New infrastructure, economic development, environmental, and community health top priorities list.
- South King County Support Program
- Sustainable Aviation Fuels and Air Emissions Program
- Additional workforce development program
- $100 million for a new cruise berth (assumes 50 percent tenant cost share)
- $39 million for development of Terminal 91 uplands
- $35 million for berth replacement at Terminal 91
- $30 million for bringing electrical power to the waterfront
- $23 million for Fishermen’s Terminal Gateway Building
- $17 million for a Terminal 117 habitat restoration program
- The airport capital budget for 2019 is $935 million and the five-year capital improvement plan is $2.7 billion. Three major projects at the airport, the North Satellite modernization, new International Arrivals Facility program, and baggage handling optimization program reduce delays, provide more space, and services to travelers. These projects make up the majority of the 2019 investments.
- Establish a new customer service department and program with a $5.2 million investment in programs and amenities
- Enhance security with $3.2 million on additional firefighters and explosive detection K9 teams, equipment and safety programs
- $30 million for waterfront electrification that would significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions from waterfront equipment and cruise vessels at berth, improving air quality for maritime workers and residents.
- $5 million for Sustainable Aviation Fuels and Air Emissions program for efforts to reduce air emissions in communities near the airport; and strategies and projects to reduce airport-related greenhouse-gas emissions.
- $750,000 for next year for addressing airport noise, and other issues including environmental health and sustainability in South King County Communities, as part of a proposed five-year, $10 million program.
- Almost $7 million to continue our commitment to environmental clean-up and other remediation in the Duwamish
- $500,000 for our ACE Fund that will continue small grants in near-airport communities and creates a Green Cities Partnership and an Urban Forest proposal.
- More than $1 million for Energy and Sustainability partnering funds, environmental justice projects for near-Port communities, work on our Sustainable Aviation Fuels program, and continued work on an Energy and Sustainability Framework evaluation for Port projects.
- In 2019 we will invest almost $3 million in workforce development funding to support apprenticeship training and retention and support regional efforts to increase the number of women and minorities on our job sites.
- We will continue our tremendous success with high school and college internship program with a $634,000 investment in our youth.
- Implement the Port’s new Diversity in Contracting initiative through new capacity to increase the number of women and minorities that contract with the Port, on our way to tripling the number of woman and minority owned businesses that benefit from the Port’s investments.
- Continue building on our economic development investments with Burien and Des Moines to create hundreds of new jobs with the construction of light industrial and office buildings.
- Maintain partnerships with local communities here and around the state to promote tourism and economic development and provide advertising space at the airport. Those grants total almost $2.5 million.
- $11.7 million in regional transportation investments to improve efficiency and safety for freight and commuters, and a ten-year commitment on over $60 million.
- 2019 funding highlights include:
– Heavy Haul Corridor
– Puget Sound Gateway
– Safe and Swift Corridor
Pearse Edwards Hired as Senior Director of External Relations
Port of Seattle Commission President Courtney Gregoire and Executive Director Stephen P. Metruck have announced that Pearse Edwards has been selected to serve as Senior Director of External Relations. Edwards’ portfolio will include government relations, community engagement, communications, regional transportation, capital project delivery, and the Port’s office of social responsibility. In addition, he will serve as a member of the executive leadership team supporting both the executive office and commission.
“Pearse’s background is perfectly calibrated for the Port’s external relations team, which helps create economic opportunities for our region while ensuring that local businesses and residents benefit from the Port’s investments,” said Executive Director Metruck. “His experience in Washington state, Washington, D.C., on policy issues, operating executive offices, and leading public service teams will be a great asset as the Port navigates a dynamic policy environment and advances significant economic and environmental strategies.”
Edwards has held executive level communications and policy and political advisory roles with three Governors – Gary Locke and Chris Gregoire in Washington State, and Bev Perdue in North Carolina, and two gubernatorial candidates. Prior to that, he worked for the International Finance Corporation in the Russian Federation helping implement privatization of state-owned enterprises.
Edwards also served as a Director of Communications at Microsoft at its Redmond headquarters, managing external and internal communications, media relations and executing the company’s corporate social responsibility policy initiatives. Edwards also worked as an account manager at two of the national public affairs and strategic communications firms – APCO Worldwide in Seattle and GMMB in Washington, D.C. – and as Director of Public Affairs at Capstrat in Raleigh, NC.
Prior to his new role, Edwards served as the Port’s Director of Government Relations, managing the execution of the Port’s legislative and policy priorities at the local, regional, state and federal levels of government and had been serving as the acting Senior Director of External Affairs. A North Carolina native, Edwards is a graduate of Appalachian State University and Leadership North Carolina.
Vicky is the co-founder of TravelDailyNews Media Network where she is the Editor-in Chief. She is also responsible for the daily operation and the financial policy. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Tourism Business Administration from the Technical University of Athens and a Master in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Wales.
She has many years of both academic and industrial experience within the travel industry. She has written/edited numerous articles in various tourism magazines.