PORT OF SEATTLE 

MEMORANDUM 

COMMISSION AGENDA – STAFF BRIEFING                       Item No.  

7a 

Date of Meet ing 

August 25, 2009 

DATE:

August 10, 2009 

 
TO:

Tay Yoshitani, Chief Executive Officer 

 
FROM:

Wayne Grotheer, Director Seaport Professional and Technical Services 
Sarah Flagg, Seaport Air Quality Program Manager 

 
SUBJECT:

Clean Air Update  

Staff will update the Commission regarding the development of the Clean Truck Program under 
the Northwest Ports Clean Air Strategy.  This update will include status of lease amendments 
with marine terminal operators under the Customer Recovery Package, Puget Sound Clean Air 
Agency buy-back and scrap program for pre-1994 trucks, and drayage truck programs at Port of 
New York/New Jersey, Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, Port of Tacoma, Port Metro 
Vancouver, and Port of Oakland. 

BACKGROUND  

On January 22, 2008, the Port of Seattle Commission adopted the Northwest Ports Clean Air 
Strategy, a voluntary and collaborative effort of the Ports of Seattle, Tacoma and Vancouver 
(B.C.) to reduce maritime and port-related emissions that affect air quality and climate change in 
the Pacific Northwest.  Developed in close collaboration with the Puget Sound Clean Air 
Agency, Washington Department of Ecology, US Environmental Protection Agency, and 
Environment Canada with input from stakeholders, customers, and citizens, the Strategy will 
result in emission reductions to further improve air quality throughout the region.  

The strategy has three primary emissions reduction objectives: 
 



Reduce maritime related air quality impacts on human health, the environment and the 
economy; 



Reduce contribution to climate change through co-benefits associated with reducing air 
quality impacts; and 



Help the Georgia Basin-Puget Sound region continue to meet air quality standards and 
objectives.