By JAZMIN CONNER and ELLIOTT DAVIS
Capital News Service/Howard Center for Investigative Journalism
Officials at the Port of Baltimore, one of Maryland鈥檚 biggest economic assets, have acknowledged that sea levels are rising, but their efforts toward combating climate change are a work in progress.
鈥淲e rely on the water,鈥� said Kristen Fidler, director of the Office of Harbor Development at the Maryland Port Administration. She added that the administration realizes that with this reality 鈥渃omes a lot of risks for the long-term viability鈥� of the port.
The administration formally assessed its vulnerability to climate change in a 2010 report that was updated in 2017.
The assessment notes that some of the port鈥檚 facilities risk damage because of rising sea levels, storm surges and more frequent and severe storms.
The port focuses on flooding because of the assessment.
鈥淚t鈥檚 more of: How do we prevent flooding from impacting day-to-day business and preventing potential damage to people鈥檚 cargo,鈥� said Jill Lemke, manager of strategic planning and special projects for the Maryland Port Administration.
Heat hasn鈥檛 been a problem for the port and therefore their climate change policies don鈥檛 focus on it, said Lemke and Richard Scher, spokesman for the Maryland Port Administration.
Though the port has policies in place for heat — supplying coolers for trucks, encouraging frequent breaks inside air conditioning and providing a public message board on the terminal that advises people if the heat index is above a certain level to stay hydrated — workers do not take days off for heat or any extreme temperatures.
鈥淲e are competing with other ports for cargo so we want to be sure that we are able to work in all type of weather,鈥� Scher said.
The port created a climate resilience strategy in response to the climate change vulnerability assessment it conducted.
The strategy outlines how port officials plan to address climate change, including the projects they have already started working on and projects they would like to do in the future.
Lemke defines resilience as the port鈥檚 鈥渁bility to prepare for, adapt to and recover from significant climate-related threats or events with minimum damage and disruption to our operations, people inside and outside the port, the economy and the environment.鈥�
The plan proposes a three-pronged model that includes either moving, elevating or strengthening structures and terminals.
So far the port has elevated some facilities as high as 10 feet to protect against flooding. The port also invested in an emergency generator, a forced main water vault, more durable concrete and a flood barrier system in an effort to manage flooding.
Lemke said these are 鈥渕ajor climate resilience projects.鈥�
Even though many projects have resilience benefits, the administration doesn鈥檛 have capital budget line items for specific climate resilience projects, Lemke said.
Before funds can be budgeted, the port has to analyze the cost associated with a particular project, she said.
鈥淎s a result we don鈥檛 have a figure to share,鈥� Lemke said in an email to Capital News Service. 鈥淲e recently submitted a Port Infrastructure Development Grant through the Maritime Administration of (the U.S. Department of Transportation), but nothing has been funded yet.鈥�
Scher told CNS that there isn鈥檛 currently a 鈥渃limate resilience鈥� project that funds can be attached to.
鈥淩ight now we are building it into existing projects if we feel it鈥檚 necessary,鈥� Scher said via email, 鈥渨hich would be reflected by added costs if there were any within a specific project but not a resilience project.鈥�
Executive branch officials heaped praise on the port for its climate change efforts at the Maryland Board of Public Works meeting in October.
Maryland Comptroller Peter Franchot called the port an 鈥渦nbelievable, thundering economic success.鈥�
Treasurer Nancy Kopp noted the port鈥檚 participation in the Maryland Commission on Climate Change, adding that the state is a 鈥渕odel鈥� for its work in that area.
But Kopp told CNS after a November Board of Public Works meeting that she was 鈥渟urprised鈥� to hear that the Maryland Port Administration doesn鈥檛 have a budget line item dedicated specifically to climate change resilience.
鈥淭here ought to be,鈥� Kopp said.
She clarified, however, that she knows the port is aware of the impact that rising sea levels and storm surge will have on its plans, adding that this awareness needs to be 鈥渆mbedded in everything they do.鈥�
鈥淭hey鈥檙e right on the water after all,鈥� Kopp said.
One project for which the administration has made environmental efforts is the Masonville Dredged Material Containment Facility, which is the reason that port officials were at the Board of Public Works meeting in October in the first place.
Officials were seeking approval from the board to move forward with the third phase of the project.
Fidler was at the meeting. She said the facility receives sediment and other materials that are dredged from the shipping channels in the Baltimore harbor, which is 鈥渃ritical to the long-term sustainability of the harbor.鈥�
Dredging is important to maintain the depth of the channels that ships use.
As part of efforts to mitigate the effects of the dredged material containment facility on the environment at Masonville Cove, Fidler said the administration 鈥渞estored access to the water鈥� for the community, created four acres of tidal wetlands and restored many more acres of marine habitats.
The efforts to clean up the cove were made in consultation with the Department of the Environment and the Army Corps of Engineers, she said.
The port is also replacing diesel engines in the port鈥檚 vehicles and equipment with more emission-efficient ones, according to the program鈥檚 website.
Del. David Fraser-Hidalgo, D-Montgomery, told CNS that he appreciates what the administration was doing with the program.
鈥淚鈥檓 just sick of talking about clean coal, clean diesel,鈥� Fraser-Hidalgo said. 鈥� 鈥� It鈥檚 all dirty.鈥�
Scher said in an email that the program,聽which uses federal funds, covers forklifts, front loaders, trucks and other diesel equipment.
Fraser-Hidalgo, who is the chair of a transportation subcommittee on the House Environment and Transportation Committee, said that while he is not fully aware of what the Maryland Port Administration is doing in terms of climate change resilience, 鈥渆verything should be on the table鈥� with 鈥渁ll hands on deck.鈥�
At the Board of Public Works meeting, Fidler said that the Masonville containment facility is just one part of the Maryland Port Administration鈥檚 20-year plan for the 鈥渓ong-term placement capacity鈥� of dredged materials.
She added, 鈥淚t鈥檚 incumbent on us to be looking out beyond 20 years, with increased storm surges, storm events, potentially increased sedimentation, sea level rise, and those things.鈥�
