COMMISSION 
AGENDA MEMORANDUM                        Item No.          6c 
ACTION ITEM                            Date of Meeting     December 11, 2018 
DATE:     December 3, 2018 
TO:        Stephen P. Metruck, Executive Director 
FROM:    Michael Ehl, Director Aviation Operations 
Mark Coates, Senior Manager Airport Operations 
SUBJECT:  Reauthorization of Two 5-Year Agreements between the United States Department
of Agriculture Wildlife Services (USDA-WS) and the Port of Seattle 
Amount of this request:               $1,575,000     $1,560,000 (CSA) 
$ 15,000 (ILA) 
Total estimated cost:                  $1,575,000 
ACTION REQUESTED 
Request Commission authorization for the Executive Director to reauthorize and execute two
5-year agreements between the United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services and
the Port of Seattle for managing human-wildlife conflicts on or near Port property for the
period January 1, 2019, through December 31, 2023, in the amount of $1,560,000 for a 
Cooperative Service Agreement and $15,000 for an  Interlocal Agreement for a total of
$1,575,000. 
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 
Both 5-year agreements with the USDA-WS, a federal government agency, are for managing
human-wildlife conflicts on or near Port property.  The current agreements expire December
31, 2018. Despite ongoing discussions between the USDA-WS and the Port over the course of
2018, the USDA-WS did not send the subject agreements to Aviation Operations staff until
November 2, 2018. 
The first agreement is a 2019-2023 Cooperative Service Agreement (CSA) specific to the 5-mile
area around Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.   The USDA-WS would assist Aviation
Operations with Airport Wildlife Damage Management (WDM) activities that the Port is
required to perform primarily at the Airport pursuant to Federal Aviation Regulation (FAR) Code
of Federal Regulations 14 CFR Part 139.337, certain Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)
Advisory Circular (AC) publications, the Airport Wildlife Hazard Management Plan (WHMP), and
further  environmental  regulations  associated  with  the  third  runway  (16R/34L)  wetland
mitigation monitoring requirements. With a 3% annual increase, starting in the second contract
year through 2023, the average cost is approximately $312,000 per year and $1,560,000 for the

Template revised April 12, 2018.

COMMISSION AGENDA  Action Item No. 6c                                   Page 2 of 5 
Meeting Date: December 11, 2018 
duration of the 5-year agreement at 80 hours per week.  No increases to the Aviation
Operations budget are being requested for this CSA. 
The second agreement is a 2019-2023 Interlocal Agreement (ILA) for maintaining a satisfactory
Canada goose population within the greater Seattle metropolitan area.  The FAA ranks the
Canada goose as one of the most hazardous birds to aviation safety as evidenced by the
January 2009 Miracle on the Hudson, when a large commercial aircraft was forced to ditch into
the Hudson River after striking this species. The ILA currently includes nearly a dozen entities
within King, Pierce and Snohomish counties.   The monitoring and control work can be
performed on both Aviation and Marine Division properties if requested by the Port. This ILA
provides joint funding for the labor and expenses associated with the USDA-WS work who
implements the Waterfowl (Canada Goose) Management Program.  Aviation Operations will
pay less than $3,000 annually and no more than $15,000 over the 5-year life of the ILA. No
increases to the Aviation Operations budget are being requested. 
JUSTIFICATION 
The USDA-WS is an agency considered to be an unbiased, independent third-party contractor
by state and federal regulators. If airport features such as the wetland mitigation sites near the
airport become a hazardous wildlife attractant, the USDA-WS can work with the Port and other
agencies to help craft alternative habitat management solutions reduce wildlife-related threats
and further improve aviation safety.  USDA-WS conducts formal airport Wildlife Hazard
Assessment (WHA) surveys approximately every 7 years in compliance with the intent of FAA
Advisory Circulars (AC). The recent WHA began in 2018 and will be finalized in 2019.
The USDA-WS is the only agency regulators will allow to perform much of the work related to
Canada goose population management from March through August, the period in which the
"resident" non-migratory geese are present in the three-county management area. 
DETAILS 
Airport Wildlife Damage Management Agreement  The purpose of this CSA is for the USDAWS
to assist the airport with reducing human health and safety risks associated with potential
wildlife/aircraft collisions. Assistance may be in the form of habitat management advice, other
educational information, non-lethal techniques, and if necessary direct control (euthanasia) to
reduce immediate threats. These actions are allowed under permits issued to the Port by the
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. The USDAWS
personnel will coordinate with the Airport Wildlife Manager, other Port staff and wildliferelated
contractors with regard to their wildlife hazard mitigation efforts under the terms of
this CSA. 
The USDA-WS will provide a monitoring program to detect wildlife hazards associated with
airport water features such as wetlands and stormwater ponds, both of which can be
compatible with aviation safety when properly managed.  Their services include regulatory

Template revised September 22, 2016; format updates October 19, 2016.

COMMISSION AGENDA  Action Item No. 6c                                   Page 3 of 5 
Meeting Date: December 11, 2018 
compliance monitoring associated with the airport's wetland mitigation site permits, data
collection and management, and wildlife hazard mitigation and assessments conducted on and
within several miles of the airfield. 
Waterfowl (Canada Goose) Management Agreement  The purpose of this ILA is to provide
joint funding for a multiparty regional approach to population monitoring and where necessary
a program comprised of egg adding (sterilization) and euthanasia of the Canada Goose within
King, Pierce and Snohomish Counties.  This program will assist each party communicating the
importance of this work which may be performed on either public or private property
depending on the signatories of the ILA. 
Scope of Work 
The USDA-WS will conduct WDM activities on and near the airport approximately 8 hours a day
7 days a week. Port properties outside of but adjacent to the Airport Operations Area (AOA)
fence line will be an area of emphasis for monitoring and harassment.  They will also be
available to respond to urgent wildlife and escaped domestic animal issues.  Their monitor
efforts will be in the form of finalizing the second year of an airport Wildlife Hazard Assessment,
a report that will include third-party recommendations pertaining to hazardous wildlife species
observed and habitat features that may be attracting them to the airport vicinity out to 5 miles. 
The Wetland Mitigation Monitoring surveys include the areas near the airport, a wetland
mitigation site associated with the SR-509 corridor and the Port-owned wetland sites in the City
of Auburn.  Data management assistance comes in the form of investigating wildlife-aircraft
strikes, monthly summaries of their control actions, distribution of strike reporting kits to
airlines and issues with small mammals that can damage berms of stormwater ponds and raise
water levels and attract waterfowl.  Other USDA-WS activities include trapping of hazardous
and nuisance animals and responding to avian radar and Foreign Object Debris (FOD) camera
alerts when hazardous wildlife  is detected.   USDA-WS assistance with wildlife database
management and analysis is also important for compliance with the FAA-mandated Safety
Management System program. As required annually by AC 150/5200-36A, the USDA-WS assists
the Port's Qualified Airport Wildlife Biologist with training approximately three dozen Aviation
Operations employees in the safe use of pyrotechnics, firearms, and equipment needed for
capture of wildlife and domestic animals. 
USDA-WS will use best management practices to implement a program of standardized
monthly goose population surveys, egg addling, removal, and evaluation.  Where possible,
community outreach and educational programs such as 'don't feed wildlife' and interpretive
signage will be initiated. 



Template revised September 22, 2016; format updates October 19, 2016.

COMMISSION AGENDA  Action Item No. 6c                                   Page 4 of 5 
Meeting Date: December 11, 2018 
Schedule 
These agreements will remain in effect from January 1, 2019 through December 31, 2023,
unless terminated by either party upon 60 days written notice to the other party. 
These agreements and each annual Work/Financial plan will become effective for the specified
dates when approved with signature of the Managing Director Aviation. 
ALTERNATIVES AND IMPLICATIONS CONSIDERED 
Alternative 1  Do not reauthorize the CSA or the ILA. 
Cost Implications: $0 
Pros: 
(1)   CSA - None 
(2)   ILA - None 
Cons: 
(1)   CSA  Airport wildlife hazard management is mandated by FAR 139.337, meaning
much of the required wildlife hazard management work would stop January 1, 2019.
The options of hiring a private sector contractor or adding more Port employees to
perform this work in 2020 and beyond will be explored in 2019. An unbiased thirdparty
contractor would still be needed to conduct some of the WDM work such as
surveys. 
(2)   ILA  Support for the ILA could decline without continued Port involvement.  Goose
numbers would likely rise again quickly which runs counter to the intent of the airport
WHMP, Appendix A of the FAA-approved Airport Certification Manual.  Only the
USDA-WS is authorized to conduct work associated with stabilizing the Canada Goose
population during spring and summer, therefore no other options are available to
reduce goose numbers to protection. 
This is not the recommended alternative. 
Alternative 2  Reauthorize both the CSA and the ILA. 
Cost Implications: $1,575,000 
Pros: 
(1)   CSA  The Port would remain in compliance with FAR 139.337. 
(2)   ILA  The Port would remain in compliance with the intent of the airport WHMP and
the Airport Certification Manual. 
Cons: 
(1)   CSA - None 
(2)   ILA - None 
This is the recommended alternative. 

Template revised September 22, 2016; format updates October 19, 2016.

COMMISSION AGENDA  Action Item No. 6c                                   Page 5 of 5 
Meeting Date: December 11, 2018 
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS 
The funds to proceed with both of these agreements in 2019 are included in the 2019
Preliminary Budget. 
ATTACHMENTS TO THIS REQUEST 
(1)   2019-2023 USDA-WS 5-year Cooperative Service Agreement 
(2)   2019 USDA-WA Work Plan/Financial Plan 
(3)   2019-2023 Interlocal Agreement for Waterfowl (Canada Goose) Management Program 
PREVIOUS COMMISSION ACTIONS OR BRIEFINGS 
August 4, 2015   The Commission authorized  execution of the 2015-2018 Interlocal
Agreement between Port of Seattle and U.S. Department of Agriculture-Wildlife
Services, for Waterfowl (Canada Goose) Management Program for $8,920. 












Template revised September 22, 2016; format updates October 19, 2016.