Page 16 - Port of Baltimore Magazine January/February 2016

PORT ENVIRONMENT
The Maryland Port Administration (MPA) recently met with about 30 organizations throughout the city to discuss the latest news with the Port of Baltimore and to answer questions. Some of the participants were (left to right): Joyce
Lewis, Early Head Start Lead Teacher; Talib Horne, Executive Director of Bon Secours Community Works; Barbara McMahon, Manager, Safety, Environment and Resource Management for the MPA; Kathy Broadwater, former Deputy Executive Director of the
MPA who retired Feb. 1; and Latoshia Evans- Blatché, Family League Program Coordinator at Bon Secours Community Works.
The Port Reaches Out to Communities
Port of Baltimore representatives have developed strong ties and relationships with the communities that border
the water through the dredged materials program. Masonville Cove near Brooklyn Park is an example of successful communication.
The Port also realized that the communities were interested in learning about air-quality and land-use issues as well, especially with the expansion of the Panama Canal.
That Canal project allows larger ships to call on the Port with its 50-foot channel and 50-foot berth, creating more growth and activity.
To address the communities’ inter- est, Barbara McMahon, head of Safety, Environment and Risk Management
at the Maryland Port Administration,
visited almost 30 organizations throughout the city. She also met with faith-based youth and health groups, advocacy organizations and fundraisers.
“Being a good neighbor is not
only the right thing to do, it is good business,” McMahon said. “It has been immensely rewarding to go out into
the neighborhoods and meet so many wonderful people who have dedicated themselves to improving their neighborhoods and the quality of life for those living in their neighborhoods.”
The meetings were mostly listening sessions to allow Port officials to learn what the goals
were and what mattered to the organizations. They also functioned as “Port 101,” giving attendees basic information about the Port and a
chance to tour the facilities. “We really appreciate Barb
McMahon’s efforts to learn about
the services we provide for our community and her sincere efforts
to look for ways we can partner with the Port to leverage our resources and help each other better serve Baltimore’s neighborhoods,” said Talib Horne, Executive Director of Bon Secours Community Works.
The outreach sessions also gave the communities an opportunity to learn about the Port’s impact on the area.
“Through these efforts, we now have a much greater understanding of how important the Port is to the City’s economic health and of the Port’s efforts to improve the quality of our air and water,” Horne said. 􏰀
MPA Wins Environmental Improvement Award
The Maryland Port Administration earned an award from the American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA) for the “Baltimore Inner Harbor Water Wheel.” The initiative was recognized under the “Mitigation” category. The innovative Water Wheel, located at the mouth of the Jones Falls and powered by its currents, collects trash, preventing it from entering the Inner Harbor. In just under two years, the Water Wheel has gathered more than 480 tons of trash, which is taken to a nearby waste-to-energy plant. 􏰀
[14] The Port of Baltimore ■ January/February 2017