By Lindsay Peyton
Concerned citizens in West Seattle are gathering signatures for an online petition seeking to protect air quality and reduce noise at Terminal 5 in the Port of Seattle.

The goal is to create a monitoring system, which will collect information and determine what controls may be required to safeguard area residents, Patricia Davis, who started the petition on Change.org, explained. She added that her main concern is diesel pollution.

“The impact of diesel on our health is profound,” she said. “It’s a brain toxin. You have immediate impacts and then you have long-term impacts. We need to get that air monitoring now, during construction, as soon as possible.”

Davis was involved in an earlier petition that called for the Port of Seattle to create an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) on its construction of Terminal 5.

For the current petition, Davis explained that the focus is keeping tabs on both noise and air quality. She said that a third party -- the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency -- would monitor the data collected by the proposed system installed at the terminal.

“We’re simply asking the Port to pay for it,” Davis said. “All we need to do is get the equipment purchased. That way we can track it. People can report complaints online, and it will be documented and followed through in a visible manner. We’re basically saying we want you to be accountable for what you do.”
West Seattle resident Jim Wojciechowski is organizing an effort to mitigate noise from Terminal 5. He explained that the Port could install shore power, access from container ships to electric lines, to eliminate noise and pollution from idling engines.

“It’s just the right thing to do – not to pollute the air or to irritate the people,” Wojciechowski said.
The group posts updates on its Facebook page, Terminal 5 Impacts Coming,

www.facebook.com/terminal5impactscoming.

Peter McGraw, spokesman for the Port of Seattle, said that efforts have been made to work with community organizations and residents since Terminal 5 was closed for improvements in 2014.

“Everything we do is in accordance with any noise and pollution standards established by our regulators, the EPA and the City of Seattle,” he said.

McGraw added that the Port has established a dedicated phone line for comments and questions: 206-787-6886. Residents may also email Terminal5_Outreach@portseattle.org.

McGraw explained that Terminal 5 is under construction to accommodate larger container ships that are now used in commerce.
“Terminal 5 was closed a couple of years ago, because it could not handle these larger vessels coming into our ports,” he said. “There’s dredging that needs to be done and some work on the dock to support the much larger cranes to work on these much larger vessels.”

McGraw expects a draft of the Environmental Impact Statement to be complete by spring.

“We have to take resident concerns seriously, and we always have,” he said. “We’re gathering information now. I think what we’ll find in the EIS is the best way to respond to community concerns.”
McGraw said Terminal 5 is in the position to become a major center for business. “It’s the best terminal property in the Pacific Northwest,” he said. “It’s 200 acres on dock rail. We’re able to reduce the number of truck trips by using the rail assets.”

He explained that the construction done on the terminal will bring more opportunities for work in the area.
“Container terminals mean jobs,” he said. “This is how we give people high level jobs in trades linked to maritime and industrial work.”

Wojciechowski said the need to open the terminal is understandable. “We don’t want to complain about general operations; we just want to focus on what they can fix,” he said. “Just do it right. You’re moving into our neighborhood. It’s just a matter of putting a little money in upfront.”
He and Davis hope that West Seattle residents will sign the petition found on www.terminal5group.com.
“We’re trying to protect the community,” Davis said. “We’ve heard endless complaints. We’ve already been exposed to massive amounts of air pollution. We don’t want to endure more.”

Newly-elected District 1 Councilmember Lisa Herbold to the West Seattle Herald
"This Terminal 5 modernization project is important for our region's competitiveness, but modernization must also include modern strategies to mitigate the impacts of projects like this on the surrounding community."