Stakeholder Engagement: Shaping Environmental Justice

Near Ports

By Sabrina Johnson

Communities across the country benefit from access to consumer goods, but near-port communities
bear a disproportionate burden from the environmental impacts of port activities. It has been well
documented that ports and related industry operations frequently impact minority and low-income
communities. Near-port communities may experience disproportionate health outcomes due to
cumulative environmental exposures from port operations and port-related facilities. Air pollutants
are found in higher concentrations along roads and corridors where there is significant truck or rail
activity (https://www3.epa.gov/otaq/nearroadway.htm). Important corridors such as these are found
within or near ports. An analysis in one study showed that millions of people living in the vicinity of
47 ports were exposed to diesel particulate matter levels that were above levels in areas farther
from these facilities.

Click to watch a video on the impacts one community is facing from goods movement issues.

Equipping/empowering overburdened near-port communities to effectively engage with ports and

participate in decision-making about environmental, health, and other community-driven concerns
associated with port-related activities and corresponding freight transport is a critical component for
effectively addressing environmental problems in these communities. We can do this by improving

environmental performance at ports and equipping industry and community stakeholders with
information, skills, and guidance to develop and implement collaborative solutions that reduce air
pollutants and other environmental impacts.

And that's why we're excited to let you know about EPA's Office of Transportation and Air Quality's
near-port community capacity building project and how you can get involved! The project involves
broad stakeholder outreach and participation that has resulted in the development of strategies,
tools and information for near-port community and port engagement. Pilot projects will test and
refine the capacity building tools to help communities and ports to develop effective collaboration.

The centerpiece of the project is the Capacity Building Toolkit consisting of:

1.

Click to open the

documents

Ports primer for communities: An interactive tool and reference document provides an
overview of planning and operations at ports, and characterizes the port industry sector
including environmental and community health impacts associated with port activities. Case
studies provide further exploration into challenges and approaches for resolution.

2.

Community action roadmap: An implementation companion for the Ports

Primer that provides a step-by-step process for building capacity and preparing community
stakeholders to engage nearby port facilities and influence decision-making on issues that may
impact local land use, environmental health, quality of life, and other associated issues of
community interest.

3.

Environmental justice primer for ports: Designed to inform the port industry
sector of the perspectives, priorities, and challenges often unique to communities with EJ
concerns. In addition to orienting the port sector about EJ considerations, this resource is
structured to provide step-by-step guidance to improve the effectiveness of port/community
engagement in addressing concerns of impacted residential communities.

You can review and provide comments on the draft tools, which are posted for public comment until
September 14, 2016. Click here to access draft tools: www.epa.gov/ports-initiative

Additionally, ports and near-port communities can apply through our website to become a pilot
project location to test and refine the draft capacity building tools and associated processes.
Applications are also due September 14, 2016. Direct technical assistance to community and
industry stakeholders will be provided during the pilot projects. To apply for the pilot opportunity:
www.epa.gov/ports-initiative/pilot-opportunities-port-and-near-port-community-collaboration.

Please take time to review these materials, provide comments, and apply to submit your community
or port for a pilot project. Only through robust engagement, innovation and collaboration can we
achieve our shared vision to improve environmental health outcomes for communities affected by
ports and associated goods movement facilities.

About the Author: Sabrina Johnson is a Senior Policy Analyst in the EPA's Office of Transportation &
Air Quality (OTAQ). She leads OTAQ's Near-port Community Capacity Building Project and played a
principal role in planning the National Conversation on Ports webinar listening sessions and the
National Port Stakeholders Summit. She also participates on the Environmental Justice
Interagency Working Group Goods Movement Committee.