Think Ahead, Port! And Get Creative!

By Tammi Kosack

Dear commissioners,

As a stakeholder representative I have received scores of emails from concerned citizens, as I know you all have.  I am confident none of us imagined the level of community engagement port operations and future plans would incite. It is clear from the time, energy, passion and commitment displayed by citizens that the operations and contributions (both good and bad) of the port are of high importance. The concern spreads islandwide, and into the county, and I dare say it is not going away.

The main issues have been opposition to: cruise ships, fertilizer, cement, aggregate bulk, increased truck traffic, pollution. The first trial cement shipment was a debacle, especially the way it was handled by an operations team experienced in this commodity.

What if OHPA (and the operator) use this negative experience to their advantage? Remember the Tylenol PR crisis of the ’80s when Johnson & Johnson immediately acknowledged the failures and pivoted to change things for the better?

OHPA, you have the chance to demonstrate you are listening AND hearing your constituents, by removing all reference to pursuing bulk aggregate, cruise and truck increase from the master plan. You can be the heroes. The operator has the chance to win back all lost credibility by acknowledging the unique circumstances of what was always developed as a pocket/niche port by eliminating the desire to grow the port through aggregates and increased truck and cargo. Considering the proximity of neighborhood watchdogs who will notify commissioners, media outlets, FDEP, EPA, ACOE or any other appropriate regulatory agency the moment any infraction is witnessed, this will harm not only the operator’s reputation but the ability to conduct business in a cost-effective and efficient manner.

What business model is left? This port was positioned in its current location to service and support the mills.  Ports on islands that rely on truck transport do not make economic sense. The argument that increased cargo is needed to bring in more jobs is shallow when compared to the economic engines of the mills and tourism, disregards the concerns of residents and tourists, and is counter to future automations. The city and the county lose hundreds of thousands of dollars in real estate taxes, the citizens complain of trucks, diesel particulates, noise, water pollution, safety for children… the human, ecologic, and economic ramifications are enormous.

What if… grant money and capital investments are made to make this port a true standout in logistical efficiency and productivity, AS WELL as becoming a model of environmental sustainability? Imagine a clean and green port, focused on reducing air, water, sound and light pollution, surrounded by a thick forest of native trees and evergreen understory shrubs that help absorb sound and airborne particulates, run by state of the art computers that control electric loaders and on-campus equipment, powered by solar panels installed on the hundreds of square feet of warehouse rooftops and offering shore power for cargo ships to eliminate diesel emissions, and focusing on efficient in- and out-bound service for both mills.

See the following, describing the port of Brunswick’s green initiatives: https://www.inboundlogistics.com/articles/10-greenest-ports-in-america

And info on ports and solar: https://maritime-executive.com/article/ports-employ-solar-power-in-efforts-to-improve-environment

There are many, many examples out there. If new methods and radical changes are not sought, the port has potential to become a cancerous blight that spreads and eats away at the very thing that makes this part of Nassau County desirable.

Chasing profitability and being a good steward are not binary choices. A master plan, re-written only every decade or so should have future thinking objectives backed by examples and ways to achieve the goals, with dates for intermittent benchmarks.

Please consider this massive opportunity that is within all of your hands.