Environmental Objectives and Targets Results

Transcription

1 Environmental Objectives and Targets Results The Port of Portland operates under an Environmental Management System to continuously improve our environmental performance. Under our five environmental programs air quality, energy management, natural resources, water resources and waste minimization we establish objectives and targets each year. Under some targets, we include even more specific actions. Last year, we set 14 environmental targets or actions for our staff to work toward in the program year. We pursued our targets by calling upon the resources and expertise of Port staff and external partners. While we did not meet all our targets, we came close, and we are dedicated to pursuing these targets to completion. As always, we welcome your questions, comments and suggestions on these and future targets. Air Quality Objective: Minimize impacts to air quality Target: Reduce Port direct and indirect greenhouse gas emissions 15% below 1990 baseline levels by This is a multi-year target. Currently, we meet this target by purchasing Renewable Energy Credits (RECs). In addition, each year we identify specific actions that could assist us in achieving energy or fuel savings. Some of the Port s vehicle fleets have a green-vehicle purchasing strategy, while others do not. This year, we evaluated the feasibility of adopting strategies for the remaining vehicle fleets. To develop the strategies, we planned to modify an existing internal energy efficiency calculator to show fuel cost savings, life cycle costs, carbon dioxide emissions, and air toxics emission comparisons across different types of conventional and alternative fuel vehicles. Upon evaluation, the existing tool would have required substantial resources to add a modified dashboard, while only benefitting a handful of fleet managers. We are currently evaluating other options to support a green fleet purchasing strategy. Progress: The action associated with this multi-year target is 20% complete. The overall target is 100% complete through the purchase of RECs and energy efficiency projects. Target: Reduce diesel particulate matter from Port-controlled operations by 25% from 2000 baseline levels by This is a multi-year target. We continue to work on major, multi-year projects to achieve this target, including the Dredge Oregon repower and other efficiency efforts. Over the last year, our main action has been

2 evaluating the feasibility of switching to B20 biodiesel fuel within Marine and Industrial Development operations for vehicles that currently use B5 biodiesel. We conducted a study that considered fleet age, use, cost difference in fuel, equipment performance, fleet composition, purchasing strategy and other factors. The study revealed that we are currently phasing out the use of diesel for light trucks and the majority of existing diesel equipment is older and will not hold up to the corrosive effect of B20 biodiesel. As this older equipment is replaced, we may elect to purchase equipment that is more compatible with B20 biodiesel. Progress: The action associated with this multi-year target is 100% complete. We exceeded the overall target for diesel particulate matter reduction through equipment improvements and completion of Phase I of the Dredge Oregon repower. These actions delivered an over 40% reduction from our 2000 baseline levels. Energy Management Objective: Reduce energy consumption and purchase renewable energy Target: Purchase certified Renewable Energy Credits equivalent to 100% of Port-wide electric energy. We continued to uphold our commitment to 100% renewable power by purchasing 75,000 Renewable Energy Credits last year, which equates to about 75 million kilowatt hours of energy. This action resulted in the Port being consistently listed in the Top Ten in the Local Governments category under the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency s Green Power Partner ranking. Target: Reduce Port-wide energy consumption by at least 500,000 kilowatt hours over the course of the year. We exceeded our target by achieving a reduction of 526,225 kilowatt hours through energy conservation projects. This year s projects included an upgrade to the heating, cooling and ventilation system in Concourse A at Portland International Airport (PDX). The upgrade installed a system that is 20% more efficient than standard building code. Other projects included lighting upgrades in Concourse C, Concourse D and E loading bridges, and ramp areas at PDX and efficiency measures at the Central Utility Plant, which powers PDX. All combined, the projects resulted in 464 metric tons of annual carbon reduction. Natural Resources Objective: Minimize impacts and seek opportunities to enhance natural resources Target: Continue partnership with Friends of Trees by sponsoring and participating in tree plantings in neighborhoods adjacent to or near Port facilities. We were pleased to continue our partnership with Friends of Trees for a sixth consecutive year with a $10,000 sponsorship and staff participation in a neighborhood planting event near PDX. By sponsoring efforts to increase the extent of urban tree canopy, the Port can support a healthy

3 urban forest while avoiding conflicts that arise from having trees too close to critical aviation approach and departure paths. This initiative recognizes that the Port s operational activities have some unavoidable impacts on trees. A neighborhood tree planting associated with this funding occurred for the Beaumont-Wilshire, Cully and Roseway neighborhoods in March Target: Prepare Government Island for the establishment of a 50-acre upland grassland mitigation site, focusing on site preparation, planning, and monitoring. This is Phase I of a multi-phase target. We completed the second year of a 25-year, multi-phase project to establish an upland grassland mitigation site on Government Island. The advanced mitigation project is a result of the Airport Futures process, designed to offset the development and dedicated aviation use in the open areas on the west end of PDX. This year, we continued site preparation activities including removing invasive species from the site. A natural vegetative buffer at the inlet of the cove is showing signs of success. We also continued to monitor the site to establish baseline data to measure project progress. Monitoring during this period included wildlife and bird counts and vegetation surveys. Target: Complete milestones for a 25-year plan to seek out and fund projects that promote improvements to the City of Portland s urban tree canopy. This year, we awarded $20,600 to Friends of Trees for a tree planting project along Elrod Slough. The planting included about 90 trees and was completed in February This target is a product of the Airport Futures planning process and this year s project was reviewed and approved by the PDX Community Advisory Committee. Target: Complete milestones for a 25-year plan to seek out and fund projects that promote habitat enhancements to the Columbia Slough. This year, we awarded $30,900 to the Multnomah County Drainage District for the Elrod Slough Restoration Project. The project involved leveraging funds and resources from several partners including the Port, MCDD, the City of Portland s Revegetation Program, Columbia Slough Watershed Council, Friends of Trees and Verde. Work completed at the site removed invasive species and planted natives, increased flood storage capacity, improved wildlife habitat and created a recreational amenity buffered from turtle habitat. This target is a product of the Airport Futures planning process and this year s project was reviewed and approved by the PDX Community Advisory Committee. Target: Implement a planting plan for a wetland enhancement project for 6.2 acres of Portowned property just south of IKEA in the Portland International Center. This is Phase I of a multi-phase target. This spring, we completed Phase I of a multi-year project for wetland enhancements at the Portland International Center. We planted 960 plants consisting of 14 different native species. The plants were marked and mulched and will continue to be monitored for plant survival. This project was identified through the Airport Futures process and our overall goal with the site is to convert it into a native scrub-shrub wetland.

4 Water Resources Objective: Minimize impacts to water resources Target: Investigate opportunities to improve stormwater quality through improvements to the swales at Terminal 4. The current swales draining the Toyota facility at Terminal 4 provide limited residence time for stormwater to infiltrate into the swales and do not adequately allow for pollutant uptake by vegetation. Through this target, we decided to conduct an investigation to evaluate ways to increase residence time, improve infiltration and potentially enhance bio-filtration through different vegetation types. We selected a consultant to perform the assessment and the work is scheduled for completion in Fall Information resulting from this effort will also contribute to the development of Port stormwater design standards. Progress: This target is 10% complete. Target: Develop a Water Conservation Baseline Study to provide a basis for water conservation strategy development and for setting water conservation goals. We completed a water conservation baseline study, which compiled water use data, expenditures, and existing water conservation measures. The study also identified a priority list of facilities to conduct water audits based on the current volume of water used. The study provides us with the basis to begin developing a Port-wide Water Conservation Strategy, to include a list of water conservation opportunities, an evaluation tool to rank projects, a set of Port-specific prioritization criteria, and the eventual creation of water conservation opportunity portfolios. Waste Minimization Objective: Reduce waste generation and hazardous materials use Target: Achieve Zero Waste status at headquarters building (90% or greater waste diversion rate). This year, we installed paper towel dispensers throughout the headquarters building and we will track the reduction in paper towel use. We continue to struggle with paper towel waste due to local prohibitions on restroom paper towels in compost waste streams. Hand dryer pilots did not gain support from staff and are not being pursued. We continue to promote durable cup use for beverages. Recent changes to plastics collection resulting from China s Green Wall policy had a minor impact on the building s diversion rate. Despite not attaining Zero Waste status, the recycling rate at the headquarters building still held strong at 84.6%. Progress: This target is 94% complete. Target: Establish a program for attaining Zero Waste in a concessions operation, working with a PDX concessions tenant. The purpose of this target was for us to identify a facility at PDX to perform a baseline waste assessment, establish current recycling rates and assess opportunities for waste diversion to

5 support a plan for achieving Zero Waste. We completed a waste sort in support of this target, but additional work remains to achieve this target. We will continue to provide outreach, training and oversight to work toward this goal. Progress: This target is 50% complete. Target: Increase food waste collection above 2011 baseline by 20% at PDX through tenant outreach and program updates. Waste audits conducted at the PDX terminal indicated that although some restaurants have food waste collection and diversion programs in place, a substantial amount of food waste still ends up in the landfill. This year, we focused on more consistent education and outreach to tenants and the PDX Conference Center to shift food waste out of the landfill waste stream and into the compost. Comparing this fiscal year to the previous, we collected 19% more food waste. During this fiscal year, we also launched a successful food donation program. The program removed over 9,400 pounds of high-quality food that may have otherwise ended up in the compost or landfill waste streams. This may have influenced the percent increase in food waste collection. Progress: This target is 97% complete. Awards We are honored to be recognized for a variety of efforts related to our environmental programs in the last year. We have worked closely with the Columbia Slough Watershed Council for many years. April 2012 marked the successful commissioning of our enhanced deicing collection system at Portland International Airport. The Council recognized our efforts by selecting us for an Environmental Achievement Award for this multi-million dollar project that has resulted in greater protection of the Columbia Slough. The new 12,000-square foot on-site deicing treatment facility nearly doubles the system s capacity for storage and treatment. It also uses microorganisms to help break down deicing material. This year, our headquarters building became Gold certified through the City of Portland s Sustainability at Work program. The certification recognizes organizations that take measures to create a workplace that addresses water and energy efficiency, reducing waste, selecting sustainable office products and adopting innovative solutions, such as our ecoroof and on-site natural wastewater treatment system. Although we have always been quite proud of our LEED Platinum headquarters building, the certification validates our ongoing efforts to operate a sustainable and environmentally-conscious workplace. We continue to maintain high rankings in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency s Green Power Partnership program. We are consistently ranking in the Top Ten for our purchase of renewable energy credits in the Local Governments category and in the Top 25 in overall renewable power purchasing category. This ranking is higher than any other marine port or airport facility in the nation. We offset over 75 million kilowatt hours of electricity last year alone through the purchase of renewable energy credits.