Item No.   11a_supp
Date:      June 8, 2021
2021 State Legislative Session Review and Federal
Affairs Look Ahead
Briefing to Port of Seattle Commission
June 8, 2021
Eric ffitch, Manager, State Government Relations, Port of Seattle
Eric Schinfeld, Senior Manager, Federal and International Government Relations, Port of Seattle
Trent House, Contract Lobbyist
Dennis McLerran, Contract Consultant


1

Overview
High-level recap of 2021 Legislative Session, which adjourned on Sunday, April 25th
Adopted three budgets: transportation, operating, and capital.
LCFS and Operating Budget pass in final hours of session
Port priority items  Big successes! But more work to be done
Finally successful in push for low carbon fuel standard
Secured state funding partnership for Quiet Sound program
Swift passage of technical correction to airline catering legislation passed in 2020
Additional items of interest
Juneteenth
Tourism funding
Environmental cleanup projects
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Priority Agenda Items
Low Carbon Fuel Standard: In final hours of the 2021
session, this long-held Port of Seattle priority was
negotiated and passed and sent to the Governor for his
signature. Major step forward in Washington's and the
Port 's efforts to fight climate change and reduce air
pollution in communities.
Airline catering workers: With only a few days till session, the Port brought a technical issue to
Senator Keiser, and asked her to help clarify that the Port had the authority to implement
minimum labor standards for certain employees. The bill sailed through with little opposition and
will be big for our flight kitchen employees.
Quiet Sound funding: In spite of not being included in Governor Inslee's
budget request, the Port led a coalition of maritime industry leaders,
environmental advocates, and more to push for $250,000 in annual
funding for each of the next two years to implement the Quiet Sound
voluntary vessel noise reduction program.
3

Additional Port Priorities
Cap-and-invest (SB 5126)                              CPARB reauthorization

Streamlined sales tax mitigation                      Port districts retail broadband authority

Model Toxics Control Act funding                    HEAL Act

Juneteenth

4

More Work to be Done
Transportation revenue package
2:1 match for local improvement projects
Tax increment financing bill



5

Next Steps
Funding and other follow ups: LCFS next steps; Quiet Sound
implementation; transportation special session?
Interim meetings with lawmakers (July-December 2021)
Potential small group tours with legislative stakeholders (July-
September 2021)
2022 Legislative Agenda Development (now through November
2021)                                                      6

Federal Political Context
President Biden has prioritized infrastructure and climate action as a main
focus of his Administration
American Jobs Plan
Regulatory actions and executive orders
Negotiations with Senate Republicans
Additional Port priorities with potential for action this year:
Policing reform
Equity
COVID recovery (i.e.  travel & tourism)
50-50 Senate split creates major challenges for legislative action
"Budget Reconciliation" is a potential path for major progress, but limited to issues with a fiscal
nexus

7

American Jobs Plan (& American Families Plan)
the path forward
There are not 60 votes for a $2.3B infrastructure & climate bill (plus $1.8B for family policies) in
the US Senate. Therefore, to enact some or all of these policies:
Either
50-vote budget reconciliation process (only Democratic votes)
Limits inclusion of policy, all aspects would need a budgetary nexus
Unclear whether there are 50 votes for this approach
Or
60 vote "traditional infrastructure only" bill THEN a climate (plus family policy)
reconciliation package
Unclear whether there are 60 votes for the former
Unclear whether there are 50 Democratic votes for the latter
8

Climate Legislation* and Other Priorities
Climate
Sustainable Aviation Fuel Act: SAF Blender's Tax Credit, FAA grant program, EPA Low Carbon Aviation Fuel
Standard, DoD purchasing requirement, FAA/DOE/Ag research programs
SAF Blenders Tax Credit Legislation: SAF BTC only
Climate Smart Ports Act: $1 billion-a-year zero-emissions ports infrastructure program
Resilient Ports Act: creates eligibility within the Port Infrastructure Development Program (PIDP) for port
environmental and resiliency projects
CLEAN Future Act: authorizes $565 billion in spending over the next decade to achieve US decarbonization,
including $2 billion annually to decarbonize and electrify port infrastructure and operations.
Other
Policing reform negotiations (Scott/Bass/Booker)
Endless Frontiers Act/US Innovation & Competition Act (includes Office of Manufacturing and Industrial
Innovation, plus some helpful trade/tariff policies)
FY22 Appropriations
*Best chances for any of these bills would be as part of the American Jobs Plan
9

Executive/Regulatory Action
Significant regulatory action on climate, immigration, equity and other
priorities
On climate:
Initiated action to address 120 of the 210 environmental actions taken by
the Trump Administration
New focus on offshore wind
Updating grant criteria in BUILD, INFRA and PIDP
New grant programs (i.e.-FAA Environmental Pilot Program Grant)
No action yet on trade and tariffs

10

Port Advocacy Next Steps
Sharing support for American Jobs Plan with Washington
Congressional delegation and Biden Administration (SecDoT retweet!)
Working to build champions for SAF and maritime decarbonization
efforts within Delegation
Engaging with PNNL & DOE to identify opportunities for port
decarbonization pilot programs, demonstration projects or
partnerships
Seeking FY22 appropriations earmarks and increased programmatic
funding for key Port infrastructure and community programs

11

Questions?

Thanks for your engagement in our expansive advocacy work!
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