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Port Houston Commission Meeting – July 20, 2021

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The Port Houston Commission held its monthly public meeting on Tuesday, July 20, 2021 via Webex webinar. The meeting included an update from Port Houston’s Sustainability Action Team, public comment regarding an emissions leak in Galena Park, and the approval of a million-dollar, multi-year program for the development and improvement of parks and green spaces in East Harris County. Significant votes held during the meeting are detailed below by section.

To view the full list of agenda items and webinar details, click here.

Visit https://porthouston.com/leadership/public-meetings/ for more information, such as the audio recording and meeting minutes.

Sustainability Action Team Update:

  • Sustainability Action team held 3 rounds of workshops for stakeholder input on the 27 sustainability initiatives focusing on clean energy & air quality, community strengthening, circular economy, and transparency & reporting.
  • Stakeholders emphasized the importance of making a local impact both immediately and over the course of several years through the use of effective collaboration and measurable goals aligned with stakeholder interests.

Public Comment:

  • Galena Park resident Juan Flores representing Air Alliance spoke about the multi-day emissions leak from the Port Houston area which had a pungent smell and resulted in nausea, vomiting, headaches, and throat pain for residents.
  • The Port Commission members responded saying that the incident is unacceptable and that the gap in monitoring and communication will be addressed as part of the Port’s sustainability initiatives.
  • Stephanie Thomas from Public Citizen stressed that aggressive emission reduction should be prioritized by the Sustainability Action team, along with recognition and addressal of environmental justice issues affecting communities along the Houston Ship Channel. In addition, she underlined the need to update unreliable equipment and invest in cleaner, more reliable infrastructure and vehicles, while mitigating emissions from Project 11—the Houston Ship Channel expansion.

Executive Updates:

  • Endorsed the observance of Juneteenth as an annual holiday for employees.
  • Approved a contract to perform a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) assessment and assist staff to develop a DEI Plan.
  • Authorized the approval of a multi-year program with funding of $1,000,000 for the development and improvement of parks and green spaces in East Harris County.

Commercial, Finance, Infrastructure, Operations, and Technology Updates:

  • Approved various sponsorships, leases, financial improvements, software and hardware updates, supply purchases, contracts, and licenses.