Environmental Services

What’s good for the environment is good for all of us.

At the Port of Vancouver USA, we measure success in many ways—none more vital than our ability to keep our air, land and water clean. In fact, we’ve made ecological responsibility central to how we do business. We believe that environmental stewardship and economic development can co-exist, and as community citizens, we are committed to preserving natural spaces and managing resources wisely. The following four values outline this commitment:

Integrated Decision Making

We incorporate environmental costs, risks, impacts and benefits into our business choices, operating decisions and facility planning. Environmental responsibility is part of our corporate culture.

Sustainability

Sustaining our natural resources is important. We work hard to protect our air shed, lands and water. In everything we do, we strive to conserve energy, and we maximize the use of sustainable resources in the construction and operation of our facilities and the delivery of our services. The port formalized our sustainability efforts with the “We Can!” project by recognizing past sustainability accomplishments.

Pollution Prevention

The port avoids contamination of property through best management practices and effective safeguarding programs. We continue to efficiently remediate cleanup sites to the benefit of the environment and for future industrial use and job creation. We also work with tenants to emphasize ongoing environmental responsibility.

Compliance

We meet or exceed regulatory requirements in the construction and operation of our facilities and delivery of our services.

Habitat Management

Sustainability has come to the forefront in the wake of increased global understanding that economics, environmental health and human well-being are interconnected and interdependent. The Port of Vancouver USA has taken a leadership role in understanding and promoting sustainability, including how we approach habitat management.

Bird Safe Program

The port’s location along the Pacific Flyway, a north-south migratory flight path, coupled with its proximity to the Columbia River and Vancouver Lake, makes the area ideal habitat for many types of migratory and resident birds. It also increases the importance of bird-friendly buildings, a concept based on the link between avian injuries to building strikes.

Efforts to reduce the potential for avian building strikes at the port administration building include installation of roller shade screens on the exterior of select windows. The screens transparent for staff working inside the building, but present a visible and physical barrier to our passing avian friends.

For more information about what you can do to protect birds, download our Bird Safe Flyer or email port Environmental Project Manager Lisa Willis.

Natural Resource Mitigation

Mitigation efforts, which include enhancement, restoration, creation and preservation of trees, wetlands and riparian areas, are aimed at offsetting unavoidable impacts due to development and are required as a condition of many permits issued under state and federal law.

The port maintains four wetland mitigation sites. Two are located within the developed port area adjacent to Parcel 1A and within Parcel 2. The third is located at Frenchman’s Bar Regional Park, and the fourth is at Buckmire Slough at the northwest side of Vancouver Lake. All mitigation sites are managed in order to meet all federal, state and local regulatory requirements; however, the port continues to monitor and manage sites after regulatory requirements are met.

The port also is a founding partner in the Columbia River Wetland Mitigation Bank, the first of its kind in Clark County.