Clean Air

The Port of Vancouver’s initiatives to reduce emissions and help ensure that the region continues to meet local, state and federal ambient air quality standards are summarized below. There is more work to be done. The port has adopted a Climate Action Plan, consistent with the port’s commitment to sustainability and will continue to seek opportunities for air quality and climate improvements in our operations through our ongoing stewardship and sustainability efforts.

Sustainable Energy Sources

• Our Renewable/Clean Energy Policy details how the port will support the global shift in energy sources.
• In addition to supporting wind energy by handling wind components over our docks, we also support renewable energy with our voluntary purchases of renewable energy certificates (RECs).
• We consider whether alternative fuels and vehicles can meet the port’s needs prior to making new purchases.
• We are a founding member of the Columbia River Clean Diesel Project, a bistate effort to reduce diesel emissions from transportation throughout the region.

Reducing Energy Use

• Reducing energy use reduces greenhouse gases (GHGs) and other emissions associated with the production of nonrenewable electricity.
• We are upgrading our lighting fixtures to more energy efficient systems, in part through our participation in the Clark Public Utilities Commercial/Industrial Lighting Incentive Program. Energy efficient lighting at the port saves over a million kilowatt hours every year.
• Our upgraded terminal lighting controllers ensure the lights only operate when necessary for nighttime operations and security. In addition to saving energy, efficient terminal lighting reduces light pollution and improves safety.
• The windows on key port buildings are covered in a special LEED-tested film that eliminates reflectivity which provides a dual benefit of energy savings and reducing bird collisions.

Commute Trip Reduction and Anti-Idling

• The port’s commute trip reduction opportunities include ride match information, commuting challenges, telecommuting, flex schedules, bicycling and walking. We provide indoor bicycle parking and showers for commuters and an outdoor bike rack for visitors.
• We constructed segments of the bicycle/pedestrian trail along State Route 501, connecting commuters to key transportation corridors. 
• We developed an anti-idling campaign in cooperation with Southwest Clean Air Agency, including posting no-idle zone signs throughout the port.
• We distribute an educational flyer to inform drivers of the health, environmental, and monetary benefits to turning off their engines when idle.
• Idling from construction contractors is reduced through the use of contract language that limits unnecessary idling.
• Wait times at our terminal gate are reduced during peak traffic times by assigning an additional security officer to the screening area to keep traffic moving.

Vehicle Fleet Modernization

• We added two hybrids to our vehicle fleet and installed a two-position electric vehicle (EV) charging station. Between staff and visitor use, the station sees nearly constant use.
• Vehicles and equipment are periodically assessed for upgrades and replacement opportunities. In addition to air quality benefits, assessments include opportunities for improved safety features, lower maintenance costs, less time spent on maintenance, and improved dependability.

Green Building and Sustainable Development

• As we continue to retrofit our existing buildings with more efficient lighting, roofing, window treatments, and other energy-saving upgrades, we also proactively plan for sustainable future development.
• The West Vancouver Freight Access (WVFA) project demonstrates the port’s ongoing investment in the future of freight rail efficiency. WVFA helps clear a bottleneck caused by trains transiting the port and alleviates the stalling of national rail line. This results in an increase in mainline velocity and reduces emissions from congestion delays freeing up tracks for both passenger and freight rail movements.
• Terminal 1 will be a 10-acre mixed-use waterfront development in downtown Vancouver. The port created Urban Design Standards and Guidelines that encourage energy efficiency and renewable energy, reductions in waste and water use, and designs that are bike-, pedestrian-, and bus-friendly. The U.S. Green Building Council certified the Terminal 1 development a LEED Gold Neighborhood Plan, with all future buildings required to be LEED Gold certified.
• The Centennial Industrial Building is the first core and shell building on the West Coast to be Green Globes Certified by the Green Building Initiative. Situated in Centennial Industrial Park, design details include the support of solar energy, EV charging stations, and energy-efficient and bird-safe lighting and windows.
• Columbia River Wetland Mitigation Bank is a 155-acre wetland bank created in partnership with Clark County Mitigation Partners, LLC and Ducks Unlimited to mitigate wetland disturbances in the area. Wetland plants and soils sequester carbon (a primary component of GHGs), meaning they store excess carbon rather than releasing it as carbon dioxide.

Reduce/Reuse/Recycle

• The port reduces materials in the landfill and recycling streams by purchasing materials that are refillable or reusable where feasible. Recycling bins are available for any recyclable materials that cannot be reused.
• We require contractors to submit their proposals on recyclable or reusable materials, emphasizing a reduction in the volume of materials submitted.

Education and Outreach

• Our Tenant Environmental Management Program is a collaborative effort by the port and our tenants to minimize environmental impacts. Program elements include tenant pre-screening, periodic audits of environmental practices, outreach and education, and inspection of property condition prior to tenant departure.
• We engage the local community to highlight what we do at the port. Our free guided bus tours teach guests about our history, operations, environmental stewardship and sustainability efforts.

For further details, find the clean air flyer here.