Bridge Point Development: Frequently Asked Questions

Ecology just got $8.95 million from Bridge Point Tacoma. How do we know this is going back into the community?

Answer: The sole purpose of these funds is to help reduce air quality impacts in the South Tacoma area and monitor air quality impacts to the surrounding community. This strategic agreement means Ecology now has the resources to invest the funds back into the community and help ease air quality impacts from the warehouse project.

What specific community investments will Ecology spend the money on?

Answer: Ecology plans to invest the funds into the community to help ease air quality impacts from the project and monitor air quality. Because funds are limited, Ecology will prioritize spending in areas that will be most impacted by truck traffic first.

Before spending these funds, Ecology will seek input from the community. Ecology already started reaching out to the community living along project truck routes to discuss options for how to improve indoor and outdoor air.

Initial community feedback support Ecology implementing healthy air quality actions like:

• Performing related, minor home upgrades that improve indoor air quality (partial weatherization)
• Providing air purifiers and replacement filters to residents
• Planting trees along truck routes

Ecology will continue to gather new ideas from the community that improve air quality. We will use this input to make decisions on which solutions will help while focusing first on those most impacted. The program Ecology implements will be voluntary.

In addition, plans are underway to establish a new air quality monitoring station near the project site. Ecology will collect air quality data before and after the warehouse operations begin. Community members will be able to directly access this data from Ecology’s website.

This is the first time we have taken this approach to minimize offsite air quality impacts from truck traffic, and we need to work with the community on the next steps.

Will Ecology monitor air quality near the project’s location?

Answer: Yes, Ecology will establish a new air quality monitoring station near the project site. We are planning to collect air quality data before and after the warehouse operations begin. This monitor will be located along the truck traffic route.

Specifically, we will collect information on top air pollutants such as fine particles, nitrogen oxides, and black carbon. Once the monitoring station is established, community members will be able to directly access this data from Ecology’s website.

What is Ecology’s role in this project?

Answer: Ecology issued a water quality construction permit and participated in an environmental review process (called the State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA)). Before the project received permits, Ecology submitted comments to the City of Tacoma requesting them to further analyze the project’s air quality impacts.

The water quality permit requires the company to follow certain rules during construction so that it keeps incoming stormwater safe and clean. The permit includes an administrative order that has extra environmental protections the company needs to follow. Once construction is completed, Ecology may not have any additional permits associated with this project.

We are currently managing the settlement funds, conducting community outreach, making decisions about how to spend funds and will implement healthy air actions.

Will I benefit from settlement?

Answer:  We do not know how many people will benefit from the settlement. We will address air quality impacts in a phased approach, focusing first on areas that are most impacted by the project’s truck traffic. This includes residences along Union Ave, just south of 16th and before 35th Street, which is the primary truck traffic route. We will use this funding to offer healthy air improvements to these residents first because they are most at risk for traffic-related health impacts.

If additional funding is available, we may be able to offer air quality improvements to residents who live further south on Union and those next to the facility. However, it could take a few years for Ecology to implement healthy air improvements within the community. We need to use the funds as efficiently and responsibly as possible. To help, the agency is actively seeking partnerships with other state, federal, and local agencies to take advantage of other existing clean air programs and funding.

What are the next steps?

Answer:  Ecology completed some initial community outreach to residents near the truck route in June. We are considering this feedback and will make decisions about initial healthy air projects in the next couple of months.

We will continue to reach out to the community as well as local and state agency partners to identify additional resources to address impacts.

We will consider input from the community and other partners before making decisions on how to best spend the settlement funds.

I live along the truck route. How can I give my input to Ecology?

Answer: If you live in the areas of highest impact, along the primary truck route, you likely already received a mailer in June. We also visited homes to talk to residents about the project and gathered input on how to spend funds. If you did not get a chance to talk to us or fill out the survey listed in the mailed notice, you can reach out to Meg Bommarito  at 425-681-6236 or meg.bommarito@ecy.wa.gov to share your ideas.