1                     2018 ENERGY AND SUSTAINABILITY SPECIAL COMMITTEE CHARTER 
2 
3                                             As proposed March 13, 2018 
4 
5     I.   INTRODUCTION 
6 
7     The Port of Seattle's Century Agenda outlines a strategic objective to become the greenest and
8     most energy efficient port in North America and sets specific greenhouse gas reduction targets. 
9 
10    An  Energy and Sustainability Committee was originally chartered  by the Port of Seattle
11    Commission on January 26, 2016. On October 24, 2017, the Commission passed a motion
12    supporting the committee's recommendation to align the Port's greenhouse gas reduction
13    goals with those of King County and the City of Seattle and instructing Port staff to develop a
14    Sustainability Evaluation Framework to assist the Port in meeting its greenhouse gas reduction
15    and sustainability goals.
16 
17    Pursuant to the 2017 motion, the framework was to be developed over the course of 2018
18    through a series of pilot projects to be identified. The pilot projects will help determine how to
19    incorporate  environmental  and  social  considerations  and  create  transparency  for  the
20    Commission's review of project proposals.Adoption of the 2017 motion concluded the work
21    outlined in the 2016 Energy and Sustainability Committee Charter. 
22 
23    The purpose of this new committee, which shall be called the 2018 Energy and Sustainability
24    Special Committee, is to develop policy recommendations and provide oversight in pursuit of
25    the Port's Century Agenda environmental and sustainability goals. The committee shall conduct
26    its work in the context of other Century Agenda goals, the 2017 motion, and continued
27    commitment to fiscal responsibility and social equity and justice. 
28 
29    II.  COMPOSITION 
30 
31    The 2018 Energy and Sustainability Special Committee will consist of two Port of Seattle
32    Commissioners appointed by the President after consultation with the full Commission at the
33    beginning of each calendar year in which the committee is active. Non-voting members from
34    within and outside the Port may be invited to participate at the discretion of the committee. 
35 
36    III. SCOPE OF WORK 
37 
38    The work of the 2018 Energy and Sustainability Special Committee shall include the following: 
39        A.  Oversee the development of a Sustainability Evaluation Framework and pilot projects,
40            including: 
41              1.  Review and recommend to the Commission a Port-wide Sustainability Evaluation
42                  Framework to assist the Port in meeting its greenhouse gas reduction  and
43                  sustainability goals.

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44              2.  Review the selection of four pilot projects, divided between the airport and
45                  maritime, beginning with a solar project on Pier 69, to test and validate the
46                  framework and determine how to incorporate the following environmental and
47                  societal  components  into  the  framework  to  be  used  to  better  inform  the
48                  Commission of project proposals that: 
49                    a.  Reduce greenhouse gas emissions 
50                    b.  Increase energy resilience 
51                    c.  Protect public health and the environment 
52                    d.  Support local economic development 
53                    e.  Advance racial and social equity 
54                    f.   Leverage partnerships 
55                    g.  Advance innovation 
56 
57        B.  Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF) Strategy Development and Implementation Oversight,
58            including: 
59                1.  Review and recommend to the Commission the final strategic plan as directed by
60                  the Commission's December 19, 2017, motion and informed by the "Port of
61                  Seattle and (Airlines)" memorandumof understanding agreed to in the Airline
62                  Signatory Lease and Operating Agreement IV (SAF MOU) and work with the
63                  Sustainable  Aviation  Biofuels  Workgroup  established  by  the  Office  of  Clean
64                  Technology at Washington State University to share progress. 
65 
66              2.  Oversee the development of the strategic plan agreed to in the SAF MOU to
67                  reduce  carbon  emissions  and  air  pollutants,  and  the  community  and
68                  environmental impacts from existing and forecasted aviation growth at Sea-Tac
69                  Airport. 
70 
71              3.  Track efforts to establish a regional source of SAF at a commercially competitive
72                  rate  and  ensure  a  commitment  from  the  airlines  that  they  will  use  SAF
73                  preferentially to meet goals specified in the Commission's December 19, 2017, 
74                  motion. 
75 
76              4.  Track initiatives to ensure cost-competitiveness for SAF through a variety of
77                  methods that are not mutually exclusive, and as stated in the December 19, 2017, 
78                  motion, to include: 
79                    a.  Work with airlines to support state and federal legislation establishing a cost-
80                        effective Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) consistent with bills, executive
81                        orders, policies, and regulations implemented in the States of California and
82                        Oregon and the Province of British Columbia; or similar provision that
83                        includes options for aviation tax credits as well as tax credits for use of
84                        marine and on-road renewable diesel. 
85 
86                    b.  Work with airlines to advocate to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA),
87                        federal and state legislators, regulatory agencies, industry groups, and other

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88                        partners for use of airport revenues to offset costs of SAF through their co-
89                        benefits to human health and the environment.
90 
91                    c.  Work with airlines to advocate to the FAA for new grant programs, or to
92                        adjust existing Voluntary Airport Low Emissions (VALE) grant programs to
93                        support SAF through their co-benefits. 
94 
95                    d.  Seek mutual financial investments with the Port and its partners. 
96 
97              5.  Work with Port staff, local, state,  and federal decision-makers to develop a
98                  comprehensive, coordinated series of events to engage interested stakeholders
99                  along the value chain including but not limited to: farmers, financiers, bio-refiners,
100                 logistics operators, as well as end-users such as Washington State Ferries, cruise
101                 lines, tug boat operators, other harbor craft, truck operators, fishing boats, the
102                 United States Coast Guard, and the Department of Defense. 
103 
104             6.  Work with Public Affairs to develop a strategic communications plan tailored to
105                 the Commission's SAF goals that positions the Port of Seattle as a leader in the SAF 
106                 industry locally, nationally, and internationally. 
107 
108             7.  Review and recommend sustainability certification standards for SAF. 
109 
110        C.  Blue Carbon Policy Development 
111             1.  Develop a Blue Carbon policy in collaboration with the University of Washington
112                 for incorporation into the Port's aquatic habitat restoration work.Blue Carbon is
113                 the carbon stored and sequestered in coastal ecosystems such as wetlands,
114                 seagrass meadows, or intertidal saltmarshes. These valuable ecosystems hold vast
115                 carbon reservoirs; they sequester atmospheric CO2 through primary production
116                 and then deposit it in sediments. 
117 
118                   a.  Oversee and support the Port's progress on its pilot project that includes
119                       planting eelgrass, kelp, and potentially developing clam beds near Terminal
120                       91 to capture carbon and improve water quality. The results to assess the
121                       efficacy of the carbon sequestration pilot program will take several years,
122                       after which potential applications for Port of Seattle mitigation efforts and
123                       innovative uses of mitigation will be the focus of the committee's work. 
124                   b.  Work with the University of Washington to engage graduate students in the
125                       studies  and  review  of  the  scientific  literature  to  inform  future  policy
126                       development. 
127 
128        D.  Environmental Awards Update 
129             1.  Review and recommend to the Commission an updated approach to the Port of
130                 Seattle's environmental awards to: 

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131                   a.  Create a broader system of comprehensive awards in collaboration with Port
132                       stakeholders in the maritime, aviation, labor,  and environmental justice 
133                       sectors; and 
134                   b.  Elevate the public's awareness of the Port's support for environmental
135                       innovation. 
136 
137    IV. AUTHORITY 
138 
139    In pursuit of its purposes and scope, the committee is authorized to conduct the following
140    activities: 
141        A.  Review and recommend a Sustainable Project Framework Policy Directive and 
142        B.  Conduct oversight of framework pilot projects. 
143        C.  Review and recommend to the Commission the SAF  strategy as required by the
144            Commission motion of December 19, 2017. 
145        D.  Review and recommend a Blue Carbon strategy to the Port of Seattle Commission and
146            oversee the marine habitat creation pilot project near Terminal 91. 
147        E.  Review and recommend an environmental awards program for the Port of Seattle. 
148 
149    The committee is authorized to seek public engagement by way of community meetings,
150    workgroups, and testimony as part of regular or special Port of Seattle Commission meetings as
151    deemed necessary. 
152 
153    The committee may seek Commission approval to retain a consultant if it determines one is
154    needed to meet aforementioned responsibilities. 
155 
156    The committee is not authorized to take final action on adoption of policy directives, approval
157    of project authorizations, or other matters for which final action is reserved to the Port of
158    Seattle Commission. 
159 
160    V.  DURATION 
161 
162    The committee shall meet as necessary until completion of the outcomes described in its
163    purposes and scope and the conclusion of pilot projects for which the committee is responsible
164    for oversight. 
165 
166    VI. RESPONSIBILITY 
167        A.  The role of committee chair(s) shall be to: 
168             1.  Preside at meetings and serve as committee sponsor 
169             2.  Ensure that the committee is addressing the purposes described in this charter 
170             3.  Set committee meeting agendas 
171 
172        B.  The Commission Policy Manager is the Committee Liaison, and Commission Specialists
173            will support the work of the committee as assigned. The role of the Committee Liaison
174            shall be to: 

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175             1.  Regularly update the Commission in memos, individual briefings, and public
176                 session.
177             2.  Support the work of the committee. 
178             3.  Help develop, manage, and distribute meeting materials. 
179             4.  Provide logistical support including procuring meeting rooms, scheduling, creating
180                 meeting records, and providing technical assistance. 
181 
182        C.  The Port of Seattle Environment and Sustainability Center of Expertise Director will
183            support the committee as the primary Executive Staff contact. The role of the Executive
184            Staff contact shall be to: 
185             1.  Support the committee with timely and responsive information. 
186             2.  Serve as a resource for committee deliberations. 
187 
188    VII. MEETINGS 
189 
190        A.  The committee will meet at least quarterly and will subsequently report out to the full 
191            Commission in public session to provide transparency and update on progress in
192            meeting the charter. 
193        B.  Workgroups may be formed by the committee and are expected to meet more
194            frequently as needed. 
195        C.  A quorum of the committee is required to conduct official committee business. A
196            quorum is defined as the presence of both Commissioners assigned to the committee. 
197            Committee members are welcome to attend workgroup meetings but a quorum is not
198            needed to conduct the business of a workgroup. 
199        D.  Meetings of the 2018 Energy and Sustainability Special Committee shall be open to the
200            public when required by applicable law or the bylaws of the Port of Seattle Commission. 
201        E.  Agendas will be prepared and made available to the committee and workgroup
202            members in advance of meetings. 
203        F.  Agendas for updates to the full Commission will be presented in public session and will
204            be published as part of regular or special Commission meeting notices. 
205        G.  Minutes will be prepared and retained for all meetings associated with the work of the
206            2018 Energy and Sustainability Special Committee. 
207        H.  Records of committee meetings, including any meeting minutes, shall be provided to
208            the Commission Clerk for appropriate retention in accordance with applicable law. 





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