Consultant outlines net‑zero 'Green Terminal' road map; staff seeks public engagement funding

Consultants working on the proposed Green Terminal presented a three‑task plan aimed at moving the project toward net‑zero emissions and asked the Harbor District Board to guide next steps.

Scott Bridal, the lead consultant, told the board the study will (1) define the study area and establish an energy/emissions baseline tied to the current master plan, (2) run low‑to‑high scenarios on technology mixes (shore power, on‑site generation, battery storage, hydrogen and other systems) to model emissions and costs, and (3) draft a strategy and road map that will describe implementation phases. Bridal said the team would complete the scenario work in roughly four weeks, hold a direction session in mid‑to‑late April, and aim to present a final road map for board review and potential approval around a June board meeting.

Why it matters: the road map will guide design choices that affect air‑pollutant emissions (CO2, NOx, SOx and particulates), capital and operating costs, grant competitiveness and community impacts. Bridal said the team will use EPA emissions models and regional grid mixes when estimating tradeoffs between on‑site electrification and grid‑sourced power.

Board members pressed on technical points including which emissions sources matter most (Bridal said hoteling vessels and engine tier largely determine NOx and SOx profiles) and the relative capital and operational costs of options. Bridal gave industry examples: shore power for large cruise berths can require capital investments measured in the low‑tens of millions per berth, battery systems have shorter lifespans (roughly a decade) compared with expected 20‑year lifetimes for shore‑power infrastructure, and all options require evaluation in a cost/emission decision matrix.

Community engagement and funding: staff reminded the board the District has a pending California Energy Commission (CEC) Waterfront Facility Improvement Program application; CEC staff recommended an $18,250,000 award to the District for advanced design and public engagement (the CEC board was scheduled to consider recommendations on March 17). Bridal and staff said public‑facing outreach products — clear graphics, public meetings and materials for prospective grant partners and elected officials — will be among deliverables.

Public comment: Rachel Smith, program manager for CoreHub, urged the board to memorialize a strong community‑engagement and tribal‑consultation commitment inside the road map, including stipends for tribal and community participants. "The current road map, as it's written when I read it over, lacks a clear commitment to community engagement, tribal consultation, and about how these advisory committees that you put together will inform the process," she said, asking that engagement be visible in the final document to build trust and strengthen grant competitiveness.

What’s next: the consultant team will finish the initial scenario work, meet with the advisory committee in April, and incorporate the board’s feedback into a draft strategy and road map for later review. Staff emphasized that community and tribal participation plans will be part of the engagements that inform the final road map.