Item Number:
Meeting Date:
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
10a_reso
September 10, 2024
PORT OF SEATTLE
RESOLUTION NO. 3827
A RESOLUTION of the Port of Seattle Commission in opposition of
Washington State ballot Initiative 2117, concerning carbon
tax credit trading.
WHEREAS, the voters of King County authorized and approved the formation of a port
district coterminous with King County to be known as the Port of Seattle in a special election
on September 5, 1911; and
WHEREAS, the Port of Seattle Commission is the legally constituted governing body
of the Port of Seattle; and
WHEREAS, the Port of Seattle's Century Agenda guides our actions to: "Be the
greenest and most energy efficient port in North America." Objectives and strategies to achieve
this goal include advocating for reducing air pollutants and carbon emissions across port
operations, facilities, and transport of goods and people; growing electrification infrastructure
through electric vehicle (EV) charging stations and shorepower capacity; advancing
decarbonization through support for innovation accelerator hubs, emerging climate protection
technologies, and low and zero-emission energy sources and innovation to grow renewable
clean energy industries; working with local communities to reduce harm of environmental
racism; and
WHEREAS, the Climate Commitment Act (CCA), passed by the Washington State
Legislature in 2021, created a "cap and invest" system to incentivize polluters to reduce
greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) in alignment with the GHG reduction goals set by Senate Bill
6001 of 2007 and House Bill 2311 of 2020 for Washington State; and
WHEREAS, the CCA seeks to grow infrastructure and investments through reinvesting
revenue generated by the carbon cap and invest system via state agencies and local
governments to deliver resources to tribal and overburdened communities to create and
implement climate resiliency strategies, improve air quality and health outcomes related to
pollution, advance emissions reductions in the transportation and transit sector, support the
transition to clean energy, active transportation, ecosystem resilience, and carbon sequestration;
and
WHEREAS, funding generated by the CCA will support many environmental and
climate initiatives that include Port of Seattle priorities in building decarbonization, GHG
reduction, clean energy supply chain studies and manufacturing, restoration and protection of
salmon habitat, shore power infrastructure, zero emissions vehicles and fleets, port
Resolution No. 3827, Opposing I-2117
Page 1 of 3
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
electrification, green jobs accelerator programs, research and development on sustainable fuels,
air quality mitigation in South King County, and EV charging infrastructure; and
WHEREAS, the Port of Seattle, Port of Tacoma, and The Northwest Seaport Alliance
are working to meet the goals identified in the Northwest Ports Clean Air Strategy to reduce
impacts of diesel particulate matter and greenhouse gas emissions tied to health impacts in
frontline communities adjacent to our gateways are experiencing; and
WHEREAS, The Northwest Seaport Alliance, a port development authority for the Port
of Tacoma and Port of Seattle to manage container, break bulk, and auto terminals on behalf of
both homeports, is leading the Clean Truck Program which requires trucks servicing NWSA
terminals to have a 2007 or newer engine or have an equivalent emission control certification.
The NWSA also co-leads the Puget Sound Zero-Emission Truck Collaborative, an initiative
that seeks to meet 2050 GHG emission reduction goals through a number of strategies such as
increasing the number of zero emission drayage trucks deployed in our region made possible
through a federal and state resources, such as CCA revenue; and
WHEREAS, the enacted state budget has allocated an additional $14 million towards a
demonstration Northwest Seaport Alliance shorepower project that would be eliminated by I2117, if passed. The loss of program funding poses risks to future work by the NWSA to
support independent drayage truck owner/operators to purchase zero-emission medium and
heavy-duty vehicles for the transport of goods across the region, the purchase of zero emission
cargo handling equipment and shore power investments; and
WHEREAS, the enacted state budget has allocated an additional $250,000 to
supplement the work of the Port of Seattle's Sustainable Maritime Fuels Collaborative that
would be eliminated by I-2117, if passed; and
WHEREAS, local resources alone would be inadequate to meet the scale of need to
deliver climate infrastructure, access to living wage green career training, and environmental
and community health improvements for Port of Seattle constituents and drive economic benefit
for Washington State; and
WHEREAS, repeal of Washington State's cap and invest program will cause
irreparable harm to our state and local efforts to reduce GHG emissions, grow critical
infrastructure to keep Washington State residents healthier and businesses vibrant, and build
community resiliency against the increasing threat of climate change.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Port of Seattle Commission hereby
expresses its opposition to Initiative 2117, a proposal that will cause severe negative impacts
for state and local public agencies to deliver services for constituents, protect and restore
natural habitats, invest in climate and wildfire resiliency for every Washington community,
especially those that have experienced generations of environmental racism, grow the climate
tech and renewable clean energy sector and the businesses and jobs it will require, support
decarbonization of maritime and aviation industries, and more.
Resolution No. 3827, Opposing I-2117
Page 2 of 3
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
ADOPTED by the Port of Seattle Commission at a duly noticed public meeting thereof,
held this
day of September, 2024, and duly authenticated in open session by the signatures
of the commissioners voting in favor thereof and the seal of the commission.
Port of Seattle Commission
Resolution No. 3827, Opposing I-2117
Page 3 of 3