March/April 2014
■
ThePort of Baltimore
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17
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EPAFocuses
on
PortsBecoming
MoreSustainable
W
ith a theme of “Advancing
MoreSustainable Ports,” the
U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) hosted a summit in
April todiscuss challenges facedby
the nation’s ports andneighboring
communities.
This inaugural summit, which took
place inBaltimore, brought together
professionals from the public and
private sector andhad amix of work-
shops, panels andpresentations about
port-relatedpractices, incentives and
technologies.
Capt.MikeReagoso, VicePresident
ofMcAllister Towing of Baltimore and
Chair of theBaltimorePort Alliance
(BPA) environmental committee, said
the citywas a fitting venue for the event
because thePort of Baltimore has a
strong culture of leadership onport
issues such as dredging, homeland
security,marine terminal development,
safety, diesel emission reductions and
compliance assistance training. He
creditsmuch of Baltimore’s success to
partnershipswith theU.S. ArmyCorps
of Engineers, U.S. Customs&Border
Protection, U.S. Coast Guard, EPA and a
number of other agencies.
“Like all ports, Baltimore is
unique—we have our own challenges,
opportunities and successes,” Reagoso
said. “We dowell in thewaywe engage
our community and environmental
stakeholders. The port and its
community neighbors are poised for
growth in cargo, andwe have been
preparing tomanage the impacts of that
growth.”
TheBPA, whichwas represented
by severalmembers at the summit,
is optimistic that the EPA’s emerging
Port Initiativewill effectively balance
economic, environmental and
