News Release
FOR RELEASE - August 4, 2008
Contact: Aaron Ellis, aellis@aapa-ports.org
703-706-4714
American Association of Port Authorities
Phone: (202) 792-4033
www.aapa-ports.org
In two previous rounds (2005-2006 and 2006-2007), a total of 15 public seaport agencies from throughout the United States participated in the rigorous assistance program, which provides organizations training on management processes and procedures so they can better analyze, control and enhance the environmental consequences of their activities.
Participating in the assistance project's third round, which begins in October, are: Georgia Ports Authority, South Carolina State Ports Authority, Port of San Diego, Port of Long Beach, and California United Terminals. All participants in this round will be working to create environmental management systems. At the request of three participants, AAPA and GETF offered a concurrent Security Management System (SMS) assistance training program last year.
"AAPA is pleased to continue to offer the Port EMS Assistance Project for port authorities that are seeking to use an environmental management system approach to enhance their environmental performance," said Kurt Nagle, AAPA's president and CEO. "We're also enthusiastic about the participation of a private marine terminal operator (California United Terminals) for the first time in our assistance program."
The EMS Assistance Project is divided into four phases, to be completed over an 18 month span. Each phase begins with an intensive workshop that prepares participants to train and lead their port-based EMS implementation teams through completion of the EMS. The workshops include hands-on activities, mentoring from GETF staff and current ports implementing EMSs, and team work sessions. Port specific guidance, document review and tools and resources are also provided throughout the project period.
EMS Assistance Project participants were selected based on top management involvement, organizational support and the ability to share experiences with peers, entities similar to their own and affiliated organizations.
ABOUT THE SPONSORS:
AAPA (www.aapa-ports.org/), founded in 1912, is the alliance of leading port authorities in the United States, Canada, the Caribbean and Latin America. The Association represents 160 seaport authorities and more than 300 sustaining and associate member firms and individuals with an interest in the seaports of the Western Hemisphere. AAPA fulfills its mission by protecting and advancing its members' common interests as they connect their communities with the global transportation system.
GETF (www.getf.org) is a Virginia-based 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization dedicated to building the infrastructure for sustainable development. A central component of GETF's mission is to promote the use of management system approaches. Additional information is available at www.peercenter.net.
