Environmental Stewardship

In the late 1980s, the Port of Houston Authority established an environmental affairs department, developed a policy concerning environmental compliance, and began its history of leadership in environmental stewardship and sustainability. The Port Authority’s nationally recognized and award-winning dedication to ensuring that business and the environment can co-exist successfully is often held up as the model for others to emulate.

Watch this five-minute video on the Port Authority’s approach to the environment.

In 2002, the Port of Houston Authority became the first U.S. port authority to attain and subsequently also be recertified to the international standard for environmental management systems, known as ISO 14001.

Today, use of the Environmental Management System is the cornerstone of business decisions at the Port Authority. This systematic approach to the environment protects and preserves the natural environment at the Port Authority. The environmental management system is continually expanding to integrate additional port operations. Facilities and environmental practices are reviewed often, and education programs on environmental issues reach all Port Authority employees.

Environmental staff also works with Port Authority tenants through an assessment program that evaluates compliance with environmental regulations. The assessments occur on
a quarterly, semi-annual or annual basis and include reviews of documentation and records, best management practices subject to federal, state and local environmental laws, regulations, permits and Port Authority tariffs. An educational component of this effort concentrates on applicable environmental laws so that tenants can remain in compliance.

Among the numerous awards for environmental stewardship received are four of the coveted Gulf Guardian awards: in 2011 for an international demonstration of fuel-switching on ocean-going vessels in the Gulf of Mexico, in 2008 for the Clean and Green Program, in 2004 for its storm water pollution cleanup program, and in 2000 for the Houston Ship Channel demonstration marsh. In 2002, the Port Authority received the American Association of Port Authorities’ environmental achievement honor: the Calvin Hurst Award.

The Bayport Container Terminal has been developed to be one of the greenest terminals in the U.S. Innovations to control stormwater pollution, noise and lighting are a few of outstanding features. Its administration building is built to LEED standards and two stevedore buildings were constructed using shipping containers. You can learn more about these unique structures from this video and in these Port Magazine issues in PDF* format:

Port of Houston Magazine – March/April 2011 (9 MB)

Port of Houston Magazine – November/December 2011 (6 MB)

Past Environmental Annual Reports can be found here.

You can download a PDF copy of the Port Authority’s Environmental Compliance Policy here.

The documents are available in Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF). If you do not have Adobe Acrobat Reader, you may obtain a free copy of the software.