ITEM NO: _7a_Reso_A________ 
DATE OF MEETING:February 1, 2011 
RESOLUTION NO. XXXX 
A RESOLUTION  of the Port Commission of the Port of Seattle (Port), King County,
Washington, adopting a policy under the State Environmental Policy Act
(SEPA) and its implementing rules, Chapter 43.21C RCW and Chapter
197-11 WAC, addressing the assessment of greenhouse gas emissions and
climate change under SEPA. 

WHEREAS, the State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA), Chapter 43.21C RCW, sets forth
an environmental policy for Washington state and requires that the environmental impacts of
proposals be analyzed and, where appropriate, mitigated; and 
WHEREAS, SEPA applies to state agencies, counties, and municipal and public
corporations, including port districts; and 
WHEREAS, SEPA and its implementing rules, RCW 43.21C.070 and WAC 197-11-902,
require the Port to formally designate policies that may be used as a basis for conditioning or
denying an action using SEPA's substantive authority. RCW 43.21C.070 and WAC 197-11-902;
and 
WHEREAS, on April 2, 2007, in Massachusetts v. EPA, 549 U.S. 497 (2007), the United
States Supreme Court found that greenhouse gases are air pollutants covered by the Federal
Clean Air Act; and 
WHEREAS, in 2008 the Washington State Legislature enacted RCW 70.235.020 which
establishes statewide targets to reduce annual greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels in 2020,
to twenty-five percent below 1990 levels in 2035, and to do its part to reach global climate
stabilization by reducing emissions to fifty percent below 1990 levels in 2050; and 
WHEREAS, in December 2009 the Administrator of the United States Environmental
Protection Agency issued a finding under the Federal Clean Air Act, that greenhouse gases in the

atmosphere may reasonably be anticipated both to endanger public health and to endanger public
welfare; and 
WHEREAS, the SEPA rules require agencies to consider a proposal's environmental
impact when rendering a threshold determination as to whether an environmental impact
statement is required; and 
WHEREAS, air quality and climate are identified in WAC 197-11-444(1)(b)(i) and (iii) as
elements of the environment to be considered in assessing a proposal's environmental impacts
under SEPA; and
WHEREAS, the Port of Seattle has been a leader in assessing greenhouse gas emissions
associated with its operations and projects, and implementing mitigation strategies that reduce
emissions that contribute to climate change; and 

WHEREAS, when acting as a SEPA Lead Agency, the Port is in a unique position to
consider and mitigate greenhouse gas impacts when considering project and non-project actions
undergoing Port review; and 

WHEREAS, the Port has previously adopted policies and procedures consistent with the
SEPA Rules, Chapter 197-11 WAC, including Resolution XXXX which is supplemental to this
resolution; and 

WHEREAS, the Port Commission from time to time finds it necessary to amend and
revise its SEPA policies and procedures due to changes in law and/or operations of the Port and
in order to improve the effectiveness of such policies and procedures.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Port Commission of the Port of Seattle
that: 

The Port of Seattle Commission adopts Exhibit A to this resolution as its SEPA Climate
Change Policy. 

ADOPTED by the Port Commission of the Port of Seattle at a regular meeting thereof, 
held this         day of                , 2010, and duly authenticated in open
session by the signatures of the Commissioners voting in favor thereof and the seal of the
Commission. 

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Port Commission


EXHIBIT A 
SEPA CLIMATE CHANGE POLICY 

Part One    Purpose/Authority 
Section 1    Purpose 
Section 2    Authority 
Part Two   SEPA and Climate Change
Section 3    SEPA and Climate Change
Part Three   Identification and Calculation of Greenhouse Gas Emissions 
Section 4    Calculation of GHG Emissions 
Section 5    Emissions Quantification Methodologies 
Section 6    Emissions Worksheet 
Part Four   Mitigation Measures 
Section 7    Mitigation Measures 
Part Five    Threshold Determination 
Section 8    Threshold Determination 
Part Six    Effects of Climate Change 
Section 9    Consideration of Effects of Climate Change on Proposals/Projects
Part Seven  Severability 
Section 10   Severability 
PART ONE 
AUTHORITY AND PURPOSE 
Section 1    Purpose 
The purpose of this resolution is to provide guidance to Port of Seattle staff when acting as a
project proponent and the POS responsible official when evaluating proposals under the State
Environmental Policy Act, Chapter 43.21C RCW, that: (1) are likely to result in greenhouse gas
emissions; and/or (2) may be impacted by the effects of climate change.
Section 2    Authority 
This resolution is adopted under the authority of RCW 43.21C.060 and RCW 43.21C.110-120
and may hereinafter be referenced or cited as a Port of Seattle "SEPA Climate Change Policy". 

PART TWO 
SEPA AND CLIMATE CHANGE 
Section 3    SEPA and Climate Change
SEPA requires lead agencies to consider the environmental consequences of proposals that are
not exempt from the SEPA process. Climate is one element of environment that SEPA requires
agencies to evaluate before making a decision on a proposal (WAC 197-11- 444)(1)(b)(iii). As a

lead agency and project proponent, the Port will consider greenhouse gas emissions and the
effect of changes in climate on proposed actions as a mandatory component of our environmental
review. 
SEPA provides a framework for considering environmental impacts of proposed actions. With
respect to climate change, the SEPA analysis of the environmental impacts of a proposal may
include the following steps, which are part of the standard SEPA review process: 
1.     Reasonable identification, calculation, or other evaluation of greenhouse gas
emissions associated with the project, 
2.     Identification of reasonable mitigation that avoids, reduces, or compensates for 
the adverse effects of the emissions, 
3.     Assessment of the potential effects or impacts that climate change may have on 
the project itself, 
4.     Assessment of the "significance" of the unmitigated emissions associated with the
project, 
5.     Assessment of the "significance" of climate changes on the project, 
6.     If required, the preparation of an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) that: (a) 
analyzes the environmental impacts of a project's greenhouse gas emissions and 
the effect of climate change on a project, (b) identifies alternatives, and (c)
possible mitigation options.
PART THREE 
IDENTIFICATION AND CALCULATION OF GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS 

Section 4    Calculation of GHG Emissions 
The Port project proponent will identify and calculate both direct and indirect greenhouse gas
emissions within reasonable spatial and temporal boundaries of a proposal as part of SEPA
environmental review. Project proponents should evaluate their proposal for all known or
expected sources of greenhouse gases that they can reasonably assess or calculate over the life of
the project. The rigor of the greenhouse gas calculation or assessment will depend on the scope,
scale and context of a particular proposal. The proponent should distinguish between those
emissions that are under the direct control of the project proponent from those that are owned
and/or controlled by third parties. For many projects, a reasonable qualitative estimate of
emissions may be sufficient. For others, particularly those projects that may be covered by the
State of Washington's mandatory greenhouse gas reporting requirement or any other reporting
requirement adopted by the United States Environmental Protection Agency, more rigorous
quantification methods might be appropriate.
Section 5    Emissions Quantification Methodologies 
Project proponents should use well-accepted emission quantification methodologies appropriate
and reasonable for the scope and scale of a project when calculating or otherwise assessing
emissions from a project. Appendix A to this resolution identifies well-accepted quantification
methodologies currently used for many of the most common emission sources and may be
utilized by project proponents to assist in calculating and evaluating emissions. The Port may

develop and utilize its own methodologies based upon best available emission factors and project
specific information.

Section 6    Emissions Worksheet 
Environmental review normally starts with the completion of an environmental checklist. The
checklist provides information to the lead agency about the proposal and its probable
environmental impacts. The State of Washington and other local government agencies have
developed quantitative and qualitative worksheets that may serve as templates for calculating the
relevant sources of GHG emissions from a proposal. A greenhouse gas emissions worksheet
may provide supplemental information for the environmental checklist.
PART FOUR 
MITIGATION MEASURES 
Section 7    Mitigation Measures 
Mitigation is the avoidance, minimization, rectification, compensation, reduction, or elimination
of adverse impacts to built and natural elements of the environment. As a project proponent, the
Port may incorporate mitigation measures that reduce a project's greenhouse gas emissions
below a level of significance or take voluntary actions that reduce the Port's greenhouse gas
emission baseline.  Mitigation measures that reduce or avoid greenhouse gas emissions should
be identified in appropriate environmental documents. Project proponents should work with
POS environmental staff early on in the proposal to identify possible GHG mitigation measures
and strategies for the project. 
PART FIVE 
THRESHOLD DETERMINATION 

Section 8    Threshold Determination 
The SEPA "threshold determination" is the formal decision as to whether the proposal is likely to
cause a significant adverse environmental impact for which mitigation cannot be easily
identified. With respect to greenhouse gas emissions from a project and to the possible effects of
climate change on a proposal, there is no uniform standard for determining "significance." Any
decision by the Port of whether there is adverse environmental impact from a proposal will be
made on a case-by-case basis. 
In making the threshold determination, the Port as a lead agency may consider: 
1.     Whether the proposal will significantly contribute, either directly, indirectly or 
cumulatively to greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere; 
2.     The extent to which greenhouse gas emissions of the project have been mitigated 
as part of project design, or through other identified actions; 
3.     The economic and technical feasibility of mitigation options available; 
4.     The aggregate Port greenhouse gas emission inventory and the relation of the
project's emissions to the overall balance and trend of the inventory;

5.     The effects of climate change on the project, including the vulnerability of the
project to the specific impacts of climate change within a reasonable timeframe; 
6.     Whether the proposal will conflict with applicable laws and regulations 
adopted for the purpose of reducing greenhouse gas emissions, 
7.     Guidance and policies adopted by other local governments, and state and federal
agencies, including, but not limited to, the Washington State Department of
Ecology, and the White House Counsel on Environmental Quality related to the
consideration of climate change and greenhouse gas emission under SEPA and
the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), 42 U.S.C.  4321 et seq.
If the emissions from the project, or the effects of climate change on the project, will not be
mitigated below the level deemed to be significant, the preparation of an environment impact
statement (EIS) will be required. Additional mitigation measures may be required to the extent
attributable to the identified adverse impacts of the proposal.
PART SIX 
EFFECTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE 
Section 9    Consideration of Effects of Climate Change on Proposals/Projects
Climate change can affect the environment of a proposed action in a variety of ways. For
instance, climate change can affect the integrity of a development or structure by exposing it to a
greater risk of floods, storm surges, or higher temperatures. Climate change can increase the
vulnerability of a resource, ecosystem, or human community, causing a proposed action to result
in consequences that are more damaging than prior experience with environmental impacts
analysis might indicate. Climate change effects should be considered in the analysis of projects
that are designed for long-term utility and located in areas that are considered vulnerable to
specific effects of climate change (such as increasing sea level or ecological change) within the
project's timeframe. 
PART SEVEN 
SEVERABILITY 
Section 10   Severability 
If any provision of this resolution or its application to any person or circumstance is held invalid,
the remainder of this resolution or the application of the provision to other persons or
circumstances shall not be affected.