ITEM NO: ____7a Supp____
DATE OF
MEETING:_February 1, 2011
Revisions to Port State
Environmental Policy Act
Policies

Briefing Overview
State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA)
background
Proposed revisions to existing Port SEPA
procedures
Proposed new Port climate change policy

SEPA Background
SEPA is a state law that directs local and
state agencies to identify and evaluate the
environmental impacts of their actions.
SEPA was modeled after the National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).
SEPA is intended to result in informed
decision making and better environmental
outcomes.

Port SEPA Procedures
Current Port SEPA procedures:
Resolution 3028 (adopted 1986)
Resolution 3211 (adopted 1995)
Resolution 3539 (adopted 2005)
Need for Update/Revisions:
Have been amended multiple times;
Hard to track all of changes;
Do not reflect changes to SEPA laws and
Port organization

Proposed Revisions
Would consolidate procedures into a
single document;
Updated to conform with current law;
Reflect changes to Port organization and
process;
Cleanup and edits that make the
document easier to use and read.

SEPA and Climate Change
Does SEPA require consideration of
climate change impacts?
Legal challenges for failure to consider GHG
emissions in environmental review
WA GHG reduction laws
NEPA Guidance on Consideration of GHG emissions
Ecology "Working Paper" on addressing GHGs and
climate change under SEPA

SEPA and Climate Change
Why a Port SEPA Climate Policy?
Clarify to public and staff how Port will
address climate change under SEPA;
Improve consistency with respect to
environmental decision making;
Promote improvements to projects that
reduce GHG emissions.

What Is In The Proposed Policy
Statement of Port policy to consider GHG
emissions and the effect of changes in climate
on proposed actions;
Identification and calculation of project
emissions;
Encouraging mitigation;
Guidance for making "threshold determination";
Consideration of effects of climate change on
projects.

Next Steps
30 day public comment period;
Staff consideration of public comments;
First reading to Commission;
Second reading to Commission  request
adoption
Questions?