7a EPA/Duwamish memo
COMMISSION AGENDA MEMORANDUM Item No. 7a ACTION ITEM Date of Meeting April 10, 2018 DATE: April 3, 2018 TO: Executive Director Stephen P. Metruck FROM: Elizabeth Leavitt, Senior Director, Environment and Sustainability Christina Billingsley, Environmental Engagement, Public Affairs Sally del Fierro, Director, Community Engagement ACTION REQUESTED Request Commission authorization for the Executive Director to execute an amendment with a local community health organization, Just Health Action, and authorize a total estimated project cost of $175,000 as part of a U.S. EPA Stakeholder Engagement and Capacity Building grant awarded in 2017 for a project with the Duwamish Valley communities of South Park and Georgetown. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The Port of Seattle has been engaged over the last year in a pilot project with the Duwamish Valley (DV) communities of South Park and Georgetown and local community health non-profit, Just Health Action, as part of a U.S. EPA Stakeholder Engagement and Capacity Building grant awarded in 2017. This technical assistance grant, recently extended to assist the Port and community stakeholders until fall 2018, focuses on refining and improving stakeholder engagement within near-Port Environmental Justice (EJ) communities. The Port recognizes that neighboring communities experience a higher proportion of impacts from our operations. This pilot has identified new avenues to implement Century Agenda commitments to partner with surrounding communities, promote social responsibility, and steward our environment responsibly, such as: Integrate new best practices into the Port's community engagement processes; Expand the Port's cultural competency within marginalized communities; Build stronger near-Port community relationships; Convene others to help address industrial impacts and create opportunities and benefits for near-Port communities. To acknowledge the Commission meeting's location in the Duwamish Valley, Port staff will provide a preceding photo presentation of the Center of Expertise in Environment and Sustainability's ongoing workalong the Duwamish River preceding the Commission Action Request. The presentation will include habitat restoration, Superfund cleanup work, storm water management, and community engagement. Template revised September 22, 2016. COMMISSION AGENDA Action Item No. 7a Page 2 of 6 Meeting Date: April 10, 2018 JUSTIFICATION The Port and Just Health Action were jointly awarded the grant, making this partnership unique amongst the three awardees nationwide. The EPA has provided technical assistance for one year to support collaborative action between the Port of Seattle and Duwamish Valley community members, facilitated by non-profit partner, Just Health Action, to pilot the "near- Port Community Capacity Building Project." Just Health Action's work since 2004 in the Duwamish Valley provides distinct experience in the specific needs of the pilot project. Its work targets the participation of low income, immigrant, and minority communities in environmental health programs that improve health equity for all. The organization regularly partners with community members, educational institutions, nonprofit organizations, community-based groups, businesses, and government agencies to support environmental and community health issues in the Duwamish Valley. In order to ensure durable outcomes, the EPA has extended its technical assistance to pilot project partners until September 30, 2018 (Attachment B). As a result, Just Health Action remains the most appropriate service provider to ensure the ongoing success of the project. Moving forward under the grant, the Port executed a non-competitive personal services consulting contract with Just Health Action for $49,999.00 on May 19, 2017. The Port recommends we continue with Just Health Action and amend the contract authorizing JHA to continue work on this project. In accordance with RCW 53.19.060 (1) we are requesting Commission authorization to amend the existing contract in lieu of moving forward with a new competitive process. The amended contract value will be $224,999 which exceeds fifty percent of the value of the original contract. This amendment will be filed and made available for public inspection prior to the proposed starting date of services under the amendment. DETAILS The 2011 Century Agenda calls for the Port of Seattle to steward our environment responsibly, partner with surrounding communities, and conduct ourselves with accountability and transparency. To support these values, Public Affairs and the Center of Expertise for Environment and Sustainability (COE) seek to build stronger relationships between the Port, the environmental community and our near-Port neighbors. A key strategy to improve these relationships is to establish an open dialogue about the environmental impact that port-related operations have on near-Port communities. In fall 2016, the Port applied for an EPA technical assistance grant to begin this process with a primary focus in the Duwamish Valley. The application was submitted jointly with the local environmental and community health nonprofit , Just Health Action, (JHA) which offers dedicated expertise in this subject matter and geographic focus. Template revised September 22, 2016; format updates October 19, 2016. COMMISSION AGENDA Action Item No. 7a Page 3 of 6 Meeting Date: April 10, 2018 Through the EPA's Pilot Project, selected ports and near-Port communities (Port of Seattle and Duwamish Valley facilitated by Just Health Action) have received technical assistance from the EPA to support project goals to: improve environmental health outcomes for communities affected by ports and associated goods movement facilities, and improve environmental performance at ports by equipping industry and community stakeholders with information, skills and guidance to effectively develop and implement collaborative actions that reduce environmental pollution. Pilot project participants have spent the past year testing and refining the EPA's new draft stakeholder engagement and capacity building tools, the Ports Primer for Communities, the Community Action Roadmap, and the Environmental Justice Primer for Ports. In addition, significant progress has been made in 2017. The Port and DV stakeholders began constructive dialogue on environmental health and livability concerns, informed the community about the Port's legal authorities and role in regional economic development, identified additional avenues and resources to address concerns, and began developing shared goals for ongoing partnerships. Duwamish Valley community members provided the Port with a list of opportunities that would help address concerns and impacts from Port operations. A Port-Community Action Team was formed to prioritize and work on the community's issues. Project participants have made progress on this groundbreaking project and have identified the need for additional time and funding to bring the pilot project to successful completion. The Port is poised to gather the lessons learned from the pilot and incorporate them into strategic planning and new engagement best practices Port-wide. The process has already revealed critical opportunities to integrate equity and inclusion best practices into commonplace Port operations and programming. For example, staff has identified tangible and immediate action areas related to the Port's community engagement practices, hiring and recruitment processes, environmental and sustainability planning, and public communications and outreach procedures. The project needs additional time and resources to ensure that these lessons get appropriately integrated into Port operations and processes. Scope of Work The scope of work will include: (1) Consultation on best practices working with near-Port communities, focusing on lowincome and minority community members; (2) Workshops and other relevant engagement activities related to the pilot project, (3) Analysis on outcomes to ensure sustainability and long-term project impact for community and Port stakeholders; Template revised September 22, 2016; format updates October 19, 2016. COMMISSION AGENDA Action Item No. 7a Page 4 of 6 Meeting Date: April 10, 2018 (4) Collaboration with Port staff and leadership to develop and negotiate a Community Benefits Agreement; (5) Assistance in implementing tangible action areas that improve community access to Port benefits; (6) Recommendations on social equity and inclusion policy development and best practices related to Port operations. Schedule April 2018 to April 2020 is the anticipated amended timeline of the current contract to support Duwamish Valley communities through Just Health Action. Community engagement work will begin immediately upon Commission action. Activity Commission design authorization 2018 Quarter 2 Design start NA Commission construction authorization NA Construction start NA In-use date NA Cost Breakdown This Request Total Project Design $0 $0 Construction 0 0 Total $0 $0 ALTERNATIVES AND IMPLICATIONS CONSIDERED Alternative 1 Do not renew the contract with DV community through Just Health Action. Cost Implications: Zero. Pros: (1) Lowest financial cost. Cons: (1) This alternative will undermine the Port's achievements already made through its pilot of community engagement best practices over the past year and does not take advantage of the EPA's extension of the technical assistance grant. (2) The project will end without final pilot project outcomes achieved for neither community nor Port stakeholders. This is not the recommended alternative. Template revised September 22, 2016; format updates October 19, 2016. COMMISSION AGENDA Action Item No. 7a Page 5 of 6 Meeting Date: April 10, 2018 Alternative 2 Minimal funds provided for contract renewal with DV community through Just Health Action. Cost Implications: $144,000. Pros: (1) Lower financial cost for continuing project next steps. Cons: (1) A reduced commitment will enable the project to continue until fall 2018, when the EPA pilot concludes, but will not provide enough time to develop and implement opportunities to effectively address foundational community concerns related to Port operations. (2) Limited resources will not tangibly address DV community concerns nor reduce Portassociated harms to community health. This is not the recommended alternative. Alternative 3 Fully fund partnership and collaboration in the DV community through Just Health Action. Cost Implications: $175,000 Pros: (1) This option will ensure that the project fully achieves the desired outcomes of both Port and community stakeholders. (2) This option will ensure confidence in DV and other near-Port EJ communities that the Port is an ally and trusted public agency to support economic prosperity throughout our region. (3) This option is the strongest demonstration of the Port's commitment and positions the Port for national recognition through the EPA Ports Initiative. Cons: (1) Higher initial cost. This is the recommended alternative. FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS Cost Estimate/Authorization Summary Capital Expense Total COST ESTIMATE Original estimate $0 $175,000 $175,000 AUTHORIZATION Previous authorizations 0 0 0 Current request for authorization 0 0 $175,000 Total authorizations, including this request 0 0 $175,000 Remaining amount to be authorized $0 $0 $175,000 Template revised September 22, 2016; format updates October 19, 2016. COMMISSION AGENDA Action Item No. 7a Page 6 of 6 Meeting Date: April 10, 2018 Annual Budget Status and Source of Funds The source of funds is the Center of Expertise on the Environment and Sustainability. Financial Analysis and Summary Project cost for analysis $175,000 Business Unit (BU) NA Effect on business performance NA (NOI after depreciation) IRR/NPV (if relevant) NA CPE Impact NA Future Revenues and Expenses (Total cost of ownership) NA ATTACHMENTS TO THIS REQUEST (1) Presentation slides (2) EPA Letter Indicating the Extension of Technical Assistance for the Project into Sep. 2018 (3) Community-identified Opportunities and Concerns List PREVIOUS COMMISSION ACTIONS OR BRIEFINGS None Template revised September 22, 2016; format updates October 19, 2016.
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