OLYMPIA, WASHINGTON (JAN. 5, 2021) – Each year, the Washington Public Ports Association (WPPA) recognizes the extraordinary achievements of ports across the state in the categories of job creation, community engagement, creative partnership, and environmental stewardship.

WPPA is pleased to recognize the acheivements of the Port of Seattle in their continued leadership in environmental stewardship of the Puget Sound. Their efforts are nationally recognized, and the 2020 Environmental Stewardship Award from WPPA just highlights the Port’s dedication.

Port of Seattle Commissioner Fred Felleman and Port of Tacoma Commissioner John McCarthy accepted the award.

“We are honored to accept this award for our work on the development of the Quiet Sound Program,” said Port of Seattle Commissioner Fred Felleman. “This program was developed through significant collaboration of the Port of Seattle, Port of Tacoma, The Northwest Seaport Alliance, several state, federal, and tribal agencies, as well as many sectors of the maritime industry. As their name implies, studies of killer whale pods around the world have documented their ability to capture prey far larger than themselves. This serves as an important lesson of the big things we can accomplish when we work together.”

“The Northwest Seaport Alliance has been proud and enthusiastic to advance the effort to recover and protect the Southern Resident orca whale population,” said John McCarthy, Port of Tacoma commission president and co-chair of The Northwest Seaport Alliance. “This effort is truly an example of how all of the ports in Washington state can apply our collaborative leadership to protect our fragile environment and wildlife, while advancing economic opportunities for everyone.”

For details of their specific efforts as a part of the “Quiet Sound” project, including the many partnerships required, we turn to the words of the Port of Seattle in their award application:

“The Port of Seattle, in partnership with the Port of Tacoma, and The Northwest Seaport Alliance (NWSA) aim to reduce the effects of underwater noise from large commercial vessels on Southern Resident Killer Whales. In response to the Governor’s Orca recovery work the ports forged a working partnership with each other and NOAA, Washington State Ferries, the Puget Sound Partnership, and the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority’s (VFPA) ECHO program. The group’s first task was to convene a workshop for the region’s leading scientific, policy, and maritime industry experts to establish baseline knowledge of underwater noise impacts on the SRKW population. Together, the group has charted a course to reduce noise-related impacts on the SRKW, beginning with definition of discrete work elements for noise reduction initiatives and identification of the roles each entity will play in a long-term underwater noise reduction program. The workshop, held on October 3, 2019, was attended by over seventy organizations and tribes. The planning team was expanded to include representatives from the Marine Exchange of Puget Sound (MarEx), Washington Maritime Blue, Pacific Merchants Shipping Association (PMSA), the Makah Tribe, and U.S. Coast Guard. The team is on track to produce recommendations that will lay out an organizational structure, scope of work, and funding strategy for the new program, which is tentatively being called “Quiet Sound”.

Background:

In 2018, Governor Inslee established the Southern Resident Orca Task Force to develop recommendations to improve survival outcomes for the southern resident killer whale (SRKW). The Task Force issued final recommendations on November 16, 2018. Recommendation #22 called for shipping noise-reduction initiatives and monitoring programs, implemented in coordination with U.S. and Canadian authorities, and using as a model the VFPA’s Enhancing Cetacean Habitat and Observation (ECHO) program.

Jointly spearheading implementation of Recommendation #22, the Port of Seattle, Port of Tacoma, and NWSA reached out to other government agencies to craft a joint action, recognizing early that strong partnerships and collaboration would be the key to any successful program. Partnership started with other governmental agencies, building a strong foundational coalition. Next was to understand all the key players and organizations and to build a larger circle of partners. The team, with consultant support from Floyd|Snider, convened a successful underwater noise workshop on October 3, 2019. Despite initial challenges on schedule alignment, the team used carefully crafted messaging to create buy-in and impart a sense of urgency. Ultimately state, federal, tribal, and Canadian government representatives, researchers, natural resources agencies, whale conservation groups, and representatives of the maritime industry actively participated and lent their expertise at the workshop.

Following expert presentations on whale biology, underwater acoustics, vessel operations, and maritime sector issues, workshop participants explored work elements required to set up an ECHO-like program for Washington waters. These included establishment of an acoustic network to monitor both whales and vessel noise, a real-time notification system to alert mariners about whale locations, analysis of existing and projected vessel traffic and operations, and innovation in vessel quieting technology.

The workshop successfully brought key industry representatives to the table. Industry participation has been critical to formulating an approach that can be successful. As the commitment thus far is to create a voluntary program, trusting relationships and understanding partnerships across government, industry and non-profits are important to vessel participation.

Balancing industry, science, and conservation goals, the team recommends collaborating closely with the existing ECHO program, building on existing work by organizations dedicated to SRKW recovery and target engagement on key issues and development of specific initiatives.

Looking Forward:

The success of these recommendations relies on the collaborative groundwork laid early on and the formulation of a collective vision for the program’s structure. Although final decisions have not been made, the planning team has had notable progress in developing recommendations that consider all interests and keep all parties at the table in either a working group, advisory group or coordinating role.

As the proposed program development proceeds, industry partnerships, such as those with the MarEx and PMSA, will be especially critical. These partnerships offer practical checks for proposed policies and incentives, and they will help to win broad support for the voluntary initiatives that encourage adoption of new, quieter technologies and practices.”

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ABOUT WASHINGTON PUBLIC PORTS ASSOCIATION
As a state legislative and regulatory advocacy organization, the Washington Public Ports Association (WPPA) provides zealous representation for the state’s ports. The WPPA was formed by the legislature in 1961 to represent public port districts throughout Washington, serving as the focus through which ports work cooperatively to develop policy direction, share information, and address issues on economic development, trade, transportation, and environmental stewardship. Public port districts offer a wide range of locally governed services, including marine terminals, barge facilities, industrial development, marinas, airports, railroads, and tourism promotion.
 
MEDIA CONTACT
Jessica Wilson
Washington Public Ports Association
E: jwilson@washingtonports.org
T: 360-528-0405