by David Ball
Staff Writer
As the Jacksonville Port Authority looks to increase its physical footprint with construction of a new 130-acre shipping terminal, the port is looking to decrease its pollution footprint with the launch of an environmental management program.
The Port has already hired a new environmental compliance manager, Scott Skinner, and has shifted the public relations duties of Joanne Kazmierski from general community outreach to environmental outreach and advocacy. Kazmierski recently sent informational postcards to city leaders and groups. They were printed on ornate recycled paper with eco-friendly vegetable-based inks and touted current and future environmental projects and various partnerships with green groups.
One of those groups is the St. Johns Riverkeeper, and Executive Director Jimmy Orth said that although the current talk of going green is good to hear, he and others are waiting for the Port Authority to show their environmental commitment with some solid actions. Kazmierski said those actions are not far off.
“We’re looking toward creating a environmental management system that basically sets the policies and procedures that guide all of our operations,” said Kazmierski. “We’ve always met our environmental regulatory requirements, but we’re trying to do things above and beyond.”
The Port currently participates in annual river cleanups and environmental education programs at Jacksonville schools. The Port has funded manatee studies in the St. Johns River as well as programs to help increase numbers of northern right whales, which are endangered and reportedly breed in waters near Florida.
The Port partnered with the Riverkeeper for the group’s “River-Friendly Yards” program, and the groups have partnered again for an upcoming environmental education program involving a river mural to be painted by students at Douglas Anderson School of the Arts.
“They’ve been the only government agency that has proactively sought us out,” said Orth. “The Port, for the first time, is embracing the notion of going green and recognizing the potential impacts they have on the river.”
Skinner said some future ideas include possibly converting cranes from gas to electric power and using biodeisel and hybrid technology for the authority’s fleet of about 60 vehicles.
“We’ve looked at how JEA has converted their vehicles to ethanol blends and biodeisel,” said Skinner. “With JEA having examined this and its impacts on the engines, almost like guinea pigs, this is something we could do rather fast.”
And as new Port buildings are constructed, Kazmierski said they will adhere to the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards, “so as we grow, we make sure we grow green,” she said.
That growth is currently happening at the Dames Point Terminal near Blount Island, where by 2009 Tokyo-based Mitsui O.S.K lines will operate a direct container shipping line between Jacksonville and Asia. The Port estimates the terminal will generate nearly $1 billion in annual economic benefit and create 1,600 port jobs along with 6,000 private sector jobs and 4,000 related support positions in Jacksonville.
But Orth fears the project could also generate hazardous stormwater runoff into the St. Johns River as well as dredging, and even blasting, of the St. Johns’ limestone bedrock in order to accommodate larger cargo vessels. Those effects have to be mitigated, said Orth.
“Their business is really not dependent on a clean river, just a flowing river,” said Orth. “Time will tell whether they are really serious about this initiative or whether this is just simply talk. It’s encouraging they are trying to be more proactive, but at the same time, they need to prove themselves.”
Skinner said the Port is meeting all environmental and regulatory requirements during construction. Helping along the project will be new Director of Engineering and Construction Tim Murphy, who previously served 19 years with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, most recently as Jacksonville-based senior project manager for navigation. The Army Corps permits and oversees all dredging projects.