Item Number:        8c_reso 
Meeting Date:     January 28, 2020 


1                                        RESOLUTION NO. 3768 
2                                    (As Amended: November 19, 2019) 
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4              A RESOLUTION of the Port of Seattle Commission establishing a Sustainable 
5                                        Evaluation Framework Policy Directive. 
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7             WHEREAS, the Port of Seattle in the Century Agenda commits to create economic
8     opportunity  for  all,  steward  our  environment  responsibly,  partner  with  surrounding
9     communities, institutions, governments and businesses, to promote social responsibility, to
10    conduct ourselves transparently, and to hold ourselves accountable; and 
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12            WHEREAS, the urgency of the climate crisis drives the need for innovative and far-
13    reaching solutions; and 
14            WHEREAS, the Port of Seattle Commission is committed to reducing our carbon
15    footprint by in vesting in solutions to become the greenest and most efficient port in the
16    nation and we are further committed to assisting and incentivizing those we do business to 
17    reach these goals; and 
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19            WHEREAS, the Port of Seattle has been a leader in assessing greenhouse gas emissions
20    associated with capital projects and operations, and implementing mitigation strategies that
21    reduce emissions that contribute to climate change; and 
22            WHEREAS, the Port of Seattle Commission unanimously chartered the Energy and
23    Sustainability Committee by motion on January 26, 2016 tasking the Committee primarily to
24    develop and propose policy directives to guide the Port of Seattle's greenhouse gas (GHG)
25    emissions  reductions  effort,  with  a  focus  on  energy  efficiency  and  alternative  energy
26    generation; and 
27 
28            WHEREAS, the Port of Seattle Commission set ambitious targets to reduce greenhouse
29    gas emissions in alignment with the Paris Climate Agreement and other regional governments;
30    and 
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32            WHEREAS, by 2050, the port committed to make its directly controlled emissions
33    carbon neutral and to reduce its indirectly controlled sourced by 80 percent. We also have a
34    short-term goal in 2020 to reduce direct emissions by 15% and a medium-term goal to reduce
35    direct and indirect emissions by 50. We are currently negotiating the purchase of renewable
36    natural gas that could get us to our 2030 goals in 2020; and 
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38            WHEREAS,  the  Port  of  Seattle  Commission  adopted  recommendations  of  the
39    Committee  on  December  19,  2017,  directing  staff  to  develop  a  Sustainability  Project
40    Framework to assist the port in meeting its greenhouse gas reduction and sustainability goals 
41    by integrating sustainability considerations into key Port decisions is essential to achieving the
42    Port's long-term environmental and sustainability goals; and 
43 
44            WHEREAS, integrating sustainability into capital and operational decisions early in the
45    process building can reduce or eliminate negative environmental impacts, and can create
46    positive impacts on our climate and natural environment; and
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48            WHEREAS,  the  Sustainability  Project  Framework  is  also  intended  to  increase
49    transparency for the public and Port leadership regarding energy and sustainability related
50    decision making on Port projects; and 
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52            WHEREAS,  transparency for the public is a bedrock principle of this policy,  the
53    Commission will review in public alternatives and trade-offs that describe how a project can
54    meet its GHG and sustainability goals; and 
55 
56            WHEREAS, to further support transparency the Commission will review in public how
57    those sustainability goals are being accomplished and annually review upcoming large projects
58    that will likely come for authorization in any given year; and 
59 
60            WHEREAS,  the policy will give the Port Commission  the ability to transparently
61    authorize sustainability decisions for capital, operational decisions, procurement and leases by
62    considering short term financial implications and long term environmental and societal
63    benefits; and 
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65            WHEREAS, the Port of Seattle's focus on equity issues obligates the Port to consider its
66    impact on society and to collaborate with communities to promote diversity, inclusion, and
67    equity; 
68 
69            NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Port of Seattle Commission: 
70 
71    The Port of Seattle hereby directs the Executive  Director  to implement the Sustainable
72    Evaluation Framework Policy Directive attached as Exhibit A. 
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74 
75            ADOPTED by the Port of Seattle Commission at a duly noticed public meeting thereof, 
76    held this      ______  day   of     _______________________________  ,  2020,  and  duly 
77    authenticated in open session by the signatures of the commissioners voting in favor thereof
78    and the seal of the commission. 
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90                                                      Port of Seattle Commission













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