Celebrating Earth Day: PNWA member environmental achievements and initiatives
In celebration of Earth Day, PNWA would like to recognize the environmental efforts of our members, and highlight PNWA's 2010 environmental agenda.
PNWA 2010 Climate Change Agenda
For over 75 years, PNWA has advocated for the development of low cost, fuel efficient and clean infrastructure to support the Northwest economy and environment. To continue our efforts, PNWA's has included the following initiatives in our 2010 Priority Action Agenda:
Transportation Efficiencies
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Maintain and improve navigation capabilities. Maximizing navigation capabilities is the best solution for meeting America's need for environmentally responsible, efficient and affordable transportation. It is the least polluting and most fuel efficient mode of transportation. Each year, barging on the Columbia and Snake Rivers keeps 700,000 trucks off the highways running through the sensitive airshed of the Columbia River Gorge. Barges get 576 ton-miles to the gallon. That is better than rail and truck combined. Supporting navigation means fewer trucks on the road, less road congestion, greater public safety, and a cleaner environment.
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Improve rural and intermodal rail connections. Rural communities need a robust short line rail capability to reduce truck hauls from farm and factory to the market. After navigation, rail is the cleanest way to move cargo.
Energy Efficiencies
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Maintain hydropower capabilities. Hydropower is a renewable resource. Federal policy should reflect that. Hydropower generates low cost, carbon-free electricity and is imperative to maintaining a clean environment in the Northwest. It would take 3 nuclear, 6 coal-fired, or 14 gas-fired power plants to generate the same peaking capacity provided by the four lower Snake River dams. Hydropower reduces carbon dioxide emissions by an amount equal to the annual exhaust of 62.2 million passenger cars, or half of the cars currently on U.S. roads.
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Support new energy development. Support development of new wind, solar, wave and biomass energy projects to meet regional demand. Integrate renewables while maintaining system reliability and meeting customer load requirements.
Ecosystem Restoration
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Support Sec. 536 funding for ecosystem restoration in the lower Columbia River estuary.
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Support extending the duration and increasing the funding authority for Sec. 536.
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Support funding for cleanup of toxic and conventional pollutants in the Columbia River basin.
Air Emissions Reductions
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Support federal grant funding for diesel emission reductions in DERA, the Diesel Emissions Reduction Act.
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Expand DERA grant eligibility criteria to include attainment areas.
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Support port and towboat members with transitions to cleaner power sources.
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Fund the Clean Diesel Initiative grant program at the Congressionally-authorized level of $200M.
Streamline Permitting Process
Since 2000, PNWA has been working with Congress and the federal agencies to help identify and overcome barriers and expedite the permitting process for economic and environmental projects. We have had great success. Accomplishments include peer review of the Northwestern Division's permitting processes, Corps Headquarters assigning additional staff to the Seattle district, revision of the Sediment Evaluation Framework (SEF), and implementation of WRDA Section 214. We continue to work to these ends, including a permanent extension of Section 214 and ongoing work on the agencies' internal processes.
PNWA Member Initiatives
Towboat Industry
Bernert, Foss, Shaver and Tidewater are investing millions of dollars to upgrade equipment to ensure a cleaner environment and conservation of natural resources. New tugs are being built and older tugs are being repowered with EPA Tier II compliant clean burn diesel engines, cutting fuel consumption by 32%, oil consumption by 90%, and emissions by up to 50%.
In addition to these overall improvements, each barge line is focusing on individual projects as well:
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Foss Maritime received the US Coast Guard Admiral Benkert Award gold medal for environmental excellence in 2008 and most recently received the prestigious ISO 14001 environmental certification. Foss will use this certification as a blueprint to achieve its "zero trace" corporate goal. Foss has built the world's first true hybrid tug boat, a green vessel that significantly reduces harmful nitrogen oxide, particulate matter, sulfur dioxide, and carbon emissions.
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Shaver Transportation has built and installed a cold iron barge at Port of Portland's Terminal 6. This tug tie-up allows vessels to plug in rather than run their engines while awaiting assignments, eliminating emissions and greatly reducing fuel consumption.
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Tidewater Barge Lines has instituted a comprehensive program of behavior based safety training to further ensure safety of personnel and protection of the environment. They also plan to have all of their fuel barges replaced with double hull barges by 2011, four years ahead of regulatory requirements
Ports
Pacific Northwest ports are making great strides in the areas of environmental protection, wetland habitat and ecosystem restoration, airshed emission reduction, and water efficiency. The following highlights some of the individual projects they are working on:
Port of Garibaldi. With a grant from DEQ's Clean Water Program, the Port of Garibaldi updated its catch basins, directing water from parking lots and streets to new basins where solids and oil are separated, allowing clean water to enter the bay. The Port also provides an oil recycling center for boaters, and maintains a response center to supply the necessary equipment to meet the needs of oil spill response.
Port of Benton. The Port of Benton successfully converted over 60 tons of biomass from grape pomace, mint slug, spent hops, wheat straw and sawdust into pellets to prove the feasibility of converting biomass into energy/heat producing pellets. This type of biomass gasification is a viable alternative green power for our region's utilities.
Port of Portland. In 2008, the Port of Portland's natural resources program was awarded a ninth consecutive environmental achievement award from the American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA). Portland's comprehensive efforts to protect native species and control invasive species around its facilities were honored. Projects include enhanced habitat for streaked horned larks, invasive species monitoring stations, and a wildlife undercrossing that helps native animals access wetland areas without having to cross a busy road. The port has also initiated numerous strategies to reduce vehicle idling and improve air quality, reduce energy use, and minimize waste. In April 2010, the Port is consolidating its headquarters to the Portland Airport and has incorporated numerous green building techniques such as ecoroofs, high-efficiency energy and plumbing systems, and recycled, regional, and rapidly renewable building materials. The building also features geothermal heating and cooling - and more than 17 miles of geothermal wells.
Port of Seattle. The Port of Seattle has a goal of being the cleanest, greenest, most energy efficient Port in the nation. They are the first cruise port in the country to provide shorepower at two cruise berths, so that vessels can shut their engines off while at berth. The Port of Seattle is also a founding reporter with the Climate Registry, and works proactively to improve water quality in Puget Sound and Elliott Bay. They organically maintain 19 acres of waterfront parks, which are some of only a few urban lands in Washington state to be certified safe for salmon. Through their capital development projects, the Port continues to improve the environment, including removing over 70,000 creosote pilings and building almost 4 acres of habitat on the Duwamish river.
Port of Skagit: The Port of Skagit has a long track record of proactive environmental stewardship. As the result of Skagit Wetlands and Industrial Negotiations program, there are now approximately 477 acres of high functioning, protected wetlands and wetland buffers on Port property. In addition, the Port maintains approximately 20 acres of restored wetlands as a result of the multi-agency wetland mitigation agreement implemented in 2000. The Port has developed and is updating a Stormwater Management Program, to be fully implemented in 2011, that includes approximately 1,800 acres of Port-owned land and is intended to protect downstream water quality. In 2010, the Port of Skagit enacted a new Resource Conservation Plan with a goal of reducing energy consumption in port-occupied facilities by 10 percent from 2008 levels within two years. The Port also plays a leading role in the ongoing effort to keep the Swinomish Channel open, thus addressing carbon footprint/green house gas savings by maintaining a shorter travel route for marine traffic on Puget Sound.
Port of Tacoma. A $1.5M federal grant will add shore power infrastructure this year to the Port of Tacoma's Totem Ocean Trailer Express (TOTE) terminal. TOTE matched the grant by investing $1M to adapt two ships with plug-in capabilities, eliminating approximately 1,400 tons of greenhouse gas emissions and 2 tons of diesel particulate emissions each year. In addition, the Port's 2008-09 demolition program provided incentives to contractors who reused or recycled more than 65 percent of removed material. On average, contractors diverted 87% (7,071 tons) of the material from landfills - enough to fill about 275 dump trucks. The Port owns 60 acres of forested hillside that creates a natural buffer between the industrial operations and nearby neighborhoods, and it has also restored an additional 75 acres of habitat to support salmon and a wide variety of plants and other wildlife. The Port is also pioneering low impact development technologies to prevent water pollution. Pilot "tree in a box" results show native trees can filter out 90 percent of zinc from stormwater runoff.
Port of Vancouver, USA. The Port of Vancouver, USA continues to undertake major environmental advances. They have moved forward on plans to create a 157 acre wetland mitigation bank on port-owned property, and installed a pump-and-treat "air stripping" system to remove trichloroethylene and solvent contaminants from West Vancouver's Fruit Valley neighborhood. Over 200 acres of land, newly named Port of Vancouver Terminal 5, has been certified clean by Washington Department of Ecology and is already being used to store wind energy parts. The port has also joined the Columbia River Clean Diesel Project to reduce diesel particulate matter in the Portland/Vancouver area along the Columbia River and has received, along with two of their tenants, $379,000 in WA State Clean Diesel Grants to retrofit equipment at the port and ultimately reduce particulate matter up to 50%. The Port also treats 99% of all stormwater on its industrial property and continues to research additional ways to incorporate sustainable, low impact development technology on future development projects.
Oregon and Washington Clean Marina Programs. The Clean Marina programs in Oregon and Washington are voluntary port initiatives to protect and improve local water quality by promoting the use of environmentally sensitive practices at marinas. If a facility is in compliance with existing environmental regulations and uses a high percentage of the recommended best management practices, it can be certified as an Oregon or Washington Clean Marina. Many PNWA member ports are working to become certified, or have already done so.
Northwest Ports Clean Air Strategy. To reduce maritime and port related diesel and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, the Ports of Tacoma and Seattle, and Port Metro Vancouver (Canada), have formed a landmark partnership through the Northwest Ports Clean Air Strategy. In this strategy, they set shared goals for reduction of diesel emissions and green house gases for 2010 and 2015. Initial results in 2010 have shown that goals are either being met or exceeded, preventing tons of pollution from entering the local environment.
Puget Sound Maritime Emissions Inventory. The Ports of Tacoma and Seattle, along with many partners (including the American Lung Association, EPA, US Coast Guard, US Navy), are funding the Puget Sound Marine Emissions Inventory, and have already committed to $318,000 in funding to replace and retrofit cargo handling equipment at the two ports. They are developing and implementing air pollution control strategies for vessels and on the docks. The ports are also modifying equipment to operate on clean propane, switching to ultra-low-emission fuels, using bio-diesel and working with cargo and cruise vessels to reduce air emissions.
Many PNWA member ports are also working to develop environmental initiatives that also enhance the economic value they currently provide their communities. In addition to the examples listed above, ports like Woodland have retrofitted buildings with energy saving light fixtures to make their properties more energy efficient and provide clients with lower energy costs. Upriver, ports like Walla Walla are engaging in watershed restoration projects. Many are also planning new bio-fuel facilities to produce cleaner fuels and reduce the use of fossil fuels. Together, PNWA member ports are making great efforts to invest in a cleaner and greener Pacific Northwest.
Other PNWA-Member Organizations
PNGC Power. PNGC Power supports creation of a wave energy pilot project in Reedsport, Oregon. A wave energy park is currently being developed and it is anticipated to sell electricity commercially with PNGC Power's participation. A demonstration buoy is expected to be fabricated and launched in the Pacific Ocean near Reedsport this year. PNGC Power also provides operational and management expertise at the Coffin Butte Resource Project located north of Corvallis, Oregon. The project generates 5.66 megawatts of clean, renewable power from landfill gas, a natural by-product of the organic matter in the neighboring regional landfill. Coffin Butte, which began operation in 1995, allows several electric cooperatives to offer customers "green power" as a way to support renewable resources.
Weyerhaeuser. Weyerhaeuser is reducing its greenhouse gas emissions 40% by 2020 while reducing its reliance on fossil fuels. They are doing this by generating 72% of their energy from renewable biomass and installing cleaner boilers that generate steam and electrical energy in their mills. Weyerhaeuser has also sequestered 2.6 times more carbon, primarily in wood products, than it emitted last year, reduced air and water emissions, recovered 6.7 million tons of used paper, or 13 percent of the total recycled in the United States, and has obtained independent certification that all of the forests it manages or owns in North America meet the Sustainable Forestry Initiative Standard or the Canadian Standards Association sustainable forest management standard. Their environmental sustainability report is available online at www.wy.com/environment/sustainability.
We applaud the efforts of our members, and look forward to sharing more of their environmental achievements. For additional details regarding the information above, log on to our website, www.pnwa.net. If you would like to add your organization's achievements and initiatives to this document, please contact Heather Stebbings at heather.stebbings@pnwa.net or 503-234-8553.
