The Environmental Planning Department provides a range of planning and regulatory compliance services to the Port of Oakland's seaport, airport, and real estate divisions. Our mission embodies the concept of sustainable environmental stewardship. We work to ensure that the Port's activities are conducted in a manner that supports and promotes the long-term health of the human and natural environment.

My personal view is that ports and airports, as major transportation providers, play a central role in creating and shaping vital metropolitan areas. Ports and airports are commonly trustees of large areas of public lands, such as tidal lands. Thus, I believe that ports and airports must play a leadership role in sustainable land and natural resources management practices. I think the Port of Oakland has embraced this approach in both its operations and development programs. At the Port of Oakland, we strive to surpass minimum legal and regulatory requirements.

Our recently completed expansion of the seaport, the "Vision 2000 Maritime Development Program" ("Vision 2000"), illustrates this approach. The Port acquired a 500+ acre site, the former Fleet Industrial Supply Center, Oakland ("FISCO"), as part of the Bay Area's closure of military facilities and bases. The Port of Oakland had owned this land prior to World War II. The Union Pacific Railroad occupied an adjacent parcel of land on the shoreline, further constraining any expansion of the Port's berths or container yards. Together , the Navy base and Union Pacific yard limited the Port's ability to build the maritime facilities needed to serve our region's shipping activities.

When the Navy announced the closure of FISCO, the Port saw an opportunity to plan and build a state-of-the-art maritime complex based upon sound environmental practices. We created two 100+ acre container yards ("container terminals"), installed the largest and most capable cranes available on the market, and built a new intermodal rail facility, known as the Oakland International Gateway. At the rail facility, we brought in the Burlington Northern-Santa Fe Railroad, which has its railhead and yard in Richmond, California, about 12 miles from the Port's berths. Previously, all the cargo for that system had to be transported by trucks from Oakland to Richmond on our regional freeways. By building a joint rail facility at the Port of Oakland, we sought to increase the use of the dedicated rail corridor and reduce redundant truck trips. This is where environmental planning plays a key role in the conceptual design phase of Port facilities. By integrating an environmental perspective into the planning process, we are achieving tangible benefits - such as reduced congestion - for our region.

Another source of great satisfaction for the Port of Oakland is that we are building a new 34-acre park, the Middle Harbor Shoreline Park, and restoring 180 acres of tidal wetlands at the center of the seaport, an area known as the "Oakland Middle Harbor." We plan to use dredged material from deepening our navigational channels ("the minus 50-foot Channel Deepening Project") to restore the Middle Harbor basin to its historic shallow depths. The Navy dredged this area during World War II to create deep water berths. The new park was designed as a collaborative effort with the community. We worked together for more than two years to create a Master Plan and design that would promote both enjoyment of the environment and an understanding of its history and resources. In this example, the Port of Oakland has created a public access amenity whose scale and programming far exceed regulatory requirements.

In the port industry, we must work continuously on education, awareness, and advocacy. First, because our region grows, there's increased demand to use waterfront areas for non-transportation uses, such as seaports and airports. My view is that these uses are not mutually exclusive, provided they are properly planned. For example, the Port of Oakland has developed Jack London Square, which has continuous public spaces and walkways at the water's edge. We constructed a ferry terminal at Clay Street. The Port joined with the City of Oakland and the community to create the Oakland Estuary Plan. We have planned and built bicycle and pedestrian trails along the Oakland waterfront. We're also involved in open space and park planning within the Port area. That's another function that the Environmental Planning Department provides to the Port, and, of course, to the greater Oakland community and the region.

Just this week on Tuesday, November 19, 2002, the East Bay Regional Park District's Board unanimously approved an agreement with the Port of Oakland to manage Middle Harbor Shoreline Park. Personally, I am very excited by this agreement. In my view, this is a clear example of "good government." As a public agency which is financially self-sustaining (i.e., many people do not realize that the Port is not supported by taxes), the Port actively promotes partnering with other agencies and organizations. In this way, we can provide services and benefits to the public in a cost-effective manner. In the case of Middle Harbor Shoreline Park, our management agreement with the East Bay Regional Park District avoids expensive redundancies that might result from duplicating staff and programs and ensures the long-term viability of the park.

The Port sought a similar partnership with the Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District ("AC Transit"). When we drafted the "Vision 2000 Program" environmental studies, the local community expressed its deep concern that the Port's projects would result in air pollution. In response, we worked with the West Oakland community to develop an air quality mitigation program. At the same time, AC Transit was initiating its program to re-power and install low emission diesel engines in their bus fleet. The community asked us to work with the transit district to jumpstart that program. In our air quality mitigation program, we included a grant to AC Transit to repower 27 of their conventional buses with low-emission diesel engines. Again, using our partnership model, we approached AC Transit and asked, "Can you work with us?" Today, our relationship with AC Transit continues. Together, we are working on extending a bus route to Middle Harbor Shoreline Park. I am very interested in finding ways for governmental and public agencies to work more effectively for the public good. This expands the notion of stewardship to embrace financial and personnel resources.

In addition to the maritime and real estate divisions, the Environmental Planning Department also provides environmental planning support to our airport, Oakland International, which is growing in response to the public's air travel needs. There, we face traditional environmental concerns, such as noise, as well as emerging issues related to air quality. Oakland International is growing because it offers great services at a very attractive price. Our job is to respond to the public's desire for convenient and comfortable air travel facilities. Much of the airport area contains wetlands that provide habitat and hydrological benefits. We have a responsibility to the natural environment and to our neighbors to operate and develop the airport in a sustainable manner. Because of the changes in the air travel industry, the airport is a very dynamic place to be.

When I talk about the Port of Oakland, I like to introduce the concept of the Port having a regional impact. This is a growing focus of my work, the Port's role in the regional transportation system. My view is that the Port must continue to work at the local and regional levels. We provide services, through all our divisions, and particularly at the seaport and airport, that extend throughout the San Francisco Bay Area region into the Central Valley and beyond.