Item Number:        8b reso____ 
Meeting Date:     December 10, 2019

1                                                   RESOLUTION NO. 3767 
2 
3              A RESOLUTION of the Port of Seattle Commission establishing a Duwamish
4                                        Valley   Community   Benefits   Commitment   Policy
5                                        Directive  to  guide  the  implementation  of  the 
6                                        Duwamish  Valley  Community  Equity  Program  and
7                                        other  Port  operations  that  impact  the  Duwamish
8                                        Valley Community. 
9 
10 
11            WHEREAS, the Port of Seattle is committed to creating economic opportunity for all,
12    stewarding our environment responsibly, partnering with surrounding communities, promoting
13    equity and social responsibility, and being transparent and accountable; and 
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15            WHEREAS, the Port's Century Agenda states the Port will use its influence as an institution
16    to promote Women and Minority Business Enterprise (WMBE) growth, small business growth,
17    and  workforce  development  to  include  increasing  workforce  training,  job  and  business
18    opportunities for local communities in trade, travel and logistics; and 
19 
20            WHEREAS, the Century Agenda also states the Port will be the greenest and most energy-
21    efficient port in North America by reducing air pollutants and carbon emission, and restoring,
22    creating and enhancing 40 additional acres of habitat in the Green/Duwamish watershed and
23    Elliott Bay; and 
24 
25            WHEREAS, the Port recognizes that institutional racism has contributed to both inequities
26    in the distribution of the Port's economic prosperity benefits and to environmental degradation
27    amongst near-Port communities compared to others, particularly those experiencing socio-
28    economic challenges; and 
29 
30            WHEREAS, in 2017 the Port Commission adopted Resolution No. 3736, which was
31    amended by Resolution 3746, establishing a Priority Hire Policy Directive to provide good family
32    wage jobs to qualified construction workers from economically distressed areas of King County, 
33    including Georgetown and South Park, by increasing access to port projects; and 
34 
35            WHEREAS, in 2018 the Port Commission adopted Resolution No. 3747 establishing a
36    Welcoming Port Policy Directive to increase engagement with, and support for, immigrant and
37    refugee communities; and 
38 
39            WHEREAS, in 2018 the Port Commission adopted Resolution No. 3737 establishing a
40    Diversity in Contracting Policy Directive to provide the maximum practicable opportunity for

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41    increased participation by WMBE in Port contracting for public works, consulting services,
42    supplies, material, equipment, and other services; and
43 
44            WHEREAS, in 2019 the Port established an Office of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion to
45    address institutional racism and increase equity, diversity,  and inclusion in Port policies,
46    processes, and programs; and 
47 
48            WHEREAS, the Duwamish Valley Community (Community) consists of a group of people and
49    organizations that live, work, play, study, or worship in the near-Port neighborhoods of South Park
50    and Georgetown along the Duwamish River and have been historically or are currently impacted
51    by economic, racial, and environmental injustices, including the Duwamish People, the first people
52    of Seattle; and 
53            the Duwamish Valley Community (Community) consists of groups or individuals that
54    collectively live, work, play, study, and worship in the neighborhoods of South Park and 
55    Georgetown along the Duwamish River who have historically and currently been impacted by
56    economic, racial, and environmental injustices, including the Duwamish People, the first people
57    of Seattle; and experience disproportionately high environmental health and socio-economic
58    burdens; and 
59 
60            WHEREAS, the 2013 Cumulative Health Impacts Analysis published by Just Health Action
61    and  the  Duwamish  River  Cleanup  Coalition/Technical  Advisory  Group  characterizes  the
62    Duwamish  Valley  Community   as  experiencing  environmental  justice  issues  such  as 
63    disproportionate  exposure  to  air  pollution,  lack  of  greenspace,  and  high  poverty  rates 
64    contributing to a life expectancy in South Park and Georgetown that is 13 years lower than other 
65    wealthier communities in Seattle; and 
66 
67            WHEREAS, the City of Seattle's 2017 Preparing for Climate Change Strategy Report
68    identifies this community as one of the communities that will be most impacted by climate
69    change conditions such as extreme heat, rising sea levels, and flooding; and 
70 
71            WHEREAS, the Port seeks alignment with the City of Seattle Resolution 31567 and King
72    County Motion 2015-0167 related to the Duwamish Waterway Cleanup and the health of
73    communities adjacent to the Lower Duwamish Waterway, and other public agencies who have
74    recognized historic and present inequities experienced by the Community, and have launched
75    long-term initiatives within their own operations, such as the City of Seattle's Duwamish Valley
76    Action Plan that addresses environmental justice and equitable development in the community;
77    and 
78 
79            WHEREAS, the Port has historic involvement in the Duwamish Valley through Superfund
80    cleanup and remediation as part of the Lower Duwamish Waterway Group (LDWG) along with
81    the City of Seattle, King County, and Boeing., and LDWG has collectively invested approximately
82    $50 million  in investigating contamination in the Lower Duwamish waterway, developed
83    approaches for cleanup of the waterway and means to prevent recontamination through source

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84    control; and the Port of Seattle has individually already invested nearly $13 million into the
85    cleanup of Terminal 117 Early Action Area; and 
86 
87            WHEREAS, the Northwest Seaport Alliance (NWSA) and the Port of Seattle have partnered
88    on several initiatives to improve air quality and reduce greenhouse gases such as the Clean Truck
89    Program, air quality education projects, and the adoption of the Northwest Ports Clean Air
90    Strategy to reduce air emissions from shipping and port operations in the Georgia Basin and
91    Puget Sound airsheds from cargo-handling equipment, rail, harbor craft, ships, and trucks; and 
92 
93            WHEREAS, in January 2017 the Port and Duwamish Valley community were selected by
94    the United States Environmental Protection Agency's Ports Initiative to receive a technical
95    assistance grant to pilot a project (pilot project) that facilitated dialogue and engagement with
96    communities experiencing environmental justice issues; and 
97 
98            WHEREAS, the pilot project enabled the Port to identify three areas of collaboration and
99    mutual  benefit  with  the  Community: capacity  building,  environmental  stewardship,  and
100    economic development to prevent continued community displacement; and these three areas,
101    as well as community-based organizations such as the Port Community Action Team (PCAT), are
102    key pillars for sustaining the ongoing partnership; and the Port and has expended over $450,000
103    on targeted community programs such as shoreline improvements, increased access to public
104    educational events, and green career pathways; and 
105 
106            WHEREAS, the PCAT is a Community-convenedn advisory group established in 2017 as
107    part of the pilot project and consistsconsisting of Duwamish Valley community members that
108    engage the Port in collaborative action and strategic planning in order to address historical and
109    current disproportionate, cumulative impacts affecting the Duwamish Valley community; and the
110    PCAT provides training and coaching to Port staff on inclusive engagement practices and cultural
111    competency that ensures the effectiveness of achieving the Century Agenda; and 
112 
113            WHEREAS, in May 2019, the Port of Seattle Commission authorized the creation of the
114    Duwamish Valley Community Equity Program and directed staff to collaborate with community
115    partners to establish a Community Benefits Commitment that provides shared goals and
116    definitions, a strategy and workplan with actionable items, and an evaluation framework; 
117 
118            NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Port of Seattle Commission as follows: 
119 
120    SECTION 1. The Duwamish Valley Community Benefits Commitment as shown in Exhibit
121    A is hereby established. 
122 
123    SECTION 2: The Duwamish Valley Community Benefits Commitment shall be labeled and
124    catalogued as appropriate, together with other Commission Policy Directives, and shall
125    be made readily available for use by Port staff and members of the public as a governance
126    document of the Port of Seattle. 
127 

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128            ADOPTED by the Port of Seattle Commission at a duly noticed meeting thereof,
129    held this _____ day of ________, 2019, and duly authenticated in open session by the
130    signatures of the Commissioners voting in favor thereof and the seal of the commission. 
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142                                                     Port of Seattle Commission














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