COMMISSION 
AGENDA MEMORANDUM                        Item No.          7a 
ACTION ITEM                            Date of Meeting       April 10, 2018 
DATE:     April 3, 2018 
TO:        Executive Director Stephen P. Metruck 
FROM:    Elizabeth Leavitt, Senior Director, Environment and Sustainability 
Christina Billingsley, Environmental Engagement, Public Affairs 
Sally del Fierro, Director, Community Engagement 
ACTION REQUESTED 
Request Commission authorization for the Executive Director to execute an amendment with a
local community health organization, Just Health Action, and authorize a total estimated
project cost of $175,000 as part of a U.S. EPA Stakeholder Engagement and Capacity Building
grant awarded in 2017 for a project with the Duwamish Valley communities of South Park and
Georgetown. 
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 
The Port of Seattle has been engaged over the last year in a pilot project with the Duwamish
Valley (DV) communities of South Park and Georgetown and local community health non-profit,
Just Health Action, as part of a U.S. EPA Stakeholder Engagement and Capacity Building grant
awarded in 2017. This technical assistance grant, recently extended to assist the Port and
community stakeholders until fall 2018, focuses on refining and improving stakeholder
engagement within near-Port Environmental Justice (EJ) communities. 
The Port recognizes that neighboring communities experience a higher proportion of impacts
from our operations. This pilot has identified new avenues to implement Century Agenda 
commitments to partner with surrounding communities, promote social responsibility, and
steward our environment responsibly, such as: 
Integrate new best practices into the Port's community engagement processes; 
Expand the Port's cultural competency within marginalized communities; 
Build stronger near-Port community relationships; 
Convene others to help address industrial impacts and create opportunities and
benefits for near-Port communities. 
To acknowledge the Commission meeting's location in the Duwamish Valley, Port staff will
provide a preceding photo presentation of the Center of Expertise in Environment and
Sustainability's ongoing workalong the Duwamish River preceding the Commission Action
Request. The presentation will include habitat restoration, Superfund cleanup work, storm
water management, and community engagement. 

Template revised September 22, 2016.

COMMISSION AGENDA  Action Item No. 7a                                  Page 2 of 6 
Meeting Date: April 10, 2018 

JUSTIFICATION 
The Port and Just Health Action were jointly awarded the grant, making this partnership unique
amongst the three awardees nationwide. The EPA has provided technical assistance for one
year to  support collaborative action between the Port of Seattle and Duwamish Valley
community members, facilitated by non-profit partner, Just Health Action, to pilot the "near-
Port Community Capacity Building Project." 
Just Health Action's work since 2004 in the Duwamish Valley provides distinct experience in the
specific needs of the pilot project. Its work targets the participation of low income, immigrant,
and minority communities in environmental health programs that improve health equity for all.
The organization regularly partners with community members, educational institutions, nonprofit
organizations,  community-based  groups,  businesses,  and  government  agencies  to
support environmental and community health issues in the Duwamish Valley. 
In order to ensure durable outcomes, the EPA has extended its technical assistance to pilot
project partners until September 30, 2018 (Attachment B). As a result, Just Health Action
remains the most appropriate service provider to ensure the ongoing success of the project. 
Moving forward under the grant, the Port executed a non-competitive personal services
consulting contract with Just Health Action for $49,999.00 on May 19, 2017.   The Port
recommends we continue with Just Health Action and amend the contract authorizing JHA to
continue work on this project. In accordance with RCW 53.19.060 (1) we are requesting
Commission authorization to amend the existing contract in lieu of moving forward with a new
competitive process. The amended contract value will be $224,999 which exceeds fifty percent
of the value of the original contract. This amendment will be filed and made available for public
inspection prior to the proposed starting date of services under the amendment. 
DETAILS 
The 2011 Century Agenda calls for the Port of Seattle to steward our environment responsibly,
partner  with  surrounding  communities,  and conduct  ourselves  with  accountability and
transparency. To  support these values, Public Affairs and  the Center of Expertise  for
Environment and Sustainability (COE) seek to build stronger relationships between the Port, the
environmental community and our near-Port neighbors. A key strategy to improve these
relationships is to establish an open dialogue about the environmental impact that port-related
operations have on near-Port communities. In fall 2016, the Port applied for an EPA technical
assistance grant to begin this process with a primary focus in the Duwamish Valley. The
application was submitted jointly with the local environmental and community health nonprofit
, Just Health Action, (JHA) which offers dedicated expertise in this subject matter and
geographic focus.

Template revised September 22, 2016; format updates October 19, 2016.

COMMISSION AGENDA  Action Item No. 7a                                  Page 3 of 6 
Meeting Date: April 10, 2018 
Through the EPA's Pilot Project, selected ports and near-Port communities (Port of Seattle and
Duwamish Valley facilitated by Just Health Action) have received technical assistance from the
EPA to support project goals to: 
improve environmental health outcomes for communities affected by ports and
associated goods movement facilities, and 
improve environmental performance at ports by equipping industry and community
stakeholders with information, skills and guidance to effectively develop and
implement collaborative actions that reduce environmental pollution. 
Pilot project participants have spent the past year testing and refining the EPA's new draft
stakeholder engagement and capacity building tools, the Ports Primer for Communities, the
Community Action Roadmap, and the Environmental Justice Primer for Ports. 
In addition, significant progress has been made in 2017. The Port and DV stakeholders began
constructive dialogue on environmental health and livability concerns, informed the community
about the Port's legal authorities and role in regional economic development, identified
additional avenues and resources to address concerns, and began developing shared goals for
ongoing partnerships.
Duwamish Valley community members provided the Port with a list of opportunities that would
help address concerns and impacts from Port operations. A Port-Community Action Team was
formed to prioritize and work on the community's issues. Project participants have made
progress on this groundbreaking project and have identified the need for additional time and
funding to bring the pilot project to successful completion. 
The Port is poised to gather the lessons learned from the pilot and incorporate them into
strategic planning and new engagement best practices Port-wide. The process has already
revealed  critical  opportunities  to  integrate  equity  and  inclusion  best  practices  into
commonplace Port operations and programming. For example, staff has identified tangible and
immediate action areas related to the Port's community engagement practices, hiring and
recruitment processes, environmental and sustainability planning, and public communications
and outreach procedures. The project needs additional time and resources to ensure that these
lessons get appropriately integrated into Port operations and processes. 
Scope of Work 
The scope of work will include: 
(1)   Consultation on best practices working with near-Port communities, focusing on lowincome
and minority community members; 
(2)   Workshops and other relevant engagement activities related to the pilot project, 
(3)   Analysis  on  outcomes  to  ensure  sustainability  and  long-term  project  impact  for
community and Port stakeholders; 

Template revised September 22, 2016; format updates October 19, 2016.

COMMISSION AGENDA  Action Item No. 7a                                  Page 4 of 6 
Meeting Date: April 10, 2018 
(4)   Collaboration with Port staff and leadership to develop and negotiate a Community
Benefits Agreement; 
(5)   Assistance in implementing tangible action areas that improve community access to
Port benefits; 
(6)   Recommendations  on  social  equity  and  inclusion  policy  development  and  best
practices related to Port operations. 
Schedule 
April 2018 to April 2020 is the anticipated amended timeline of the current contract to support
Duwamish Valley communities through Just Health Action. Community engagement work will
begin immediately upon Commission action. 
Activity 
Commission design authorization               2018 Quarter 2 
Design start                                       NA 
Commission construction authorization          NA 
Construction start                                NA 
In-use date                                       NA 
Cost Breakdown                                     This Request           Total Project 
Design                                                           $0                     $0 
Construction                                                      0                      0 
Total                                                                   $0                       $0 
ALTERNATIVES AND IMPLICATIONS CONSIDERED 
Alternative 1  Do not renew the contract with DV community through Just Health Action. 
Cost Implications: Zero. 
Pros: 
(1) Lowest financial cost. 
Cons: 
(1) This alternative will undermine the Port's achievements already made through its pilot
of community engagement best practices over the past year and does not take
advantage of the EPA's extension of the technical assistance grant. 
(2) The project will end without final pilot project outcomes achieved for neither
community nor Port stakeholders. 
This is not the recommended alternative. 


Template revised September 22, 2016; format updates October 19, 2016.

COMMISSION AGENDA  Action Item No. 7a                                  Page 5 of 6 
Meeting Date: April 10, 2018 
Alternative 2  Minimal funds provided for contract renewal with DV community through Just
Health Action. 
Cost Implications: $144,000. 
Pros: 
(1) Lower financial cost for continuing project next steps. 
Cons: 
(1) A reduced commitment will enable the project to continue until fall 2018, when the EPA
pilot concludes, but will not provide enough time to develop and implement
opportunities to effectively address foundational community concerns related to Port
operations. 
(2) Limited resources will not tangibly address DV community concerns nor reduce Portassociated
harms to community health. 
This is not the recommended alternative. 
Alternative 3  Fully fund partnership and collaboration in the DV community through Just
Health Action. 
Cost Implications: $175,000 
Pros: 
(1) This option will ensure that the project fully achieves the desired outcomes of both Port
and community stakeholders. 
(2) This option will ensure confidence in DV and other near-Port EJ communities that the
Port is an ally and trusted public agency to support economic prosperity throughout our
region. 
(3) This option is the strongest demonstration of the Port's commitment and positions the
Port for national recognition through the EPA Ports Initiative. 
Cons: 
(1) Higher initial cost. 
This is the recommended alternative. 
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS 
Cost Estimate/Authorization Summary               Capital        Expense           Total 
COST ESTIMATE 
Original estimate                                          $0        $175,000        $175,000 
AUTHORIZATION 
Previous authorizations                                    0                0                0 
Current request for authorization                          0                0        $175,000 
Total authorizations, including this request                  0                0        $175,000 
Remaining amount to be authorized                    $0             $0       $175,000 

Template revised September 22, 2016; format updates October 19, 2016.

COMMISSION AGENDA  Action Item No. 7a                                  Page 6 of 6 
Meeting Date: April 10, 2018 

Annual Budget Status and Source of Funds 
The source of funds is the Center of Expertise on the Environment and Sustainability. 
Financial Analysis and Summary 
Project cost for analysis              $175,000 
Business Unit (BU)                  NA 
Effect on business performance    NA 
(NOI after depreciation) 
IRR/NPV (if relevant)                NA 
CPE Impact                       NA 
Future Revenues and Expenses (Total cost of ownership) 
NA 
ATTACHMENTS TO THIS REQUEST 
(1)   Presentation slides 
(2)   EPA Letter Indicating the Extension of Technical Assistance for the Project into Sep.
2018 
(3)   Community-identified Opportunities and Concerns List 
PREVIOUS COMMISSION ACTIONS OR BRIEFINGS 
None 








Template revised September 22, 2016; format updates October 19, 2016.