Host: Port of Bellingham
Region: Washington
Openings: 1
Project Focus: Climate Adaptation (e.g., sea level rise planning, environmental justice, climate migration planning), Disaster Response and Preparedness / Emergency Management (e.g., flood prevention, wildfire prevention, coastal protection)
Skills Needed: Project Management, Relationship Management, Stakeholder Engagement, Technical Writing,

Remote or On-Site Placement

Hybrid – On-site and remote will be approximately 50/50 depending on circumstances. An in-person presence is a must due to the various contacts and interactions that need to be made.

Service Needs & Plans

The Port of Bellingham manages maritime trade activities, cargo and passenger transit, serves as lessor to commercial tenants and ensures public access to the waterfront and maritime activities. Specifically, the Port manages key infrastructure including, but not limited to: two harbors (Blaine and Squalicum), the Bellingham International Airport (BLI), the Bellingham Shipping Terminal, the Bellingham Cruise Terminal (southern terminus of the Alaska Marine Highway System) and the Fairhaven Transportation Hub (bus and train), piers, docks, bridges, roads, parks and open space, commercial space. These assets represent critical community lifelines, including food/agricultural, safety and security, and transportation, that if damaged, may cause cascading impacts throughout the region particularly to disadvantaged communities.

These critical public assets have inherent vulnerabilities to natural hazards and climate change system stressors (storms, floods, earthquakes and tsunamis, sea level rise, extreme heat, wildfire, etc.). For example, marine Ports are inherently at risk from tsunamis and earthquakes yet may also be essential to the recovery from these events. If interstate bridges suffer damage during an earthquake the Bellingham International Airport may be the only location for early response to occur for the area. The Port currently engages in a suite of programs contributing to resilience and restoration including: environmental cleanup of legacy pollutants, environmental stewardship and sustainability, coastal resilience, habitat restoration and stormwater management. However, staff does not currently have the capacity to bring these efforts together under one planning umbrella.

This project will work with Port, City and County staff and relevant partner agencies (including coordination with local Tribal interests) to develop a comprehensive roadmap (framework or strategy) to enhance natural hazards and climate change resilience. The strategy will build on existing plans and initiatives and identify information gaps to make recommendations for new Port resilience initiatives and ways to incorporate resilience measures into capital projects. The road map will also identify opportunities for additional synergies, collaboration and funding opportunities. The resulting strategy will benefit multiple community lifelines, while helping the region prioritize specific mitigation projects and build partnerships critical for successfully implementing those projects.

Project Description

The goal of the Port of Bellingham Roadmap to Resilience project is to establish a framework and strategy for the development of a Port-wide natural hazards and climate change resilience plan with an emphasis on preparedness, coastal resilience and adaptation in planning and capital projects. The roadmap will lay out a coherent strategy to tie together current Port, local and state resilience initiatives such as but not limited to the Whatcom County Natural Hazards Mitigation Plan and The Port’s Climate Action Strategy, Tsunami Maritime Response and Mitigation Plan and Coastal Vulnerability Assessment among others.

The Port’s CivicSpark Fellow will begin by learning about the Port’s operations and facilities and its role in the community. This will involve engaging a variety of Port staff and other stakeholders with the goal of establishing a peer network to advance regional work on resilience.

An inventory of peer institutions’ hazard preparedness and ongoing resiliency and adaptation projects will be undertaken and summarized. This includes identification and review of similar sized Port’s resilience plans; review of the Whatcom County Natural Hazards Mitigation Plan (NHMP), the Climate Action Strategy, the Tsunami Maritime Response and Mitigation Strategy and other relevant documents; interviews with select port stakeholders (e.g., port staff, tenants); familiarization with port operations and infrastructure; and gathering of relevant data

By conducting a gap analysis, the Fellow will organize recommendations to the Port within a broader implementation strategy. Development of an ArcGIS StoryMap will supplement the report and create an interactive and externally facing web tool for outreach and education.

Project outcomes:

• Synthesize an inventory of partner institutions’ hazard preparedness and resiliency projects
• Analyze planning documents, peer reviewed literature, and funding opportunities
• Identify:
  • the Port’s contribution to and role in local resilience
  • gaps in the Port’s resilience to natural hazards and climate stressors;
  • opportunities to enhance resilience and leverage synergies across existing efforts
• Develop recommended resiliency strategies and potential funding sources,
• Create a comprehensive resilience roadmap or framework document that organizes and prioritizes actions and projects.

Deliverables:

1. Framework/ Strategy – inventory, gap analysis, recommendations grant identification
2. Project ArcGIS StoryMap,
3. Project presentation

A unifying approach to Port-wide resilience is essential for anticipating and preparing for natural hazards and a changing climate. A Port-wide resilience plan will aid in budgeting, further articulate the Port’s contribution to local resiliency and justify pursuing grants to support projects that further build resilience.

Desired Skills Organization & Workplace Highlights

The Port of Bellingham is a Washington State special purpose municipal corporation serving all of Whatcom County with a mission to: “Promote sustainable economic development, optimize transportation gateways, and manage publicly owned land and facilities to benefit Whatcom County.” The organization makes significant contributions to the local community through leveraging its resources by directly participating in revenue-earning lines of business, and capitalizing on its strategic assets through special public agency powers. By using combined expertise in both the business and government sectors, the Port has a role in job preservation and job creation, and a role in the operation of transportation facilities for both seaports and airports. This combination is distinct from both the private sector or other government entities.

The Port of Bellingham operates the Bellingham International Airport (BLI), two Marinas (Squalicum and Blaine Harbors), a shipping terminal, a ferry terminal that serves as the outhern terminus of the Alaska Marine Highway System, bus and train station, and a real estate portfolio hosting over 300 businesses employing over 7,000 jobs. The Port also manages community open space, conducts environmental cleanups, and organizes and hosts community events.

The Port has nearly 111 FTEs, averages $29.7 million in operating revenues and collects an additional $7.7 million in property taxes. The Port is governed by a non-partisan, three-person Board of Commissioners. Each are elected from one of three districts in Whatcom County and serve staggered four-year terms. The Board oversees all Port of Bellingham operations by providing policy direction and decisions in public meetings.

The Port’s goal is to be an employer of choice in Whatcom County. Port staff take pride in the work, their team(s) and the Port community. Shared values encourage collaboration, innovation through open communication, strong work relationships and high levels of engagement.
The Port also strives to be a workplace that promotes justice, equity, diversity and inclusion from the first day an employee joins us through the end of their career and to embrace the diversity and individualism of each employee. We encourage growth within the organization by offering opportunities for professional development and promoting from within. The Port values treating others with respect and fairness. Employees are recognized for their accomplishments, sought out for their input, and given autonomy to perform their daily work. The Port also shows their care for employees as people with lives outside of work.

Community Highlights

Whatcom County is located in the northwest corner of Washington State. With its proximity to Mt. Baker, the beautiful Puget Sound, and the world renown San Juan Islands, Whatcom is an extremely desirable place to live and work. Situated just south of the Canadian Border, Whatcom County (population 229,000) is made up of several rural communities and smaller towns, as well as Bellingham (population 90,000), the county seat.

The City of Bellingham and the surrounding wilderness make it one of the most livable, vibrant communities in the country. Residents can ski the slopes of Mt. Baker and sail Bellingham Bay in the same day, explore miles of hiking and bike trails, or stay in town and enjoy a vibrant arts scene, unique shops and restaurants, and the community-wide emphasis on locally produced food and other products. Bellingham is also among the fastest growing metropolitan areas in the country. Bellingham is the recipient of a long list of awards, including many designations as a “best place” for livability and outdoor adventures and recognition for leadership in sustainability.

The community proudly supports an active and innovative arts culture with numerous museums and art galleries, and a rich variety of musical and theatrical performing arts. The Whatcom Museum (a Smithsonian affiliate) houses contemporary art and historic exhibits and is one of the state’s largest museums outside of Seattle. The Mount Baker Theatre hosts more than 100 live performances each year. The City’s rich historic heritage has been preserved, and historic districts now house specialty shops, bookstores, and fine dining. The City has a wide variety of desirable neighborhoods and housing styles, from regal Victorians to waterfront hideaways, country farmhouses, condominiums and thoughtfully planned new developments.

Education is a top priority in Bellingham and Whatcom County. Citizens support excellence in education, including nationally lauded K-12 schools, highly regarded private schools, a community college, a technical college, and Western Washington University, which is highly ranked among public regional universities in the West.