The San Diego City Council will be choosing two new City appointed members to the San Diego Port Commission today. EHC's 30 years of working with with the Port and representing our members who live in communities adjacent to the Port tidelands gives us an important perspective on these appointments. Port Commission decisions have a direct impact on the health and well-being of all residents who live near the San Diego Bay.

EHC supports appointments of Sid Voorakkara and Rafael Castellanos to the Port Commission. Mr. Voorakkara's considerable experience in job creation and public health make him uniquely qualified to ensure the Port acts consistent with community health. Mr. Castellanos' expertise in real estate transactions will be invaluable to ensure more green and sustainable business practices at the Port.

We believe San Diego Port Commissioners should have experience in green practices so that the Port grows and operates in a way that protects the health of neighboring community residents. They must have a commitment to public and worker health and safety, protecting San Diego Bay, and to making the Port a regional leader in energy policy.

Specifically, the community is looking to the Port to support projects and planning to offset negative impacts of Port operations on neighbors in Barrio Logan and passage of an effective Climate Mitigation and Adaptation Plan. These actions are crucial to meeting environmental and health goals of an exemplary Port. Sid and Rafael should surely be in line with these goals.

EHC opposes the appointment of Richard Vortmann based on the legacy of pollution he was responsible for as the President of NASSCO for over 20 years. During Mr. Vortmann's tenure, NASSCO fought efforts to clean up toxic sediment and fought regulation of water and air pollution from its leasehold without consideration of the impacts on the health of neighboring communities. His legacy is not one that the City Council should allow to be continued at the Port.