Item no. 6b Motion 
Meeting Date: October 24, 2017 
1 
2                                      MOTION 
3                                       OF THE 
4                              PORT OF SEATTLE COMMISSION 
5                   IMPLEMENTING RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE ENERGY AND
6                               SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE 
7                                        AND 
8                 SETTING STRATEGIC GREENHOUSE GAS REDUCTION PRIORITIES 
9 
10                                 PROPOSED 
11                              OCTOBER 24, 2017 
12 
13                                 PREAMBLE 
14 
15   This motion furthers the recommendation of the Port's Energy and Sustainability
16   Committee, unanimously chartered by motion on January 26, 2016. 
17 
18   First, staff is instructed to develop an evaluation framework, the Sustainability 
19   Project Evaluation Framework, (Framework) which will inform Commission
20   decision-making to advance of the Port's energy and sustainability initiatives by
21   transparently documenting environmental and societal considerations associated
22   with Commission actions. 
23 
24   Second, staff will select up to four pilot projects for approval by the Commission,
25   to be used to identify the key environmental and societal components that will
26   constitute the Framework. 
27 
28   Third, staff is instructed to explore a method of valuing and internalizing the
29   external costs of carbon. 
30 
31   Fourth, Scope 2 carbon reduction goals are added to the Century Agenda,
32   supplementing the previous addition of Scope 1 and Scope 3 goals, passed
33   unanimously on April 11, 2017. 
34 
35   Fifth, to implement the above mentioned actions and more broadly advance the
36   Port's energy and sustainability goals, three full-time employees (FTEs) will be
37   added to the Port's Environment and Sustainability Center of Expertise (COE).
38   The new FTEs will expand the Maritime program's focus from primarily regulatory

COMMISSION AGENDA  Briefing Item No. 7e                       Page 2 of 5 
Meeting Date: October 24, 2017 
39   compliance to include environmental sustainability. It will also increase resources
40   in Aviation Facilities and Infrastructure to meet the new Century Agenda goals. 
41 
42   Sixth, Port  staff will coordinate with the Northwest Seaport Alliance,  as
43   appropriate. 
44 
45                             TEXT OF THE MOTION 
46 
47       Moved, that the Port of Seattle shall take the following actions: 
48    1. Develop a Port Sustainability Evaluation Framework to assist the Port
49       in meeting its greenhouse gas reduction and sustainability goals.
50 
51    2. Select up to four pilot projects, divided between the airport and maritime,
52       beginning with a solar project on Pier 69, to identify how to incorporate the
53       following environmental and societal components into a Framework to be
54       used to more fully inform the Commission of project proposals including: 
55                i.  Reduce greenhouse gas emissions 
56                ii.  Increase energy resilience 
57               iii.  Protect public health and the environment 
58               iv.  Support local economic development 
59                v.  Advance racial and social equity 
60               vi.  Leverage partnerships 
61               vii.  Advance innovation 
62 
63    2. Evaluate and recommend methods for valuing and internalizing the
64       external costs of carbon port-wide.
65 
66    3. Dedicate sufficient staff resources; currently estimated to be three 
67       Full Time Equivalent employees (FTEs) to focus on sustainability efforts 
68       to meet  the recently approved Century Agenda  greenhouse gas
69       emission goals and to implement the Committee recommendations. 
70 
71    4. Amend the Century Agenda to add Scope 2 goals. With the amendment, the
72       greenhouse gas emission reduction goals will be as follows (changes in red):

COMMISSION AGENDA  Briefing Item No. 7e                       Page 3 of 5 
Meeting Date: October 24, 2017 
73 
74       Scope 1 and 2  Port Controlled and Port Indirect Emissions 
75               15% below 2005 levels by 2020 
76               50% below 2005 levels by 2030 
77               Carbon Neutral by 2050 OR Carbon Negative by 2050 
78 
79        Scope 3  Port Influenced Emissions 
80               50% below 2007 by 2030 
81               80% below 2007 by 2050 
82 
83    5. Work with the Northwest Seaport Alliance through the Port of Seattle's
84       Environment and Sustainability Center of Expertise  to advance mutually
85       shared goals, whenever practicable. 
86 
87    6. The COE is directed to present the four proposed pilot projects to the
88       Commission within 90 days of passage of the 2018 Budget, to include a
89       proposed timeline for completion of the pilot projects. 
90 
91    7. The COE will meet with key stakeholders across the Port including Project
92       Management Group (PMG), Engineering, Finance and Investment, lease
93       teams and other teams as necessary to implement and review the pilot
94       projects. The pilot project results will be presented to Commission, with a
95       recommended Policy Directive. 
96 
97    8. The COE will report progress twice yearly on the Century Agenda greenhouse
98       gas emission reduction goals and will maintain a public facing environmental
99       scorecard reflecting that progress.
100 
101                      STATEMENT IN SUPPORT OF THE MOTION 
102 
103   The Port of Seattle Commission unanimously chartered the Energy and
104   Sustainability Committee by motion on January 26, 2016. The charter tasked the
105   Committee to develop and propose Policy Directives to help guide the

COMMISSION AGENDA  Briefing Item No. 7e                       Page 4 of 5 
Meeting Date: October 24, 2017 
106   development of policies to support the Port of Seattle's greenhouse gas (GHG)
107   emissions reductions effort, with a focus on energy efficiency and alternative
108   energy generation. Commissioners Felleman and Gregoire were named as Co-
109   Chairs of the Committee. 
110 
111   The Committee established four subcommittees comprised of a broad range
112   stakeholders to assist in developing the recommendations included in this
113   Motion, and embedded in the descriptions of the new FTE's in attachment B. The
114   first recommendation of the Committee was unanimously passed by the
115   Commission in a motion on April 11, 2017, amending the Century Agenda to
116   reflect the Commissions increased commitment to reducing greenhouse gas
117   emissions. The 2017 budget also created a one-million dollar fund to support the
118   recommendations  of  the  Committee,  including  further  greenhouse  gas
119   reductions, leveraging matching funds and collaborating with neighboring
120   jurisdictions.
121 
122   Sustainability Evaluation Framework 
123 
124   The Committee has reviewed and recommends  a pilot program  based on
125   Attachment A - the Port Sustainability Evaluation Framework, to assist the Port of
126   Seattle in achieving two primary goals. The goal of the Framework is to advance 
127   energy and sustainability initiatives that will reduce GHG emissions and increase 
128   the resilience of its energy systems.  The Framework will include any current
129   evaluation criteria, for example, return on investment or total cost of ownership. 
130 
131   A clear Sustainability Project Evaluation Framework will increase transparency of
132   the Commission decision-making process. The Committee also recognizes that the
133   Port's existing decision-making processes include consideration of environmental
134   and social criteria, but the framework is intended to increase transparency both
135   within Port decision-making processes and with the community. In the past, the
136   factors considered and the final decision to pursue or reject a potential project
137   may not always be elevated to the Port Commission. With this motion, these
138   factors will be evaluated and presented to Commission. 
139 
140   Valuing and internalizing the external costs of carbon 
141 
142   This item instructs staff to explore a method of creating internal financial

COMMISSION AGENDA  Briefing Item No. 7e                       Page 5 of 5 
Meeting Date: October 24, 2017 
143   incentives for carbon reduction, such as determining or calculating an internal
144   cost of carbon, for Port programs and departments. This could be a tool to
145   reduce port scope 1 and 2 carbon emissions. 
146   Port-wide Sustainability Effort 
147 
148   Currently, the Port has a skilled environmental team focused on compliance with
149   some dedicated sustainability expertise at the airport. The new FTE sustainability
150   responsibilities are based on the recommendations of the Committee and a
151   description of the responsibilities are included in Attachment B  Allocation of FTE
152   and Consulting Resources. 
153 
154   The  three  FTEs  supported by the  Committee will  focus exclusively on
155   sustainability efforts: 
156      1. Aviation Facilities & Infrastructure expert in energy conservation and
157         production 
158      2. Maritime Environmental expert in Maritime Air Emissions and Greenhouse
159         Gas tracking and reduction (Climate Protection Program Manager) 
160      3. Maritime Environmental expert in Sustainability, with an emphasis on
161         Sustainable Design principles (Sustainable Development Specialist) 
162 
163   Scope 2 Goals 
164 
165   The addition of Scope 2 emissions was recommended by advisors to the Energy
166   and Sustainability Committee and is a category of emissions that the Port has
167   been working hard to reduce, including through green power purchases from 
168   Puget Sound Energy's Green Direct. Consistent with the Greenhouse Gas
169   Protocols developed by the World Resources Institute and the World Business
170   Council on Sustainable Development, Scope 2 goals are referred to as Energy
171   Indirect GHG, and are defined by the Greenhouse Gas Protocol as 'emissions from
172   the consumption of purchased electricity, steam, or other sources of energy
173   generated upstream from the organization.' 
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