Port’s Seventh Round of Environmental Projects Approved

Friday, 10 October 2008
Contact: Marguerite Elicone (619) 686-6222

The Board of Port Commissioners has approved funding for ten new environmental projects. The projects were recommended for funding through the Port's environmental committee and received final approval by the Board at the October 7 Board of Port Commissioners meeting.

This is the seventh round of environmental projects approved since the Port's Environmental Policy was approved in June 2006. The policy calls for funding and decision making direction to select and execute projects that would improve the condition of San Diego Bay and its surrounding tidelands.

Among the ten projects that were approved are the installation of solar panels and the use of sustainable building materials on the new cruise ship terminal facility that will be built on Broadway Pier. The Port is partnering with San Diego Gas & Electric on this project that may improve energy efficiency by up to 29 percent. The Board approved $500,000 for a two-year period.

Another approved environmental project is related to the Broadway Pier Cruise Ship Terminal. This project provides funding for electrical, mechanical, architectural, heating and air conditioning, structural and Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) professionals to integrate specific requirements into the design specifications. This is necessary to ensure that sustainable elements are incorporated into the building's design and construction. The specifications will be able to track and review the efficiency of the building and will also include equipment that will reduce energy and water consumption. Ultra low flow toilets, energy-efficient lighting and fixtures and carpets, paints and coatings that don't emit fumes are also included. Additionally, electric charging stations will be installed for alternative fuel vehicles. The amount of funding approved is $300,000 for two years.

A project to enhance the fish habitat in San Diego Bay was also approved. This project will install 350 fish structures off of Bayside Park in Chula Vista and provide quarterly monitoring. The Board had approved a similar project in December 2006, which allowed for the installation of 400 fish structures near the fishing pier at Embarcadero Marina Park South and off of the Coronado Marriott Resort Hotel. The first quarterly monitoring report for those structures revealed that spiny lobsters, kelp bass, spotted sand bass, barred bass, opaleye, surf perch and round sting rays were all taking advantage of the structures' protection from predators. Additional fish structures were needed to accommodate the growing number of species. The Board approved $30,000 for this project for a one year period.

In December 2006, the Board approved an environmental project to restore the salt marsh at J Street. About five acres of salt marsh was restored by removing 44 shopping carts, discarded tires and invasive plants. Over 700 different species of native plants were planted. Additional funding is required to maintain the area by weeding, watering and removing dead plants and debris. The Board approved funding in the amount of $19,000 for this portion of the project.

The Port of San Diego will begin installing solar panels on the roof of its Administration Building by the end of this year. This project was approved in December 2006 but required additional funding to support a larger photovoltaic system. The increase in cost is associated with the additional equipment needed to increase the system's capacity. The Board approved $150,000 in funding.

A project to partner with San Diego State University and Scripps Institute of Oceanography to create the Center for Bay and Coastal Change was approved. Funding of this project will establish a technically advanced center for geotechnical mapping that will study San Diego Bay's impact on marine habitats. Sonar equipment will be used to look at sediment movement and how it relates to eelgrass habitats. The equipment will also map kelp beds and provide long-term monitoring and research of the kelp. The Board approved $160,000 in this round of funding.

The Board approved funding an environmental education program with Aquatic Adventures. The program will teach elementary students at six public schools in the City Heights area of San Diego about stewardship of San Diego Bay. Aquatic Adventures will provide ten hours of in-classroom education concentrating on water quality, pollution prevention and bird identification. Funding in the amount of $30,000 was approved for this project.

Another environmental education program was awarded funding. This project will be administered by the San Diego Zoo, which formed a program called "Stream Team Stewards for Chollas Creek." The program will educate fourth grade students at six low-income schools in the Chollas Creek area on watershed science and restoration. The students will receive five classroom sessions and take five field trips. Students will learn how to monitor water quality, track wildlife and how to keep the watershed healthy. The Board approved $45,750 for this project.

A project to conduct research on the California Spiny Lobster was also approved. Graduate and undergraduate students from San Diego State University will conduct the research, which will study the movement and size of the lobster population within San Diego Bay. Tagging and data collection dev ices will be used to help the researchers obtain a greater study area. The Port approved $90,000 in funding. This includes the tagging and data collecting devices, plus the research time.

A project to conduct weekly recycling and trash removal events in Chollas Creek, along with an education and outreach campaign for low-income elementary schools in the area was approved for funding. Groundwork San Diego, Chollas Creek Family Stream Team is a project that NAASCO, the Urban Corps of San Diego County and the San Diego Canyonlands organization are working on collaboratively. The Port approved $70,000 in funding to help cover equipment and trash removal.