COMMISSION 
AGENDA MEMORANDUM                        Item No.          10b 
ACTION ITEM                            Date of Meeting     November 16, 2021 

DATE:     October 6, 2021 
TO:        Stephen P. Metruck, Executive Director 
FROM:    Stephanie Meyn, Sr. Environmental Program Manager, Aviation 
Arlyn Purcell, Director, Aviation Environment & Sustainability 
SUBJECT:  Memorandum of Understanding Between the Port of Seattle and King County for a
Feasibility Study Related to Municipal Solid Waste Conversion to Liquid Fuels 
ACTION REQUESTED 
Request Commission authorization  to authorize the Executive Director to enter into a
Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with King County (the County) to jointly manage a
technical and economic feasibility study of regional municipal solid waste (MSW) conversion to
liquid fuels including sustainable aviation fuel; and (2) To authorize the Executive Director to
advertise, award, and execute a contract on behalf of the parties in the MOU to conduct the
MSW-to-fuel feasibility study. 
The funding for this study was previously authorized by the Commission on November 17, 2020
as part of the Port Commission's 2021 Budget Amendment No. 2, and was included in the 2022
Budget. 
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 
In 2017, the Commission set a 10-year goal of having 10% of the fuel used at Sea-Tac Airport
(SEA) to be made from sustainable sources found in the region. In 2019, the Port funded
Washington State University (WSU) to identify potential feedstocks to produce Sustainable
Aviation Fuel (SAF) to meet the goal. WSU found that municipal solid waste (MSW) was the most
readily available and economically viable sustainable feedstock in the region.
On November 17, 2020, the Port allocated up to $250,000 from the $5 million set-aside in the
Sustainable Aviation Fuels and Air Emissions Reduction Fund to evaluate the technical, logistical
and financial feasibility of partnering with the County and other potential regional partners on
converting regional MSW to sustainable liquid fuels, including on-road, maritime, and aviation. 
Lines 1640-1645 of the adopted 2021-2022 King County Biennial Budget includes the following
expenditure restriction for the Solid Waste Division: "Of this appropriation $250,000 shall be
expended or encumbered solely to evaluate the technical, logistical and financial feasibility of
partnering with the Port of Seattle to direct some or substantially all of the municipal solid waste

Template revised January 10, 2019.

COMMISSION AGENDA  Action Item No. _10b__                              Page 2 of 4 
Meeting Date: November 16, 2021 
and other material received at county solid waste facilities to the Port of Seattle sustainable
aviation fuel project for conversion into sustainable jet fuel and other fuels." 
This Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) forms a partnership with the County to conduct this
jointly funded feasibility study and outlines the roles and responsibilities of each party. 
As described in the MOU, the Port will conduct the procurement process. We expect to begin
that process immediately upon executing the MOU, which is why authorization to advertise,
award, and execute a contract is also included in this action. 
JUSTIFICATION 
This project supports the following Century Agenda and Commission goals and objectives: 
(1)      Be the greenest and most energy-efficient port in North America 
(2)      Reduce Scope 3 greenhouse gas emissions 50 percent below 2007 levels by 2030 
(3)      Power every flight fueled at SEA with at least a 10% blend of sustainable aviation fuel
(SAF) by 2028. 
The most viable feedstock or source of sustainable fuel in this region is MSW, and the County is
uniquely positioned in this region to help meet the demand for renewable fuels as we
decarbonize the transportation sector, and air travel. This work will also help support economic
development of the clean energy sector in this region and could help meet the production
volume thresholds required in the Washington Clean Fuel Standard. 
Diversity in Contracting 
Diversity in Contracting Department will be contacted regarding this procurement to establish 
women- and minority-owned business enterprise goals and inclusion in this procurement. 
DETAILS 
The Scope of Work for the study was developed by the County and Port staff in parallel with the
MOU and will be immediately integrated into the advertisement. 
To help guide the study, we anticipate forming a Technical Advisory Committee of fuel and waste
experts who do not have a conflict of interest with the potential respondents to the
advertisement. This approach is similar to the Sustainable Aviation Fuels Infrastructure Feasibility
Study that was conducted in 2016 with the technical support of Boeing, Alaska Airlines, and the
president of SEA's fuel consortium. 
Scope of Work 
The purpose of this work is to evaluate the feasibility of directing some or all of the MSW and
other material received at the County and other regional (western WA and OR) solid waste
facilities to a potential future sustainable fuel production facility. The study will provide insight
into the potential costs and benefits from building and operating a renewable fuel production
facility that uses regionally-generated MSW.

Template revised June 27, 2019 (Diversity in Contracting).

COMMISSION AGENDA  Action Item No. _10b__                              Page 3 of 4 
Meeting Date: November 16, 2021 
While the entire scope of work won't be released until contract advertising, the main areas for
this feasibility study include:
Potential waste-to-fuel technologies,  including the specific waste stream and pretreatment
needs 
Quality and quantity of the County's and western Washington/Oregon waste stream
suitable for conversion to liquid fuels 
Capital and operating expenses of a fuel production facility including siting and
transportation costs of the finished fuel to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) and
other key fuel hubs, along with any revenue generated from waste, tipping fees, and sales
of other fuel production co-products 
Benefits of co-locating or coordinating with other waste handling and/or fuel processing
facilities, waste management companies, and fuel end-user(s),
Changes required to waste management plans, policies, or regulations within county,
regional, and state government to accommodate a waste-to-fuel facility 
Impact of diverting MSW on County Solid Waste Division (SWD) current operations and
finances including the existing contract for renewable natural gas generated by Cedar Hills
Regional Landfill
Potential equity and social justice implications for host communities, emissions,
employment, etc.,
Options for future land and facility ownership and operation. 

Schedule 
The combined value of the Port and the County's contribution classify this procurement as a 
Category (CAT) 3. The schedule to advertise and execute is the following: 
Activity 
Commission authorization                      Q4 2021 
Advertise                                        Q1 2022 
Contract execution                              Q2 2022 
Substantial completion                          Q4 2022 
Final report                                        Q1 2023 

ALTERNATIVES AND IMPLICATIONS CONSIDERED 
1.  Do not sign the proposed MOU with the County but continue to conduct the study. The
Port could pursue the procurement and conduct the study without a partnership with the
County. This alternative requires the Port to reduce the funding and corresponding SOW
for this study, including specific analyses needed to understand the costs and benefits of
locating a SAF facility in King County. This would reduce the likelihood that the results

Template revised June 27, 2019 (Diversity in Contracting).

COMMISSION AGENDA  Action Item No. _10b__                              Page 4 of 4 
Meeting Date: November 16, 2021 
would help the Port achieve its environmental goals and carbon reduction objectives.
This is not the recommended alternative.
2.  Do not sign the MOU and do not conduct the study. This alternative does not meet the
Commission's expectation to use up to $250,000 to collaborate with the County on a
study, and would not advance the Port's advocacy on SAF to help meet Century Agenda
goals. This is not the recommended alternative.
3.  Sign the proposed MOU and conduct the study in partnership with the County.  This
alternative ensures that the study includes both the expertise and funding support
provided by the County and provides robust results. This is the recommended alternative. 
Annual Budget Status and Source of Funds 
The funding for this study was previously authorized by the Commission on November 17, 2020
as part of the Port Commission's 2021 Budget Amendment No. 2, and was included in the 2022
Budget. 
King County will pay the Port in one lump sum using funds from their adopted 2021-2022 King
County Biennial Budget at the time of contract execution for 50% of the total contract value, as
described in the MOU. 
ATTACHMENTS TO THIS REQUEST 
(1)   Memorandum of Understanding with King County 
(2)   Presentation Slides 
PREVIOUS COMMISSION ACTIONS OR BRIEFINGS 
November 17, 2020  The Commission allocated up to $250,000 from the $5 million set-aside
in  the  Sustainable  Aviation  Fuels  and  Air  Emissions  Reduction  Fund  in  the  Port
Commission's Budget Amendment No. 2. 







Template revised June 27, 2019 (Diversity in Contracting).