8c Energy & Sustainability committee charter
1 2018 ENERGY AND SUSTAINABILITY SPECIAL COMMITTEE CHARTER 2 3 As proposed March 13, 2018 4 5 I. INTRODUCTION 6 7 The Port of Seattle's Century Agenda outlines a strategic objective to become the greenest and 8 most energy efficient port in North America and sets specific greenhouse gas reduction targets. 9 10 An Energy and Sustainability Committee was originally chartered by the Port of Seattle 11 Commission on January 26, 2016. On October 24, 2017, the Commission passed a motion 12 supporting the committee's recommendation to align the Port's greenhouse gas reduction 13 goals with those of King County and the City of Seattle and instructing Port staff to develop a 14 Sustainability Evaluation Framework to assist the Port in meeting its greenhouse gas reduction 15 and sustainability goals. 16 17 Pursuant to the 2017 motion, the framework was to be developed over the course of 2018 18 through a series of pilot projects to be identified. The pilot projects will help determine how to 19 incorporate environmental and social considerations and create transparency for the 20 Commission's review of project proposals.Adoption of the 2017 motion concluded the work 21 outlined in the 2016 Energy and Sustainability Committee Charter. 22 23 The purpose of this new committee, which shall be called the 2018 Energy and Sustainability 24 Special Committee, is to develop policy recommendations and provide oversight in pursuit of 25 the Port's Century Agenda environmental and sustainability goals. The committee shall conduct 26 its work in the context of other Century Agenda goals, the 2017 motion, and continued 27 commitment to fiscal responsibility and social equity and justice. 28 29 II. COMPOSITION 30 31 The 2018 Energy and Sustainability Special Committee will consist of two Port of Seattle 32 Commissioners appointed by the President after consultation with the full Commission at the 33 beginning of each calendar year in which the committee is active. Non-voting members from 34 within and outside the Port may be invited to participate at the discretion of the committee. 35 36 III. SCOPE OF WORK 37 38 The work of the 2018 Energy and Sustainability Special Committee shall include the following: 39 A. Oversee the development of a Sustainability Evaluation Framework and pilot projects, 40 including: 41 1. Review and recommend to the Commission a Port-wide Sustainability Evaluation 42 Framework to assist the Port in meeting its greenhouse gas reduction and 43 sustainability goals. Energy and Sustainability Committee Charter Page 1 of 5 44 2. Review the selection of four pilot projects, divided between the airport and 45 maritime, beginning with a solar project on Pier 69, to test and validate the 46 framework and determine how to incorporate the following environmental and 47 societal components into the framework to be used to better inform the 48 Commission of project proposals that: 49 a. Reduce greenhouse gas emissions 50 b. Increase energy resilience 51 c. Protect public health and the environment 52 d. Support local economic development 53 e. Advance racial and social equity 54 f. Leverage partnerships 55 g. Advance innovation 56 57 B. Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF) Strategy Development and Implementation Oversight, 58 including: 59 1. Review and recommend to the Commission the final strategic plan as directed by 60 the Commission's December 19, 2017, motion and informed by the "Port of 61 Seattle and (Airlines)" memorandumof understanding agreed to in the Airline 62 Signatory Lease and Operating Agreement IV (SAF MOU) and work with the 63 Sustainable Aviation Biofuels Workgroup established by the Office of Clean 64 Technology at Washington State University to share progress. 65 66 2. Oversee the development of the strategic plan agreed to in the SAF MOU to 67 reduce carbon emissions and air pollutants, and the community and 68 environmental impacts from existing and forecasted aviation growth at Sea-Tac 69 Airport. 70 71 3. Track efforts to establish a regional source of SAF at a commercially competitive 72 rate and ensure a commitment from the airlines that they will use SAF 73 preferentially to meet goals specified in the Commission's December 19, 2017, 74 motion. 75 76 4. Track initiatives to ensure cost-competitiveness for SAF through a variety of 77 methods that are not mutually exclusive, and as stated in the December 19, 2017, 78 motion, to include: 79 a. Work with airlines to support state and federal legislation establishing a cost- 80 effective Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) consistent with bills, executive 81 orders, policies, and regulations implemented in the States of California and 82 Oregon and the Province of British Columbia; or similar provision that 83 includes options for aviation tax credits as well as tax credits for use of 84 marine and on-road renewable diesel. 85 86 b. Work with airlines to advocate to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), 87 federal and state legislators, regulatory agencies, industry groups, and other Energy and Sustainability Committee Charter Page 2 of 5 88 partners for use of airport revenues to offset costs of SAF through their co- 89 benefits to human health and the environment. 90 91 c. Work with airlines to advocate to the FAA for new grant programs, or to 92 adjust existing Voluntary Airport Low Emissions (VALE) grant programs to 93 support SAF through their co-benefits. 94 95 d. Seek mutual financial investments with the Port and its partners. 96 97 5. Work with Port staff, local, state, and federal decision-makers to develop a 98 comprehensive, coordinated series of events to engage interested stakeholders 99 along the value chain including but not limited to: farmers, financiers, bio-refiners, 100 logistics operators, as well as end-users such as Washington State Ferries, cruise 101 lines, tug boat operators, other harbor craft, truck operators, fishing boats, the 102 United States Coast Guard, and the Department of Defense. 103 104 6. Work with Public Affairs to develop a strategic communications plan tailored to 105 the Commission's SAF goals that positions the Port of Seattle as a leader in the SAF 106 industry locally, nationally, and internationally. 107 108 7. Review and recommend sustainability certification standards for SAF. 109 110 C. Blue Carbon Policy Development 111 1. Develop a Blue Carbon policy in collaboration with the University of Washington 112 for incorporation into the Port's aquatic habitat restoration work.Blue Carbon is 113 the carbon stored and sequestered in coastal ecosystems such as wetlands, 114 seagrass meadows, or intertidal saltmarshes. These valuable ecosystems hold vast 115 carbon reservoirs; they sequester atmospheric CO2 through primary production 116 and then deposit it in sediments. 117 118 a. Oversee and support the Port's progress on its pilot project that includes 119 planting eelgrass, kelp, and potentially developing clam beds near Terminal 120 91 to capture carbon and improve water quality. The results to assess the 121 efficacy of the carbon sequestration pilot program will take several years, 122 after which potential applications for Port of Seattle mitigation efforts and 123 innovative uses of mitigation will be the focus of the committee's work. 124 b. Work with the University of Washington to engage graduate students in the 125 studies and review of the scientific literature to inform future policy 126 development. 127 128 D. Environmental Awards Update 129 1. Review and recommend to the Commission an updated approach to the Port of 130 Seattle's environmental awards to: Energy and Sustainability Committee Charter Page 3 of 5 131 a. Create a broader system of comprehensive awards in collaboration with Port 132 stakeholders in the maritime, aviation, labor, and environmental justice 133 sectors; and 134 b. Elevate the public's awareness of the Port's support for environmental 135 innovation. 136 137 IV. AUTHORITY 138 139 In pursuit of its purposes and scope, the committee is authorized to conduct the following 140 activities: 141 A. Review and recommend a Sustainable Project Framework Policy Directive and 142 B. Conduct oversight of framework pilot projects. 143 C. Review and recommend to the Commission the SAF strategy as required by the 144 Commission motion of December 19, 2017. 145 D. Review and recommend a Blue Carbon strategy to the Port of Seattle Commission and 146 oversee the marine habitat creation pilot project near Terminal 91. 147 E. Review and recommend an environmental awards program for the Port of Seattle. 148 149 The committee is authorized to seek public engagement by way of community meetings, 150 workgroups, and testimony as part of regular or special Port of Seattle Commission meetings as 151 deemed necessary. 152 153 The committee may seek Commission approval to retain a consultant if it determines one is 154 needed to meet aforementioned responsibilities. 155 156 The committee is not authorized to take final action on adoption of policy directives, approval 157 of project authorizations, or other matters for which final action is reserved to the Port of 158 Seattle Commission. 159 160 V. DURATION 161 162 The committee shall meet as necessary until completion of the outcomes described in its 163 purposes and scope and the conclusion of pilot projects for which the committee is responsible 164 for oversight. 165 166 VI. RESPONSIBILITY 167 A. The role of committee chair(s) shall be to: 168 1. Preside at meetings and serve as committee sponsor 169 2. Ensure that the committee is addressing the purposes described in this charter 170 3. Set committee meeting agendas 171 172 B. The Commission Policy Manager is the Committee Liaison, and Commission Specialists 173 will support the work of the committee as assigned. The role of the Committee Liaison 174 shall be to: Energy and Sustainability Committee Charter Page 4 of 5 175 1. Regularly update the Commission in memos, individual briefings, and public 176 session. 177 2. Support the work of the committee. 178 3. Help develop, manage, and distribute meeting materials. 179 4. Provide logistical support including procuring meeting rooms, scheduling, creating 180 meeting records, and providing technical assistance. 181 182 C. The Port of Seattle Environment and Sustainability Center of Expertise Director will 183 support the committee as the primary Executive Staff contact. The role of the Executive 184 Staff contact shall be to: 185 1. Support the committee with timely and responsive information. 186 2. Serve as a resource for committee deliberations. 187 188 VII. MEETINGS 189 190 A. The committee will meet at least quarterly and will subsequently report out to the full 191 Commission in public session to provide transparency and update on progress in 192 meeting the charter. 193 B. Workgroups may be formed by the committee and are expected to meet more 194 frequently as needed. 195 C. A quorum of the committee is required to conduct official committee business. A 196 quorum is defined as the presence of both Commissioners assigned to the committee. 197 Committee members are welcome to attend workgroup meetings but a quorum is not 198 needed to conduct the business of a workgroup. 199 D. Meetings of the 2018 Energy and Sustainability Special Committee shall be open to the 200 public when required by applicable law or the bylaws of the Port of Seattle Commission. 201 E. Agendas will be prepared and made available to the committee and workgroup 202 members in advance of meetings. 203 F. Agendas for updates to the full Commission will be presented in public session and will 204 be published as part of regular or special Commission meeting notices. 205 G. Minutes will be prepared and retained for all meetings associated with the work of the 206 2018 Energy and Sustainability Special Committee. 207 H. Records of committee meetings, including any meeting minutes, shall be provided to 208 the Commission Clerk for appropriate retention in accordance with applicable law. Energy and Sustainability Committee Charter Page 5 of 5
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