clarifies the ability of ports to support
approval and creation of mitigation banking sites.
iv. Ensure continued implementation of the HMT reform provisions in the Water
Resources Development Act of 2020.
v. Support design of the West Waterway portion of the Seattle Harbor Navigation
Improvement Project, which will deepen the federal channels serving T-5 in
Seattle Harbor.
1. Pursue approvals for early action to remove high spots in the
waterway.
2. Reach agreement with the US Army Corps of Engineers to develop a
plan to begin design on the East Waterway portion of the project.
vi. Continue to push for Joint Base Lewis-McChord to be selected for the SAF pilot
included in the 2022 NDAA, as a means to further develop a regional SAF
ecosystem.
vii. Support flexibility in Buy America and other domestic preference requirements
to provide time for US manufacturers to achieve the scale needed to meet new
demand for port equipment, including zero-emissions equipment, and to make
their production lines compliant with federal requirements.
d. Pursuit of Grant Funding: Work closely with federal partners to successfully apply for
grant funding from relevant, existing federal programs like the Airport Terminal Grant
(ATG) Program, the Airport Infrastructure Grant (AIG), RAISE, INFRA, and the Port
Infrastructure Development Program (PIDP).
i. Support local partner grants that are aligned with Port goals and interests,
particularly the Northwest Seaport Alliance.
ii. Investigate opportunities to apply for federal cybersecurity grant funding.
e. Advocacy for Other Bipartisan or Nonpartisan Opportunities
i. Ensure strong SAF support in the 2025 Farm Bill, including the proposed
“Farm to Fly” Program to foster the capacity of alternative fuels to expand
fuel resources for the aviation sector, bolster rural development and create
new markets for America's farmers.
ii. Work with Congressional leaders to support policies and programs that can
enhance domestic ship building capacity – particularly related to vessels that
can utilize alternative maritime fuels and/or help transport clean energy like
offshore wind turbines.
iii. Continue progress with federal agency partners to identify in-water
permitting solutions that account for the needs and unique characteristics of
Port operations.
iv. Promote alternative maritime fuels, including hydrogen, as key sources of
energy independence for the country.
v. Support key pieces of legislation that advance the offshore wind industry,
particularly in ways that create opportunities for the Pacific Northwest to
become a leader in manufacturing, assembly, deployment, and maintenance.
COMMISSION AGENDA – Action Item No. 8k Page 4 of 5
Meeting Date: February 11, 2025
Template revised September 22, 2016.
vi. Support major permitting reform legislation that makes it easier to site new
clean energy facilities.
II. Areas of Potential Concern
a. Highlight Risks of New Policies to Port Business, Operations and Employees
i. Express the need for trade enforcement actions such as tariffs and quotas to
be carefully and narrowly targeted to address problems and minimize the
unintended impacts on American producers and consumers.
1. Advocate for productive engagement and negotiations that ensure a
fair and level playing field for mutually beneficial trade.
ii. 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 actively included in the opportunities that
our region’s economy provides.
1. Take steps to support workers and travelers impacted by changes in
immigration policy
2. Take all available steps to limit the use of Port facilities for immigration
detention and deportation
iii. Be a strong advocate for keeping the United States open to travelers and
visitors from throughout the world, without discrimination based on specific
individual characteristics
iv. Push back against policies that would limit the Port’s ability to pursue
equity, diversity and inclusion efforts throughout our organization, or would
limit our access to federal dollars because of those efforts.
v. Advocate on behalf of Port employees who might be negatively impacted by
proposed changes in federal policy that limit their access to healthcare,
their free speech rights, or their ability to engage politically without fear of
retribution
b. Support Retention of Key Programs Despite Significant Non-Defense, Discretionary
Spending Cuts:
i. Advocate for the retention of the Inflation Reduction Act’s (IRA) Alternative
Fuel and Low-Emission Aviation Technology Program
ii. Support full federal funding for research on SAF, as well as for feedstock
processing and fuel production facilities, from agencies including the U.S.
Departments of Defense (DoD), Agriculture, Energy and Transportation.
iii. Support full funding for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA)
Diesel Emissions Reduction Act (DERA) program.
iv. Advocate for full funding for Puget Sound restoration and Southern
Resident Killer Whale (SRKW) protection, including funding to support
habitat restoration, to sustain Chinook salmon populations and other species
critical to SRKW recovery, to help clean up legacy sources of contaminants
that affect SRKW, to better understand and reduce impacts of vessel- and
marine construction-related underwater noise, and to manage stormwater
runoff.
COMMISSION AGENDA – Action Item No. 8k Page 5 of 5
Meeting Date: February 11, 2025
Template revised September 22, 2016.
v. Support full funding for regulatory staff for the U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
Fisheries and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to reduce permit and
mitigation bank approval backlogs.
vi. Support full funding for continued federal operation and maintenance of
the Hiram M. Chittenden Locks.
vii. Support full funding for the HMT “donor port” program authorized under
Section 2106 of the 2014 Water Resources Reform and Development Act.
viii. Support continued federal support for high-speed rail planning and
infrastructure.
ATTACHMENTS TO THIS PRESENTATION -
(1) Presentation slides
PREVIOUS COMMISSION ACTIONS OR BRIEFINGS
January 28, 2025 – The Commission was briefed on the draft 2025 Federal Legislative
Agenda.
January 23, 2024 – The Commission approved the 2024 Federal Legislative Agenda.
January 24, 2023 – The Commission approved the 2023 Federal Legislative Agenda.
January 25, 2022 – The Commission approved the 2022 Federal Legislative Agenda.
January 12, 2021 – The Commission approved the 2021 Federal Legislative Agenda.
January 28, 2020 – The Commission approved the 2020 Federal Legislative Agenda.
December 10, 2018 – The Commission approved the 2019 Federal Legislative Agenda.
January 9, 2018 – The Commission approved the 2018 Federal Legislative Agenda.
