Item Number:        ___8a_reso 
Meeting Date:     November 19, 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 
14 
15            WHEREAS, the Port's Century Agenda states the Port will use its influence as an
16    institution to promote  Women and Minority  Business Enterprise (WMBE)  growth, small
17    business growth, and workforce development to include increasing workforce training, job and
18    business 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
21    energy-efficient port in North America by reducing air pollutants and carbon emission, and
22    restoring, creating and enhancing 40 additional acres of habitat in the Green/Duwamish
23    watershed and Elliott Bay; and 
24 
25            WHEREAS,  the  Port  recognizes  that  institutional  racism  has  contributed  to  both
26    inequities in the distribution of the Port's economic prosperity benefitsand to environmental
27    degradation  amongst  near-Port  communities  compared  to  others,  particularly  those
28    experiencing socio-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

Resolution 3767  Duwamish Valley Community Benefits Commitment                               Page 1 of 4

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  groups  or
49    individuals that collectively live, work, play, study, and worship in the neighborhoods of South
50    Park and Georgetown along the Duwamish River who have historically and currently been
51    impacted by economic, racial, and environmental injustices, including the Duwamish People,
52    the first people of Seattle; and experience disproportionately high environmental health and
53    socio-economic burdens; and 
54 
55            WHEREAS, the 2013 Cumulative Health Impacts Analysis published by Just Health Action
56    and  the  Duwamish  River  Cleanup  Coalition/Technical  Advisory  Group  characterizes  the
57    Duwamish  Valley  Community   as  experiencing  environmental  justice  issues  such  as 
58    disproportionate  exposure  to  air  pollution,  lack  of  greenspace,  and  high  poverty  rates 
59    contributing to a life expectancy in South Park and Georgetown that is 13 years lower than 
60    other communities in Seattle; and 
61 
62            WHEREAS, the City of Seattle's 2017 Preparing for Climate Change Strategy Report
63    identifies this community as one of the communities that will be most impacted by climate
64    change conditions such as extreme heat, rising sea levels, and flooding; and 
65 
66            WHEREAS, the Port seeks alignment with the City of Seattle Resolution 31567 and King
67    County Motion 2015-0167 related to the Duwamish Waterway Cleanup and the health of
68    communities adjacent to the Lower Duwamish Waterway, and other public agencies who have
69    recognized historic and present inequities experienced by the Community, and have launched
70    long-term initiatives within their own operations, such as the City of Seattle's Duwamish Valley
71    Action Plan that addresses environmental justice and equitable development in the community;
72    and 
73 
74            WHEREAS, the Port has historic involvement in the Duwamish Valley through Superfund
75    cleanup and remediation as part of the Lower Duwamish Waterway Group (LDWG) along with
76    the City of Seattle, King County, and Boeing., and LDWG has collectively invested approximately
77    $50 million  in investigating contamination in the Lower Duwamish waterway, developed
78    approaches for cleanup of the waterway and means to prevent recontamination through
79    source control; and the Port of Seattle has individually already invested nearly $13 million into 
80    the cleanup of Terminal 117 Early Action Area; and 


Resolution 3767  Duwamish Valley Community Benefits Commitment                               Page 2 of 4

81            WHEREAS,  the Northwest Seaport Alliance (NWSA)  and the Port of Seattle  have 
82    partnered on several initiatives to improve air quality and reduce greenhouse gases such as the
83    Clean Truck Program, air quality education projects, and the adoption of the Northwest Ports
84    Clean Air Strategy to reduce air emissions from shipping and port operations in the Georgia
85    Basin and Puget Sound airsheds from cargo-handling equipment, rail, harbor craft, ships, and
86    trucks; and 
87 
88            WHEREAS, in January 2017 the Port and Duwamish Valley community were selected by
89    the United States Environmental Protection Agency's Ports Initiative to receive a technical
90    assistance grant to pilot a project that facilitated dialogue and engagement with communities
91    experiencing environmental justice issues; and 
92 
93            WHEREAS, the pilot project enabled the Port to identify three areas of collaboration and
94    mutual  benefit  with  the  Community: capacity  building,  environmental  stewardship,  and
95    economic development to prevent continued community displacement; and these three areas,
96    as well as community-based organizations such as the Port Community Action Team (PCAT), are
97    key pillars for sustaining the ongoing partnership; and t he Port  and has expended  over
98    $450,000 on targeted community programs such as shoreline improvements, increased access
99    to public educational events, and green career pathways; and 
100 
101            WHEREAS, the PCAT is an advisory group established in 2017 and consists of Duwamish
102    Valley community members that engage the Port in collaborative action and strategic planning
103    in order to address historical and current disproportionate, cumulative impacts affecting the 
104    Duwamish Valley community; and t he PCAT provides training and coaching to Port staff on
105    inclusive engagement practices and cultural competency that ensures the effectiveness of
106    achieving the Century Agenda; and 
107 
108            WHEREAS, in May 2019, the Port of Seattle Commission authorized the creation of the
109    Duwamish Valley Community Equity Program and directed staff to collaborate with community
110    partners to establish a Community Benefits Commitment that provides shared goals and
111    definitions, a strategy and workplan with actionable items, and an evaluation framework; 
112 
113            NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Port of Seattle Commission as follows: 
114 
115    SECTION 1. The Duwamish Valley Community Benefits Commitment as shown in Exhibit
116    A is hereby established. 
117 
118    SECTION 2: The Duwamish Valley Community Benefits Commitment shall be labeled and
119    catalogued as appropriate, together with other Commission Policy Directives, and shall
120    be made readily available for use by Port staff and members of the public as a
121    governance document of the Port of Seattle. 
122 


Resolution 3767  Duwamish Valley Community Benefits Commitment                               Page 3 of 4

123            ADOPTED by the Port of Seattle Commission at a duly noticed meeting thereof,
124    held this _____ day of ________, 2019, and duly authenticated in open session by the
125    signatures of the Commissioners voting in favor thereof and the seal of the commission. 
126 
127 
128 
129 
130 
131 
132 
133 
134 
135 
136 
137                                                     Port of Seattle Commission














Resolution 3767  Duwamish Valley Community Benefits Commitment                               Page 4 of 4