Port Commissioner
The Basics
If you live in a coastal city, you might know that ports are really important to lots of different industries. From consumer goods, food, and fuel being imported and exported, to cruise ships bringing tourists: they’re an important part of regional economies, support lots of jobs, and can even impact global trade.
Managing a port is incredibly complex, so operations are usually overseen by a Board of Commissioners. Some of these boards also oversee transportation hubs – the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, for example, also has jurisdiction over the NYC metro area’s airports, bridges, tunnels, and bus and rail terminals.
Most Port Commissioners are appointed by state or local governments, but a few places elect them directly. For these communities, making Commissioners elected positions is a way to add another layer of accountability and promote responsible management of an important aspect of the local economy.
How can I make my voice heard?
Democracy works when you do! Learn how to advocate for what you believe in, no matter the office or government agency, with our handy Genius Guides to advocacy.
Sources: Port Authority of New York and New Jersey; Port Houston
What have Port Commissioners done?
For coastal communities, the management of ports can affect the local economy, transit, the environment, and even natural disaster response. Here are just a few examples of actions that have made a big impact:
- Port of Seattle Commission
Washington
Set a policy to make childcare more accessible for airport workers, offering support to employees looking for local childcare options and setting a goal to open a childcare facility near the airport - Port of Houston Commission
Texas
Awarded half a million dollars in community grants – the largest amount in the history of the Commission’s Community Relations program – to 24 local organizations that support communities around the port
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Public safety is a major part of the responsibilities of the Greater Lafourche Port Commission in Lafourche Parish, Louisiana. Commissioners oversee telecommunications around the port, including for security, law enforcement, and emergency response services. Port communications have historically relied on privately-operated tower facilities, and safety regulations require that these towers stop operating during extreme weather events like hurricanes and tornadoes – this is to reduce the risk of downed live power lines causing fires and other accidents. Over the last two decades, Port Fourchon has experienced several serious disasters, including Hurricanes Katrina, Zeta, and Ida. During events like these, reliable communications are especially critical for public safety.
To address this issue, the Port Commission collaborated with other regional public safety groups to procure and build a state-of-the-art, hurricane-resistant communications site at the port. This included a port-operated tower, which is able to stay active during extreme weather, and multiple communications buildings. The facility, which started operating in 2012, provides crucial tools that help the Commission ensure public safety for the entire surrounding area, especially during storms.
Sources: Greater Lafourche Port Commission; MSB Consulting Engineers
How does it work in my state?
Scroll down and click on your state to learn more about the specifics of a Port Commissioner’s powers and responsibilities where you live. (If your state isn’t here yet, check back often – we’re adding more info all the time. If your state doesn’t elect Port Commissioners, it won’t appear here.)
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Term limits: none; terms are six years
Eligibility: to run for Commissioner, you must be registered to vote in Louisiana, and pay taxes in the parish and ward that you want to represent.
Louisiana has one elected port commission, the Greater Lafourche Port Commission in the 10th ward of Lafourche Parish. It has nine members. The Commission has authority over the area of the parish south of the Intracoastal Waterway, which is part of a major shipping route that stretches from Texas all the way to New Jersey. Their major responsibilities include:
- Managing Port Fourchon and the South Lafourche Leonard Miller, Jr. Airport
Port Fourchon is Louisiana’s leading offshore oil port, and a hub for more than 250 companies that support oil and gas operations in the gulf. The Commission manages security, communications, and all other operations for these important public facilities - Regulating commerce and traffic
- Making policy
The Commission can pass ordinances (local laws) that are related to its areas of authority, levy local taxes, and take on debt to finance big projects - Leasing property that it manages
- Providing logistical support for offshore oil and gas exploration
- Promoting trade and economic growth
- Protecting the local environment
Sources: the Louisiana Secretary of State’s Qualifications of Candidates guide; Louisiana Revised Statutes; the US Environmental Protection Agency; Greater Lafourche Port Commission; Commissioner testimony to the US Congressional Committee on Natural Resources; MSB Consulting Engineers; the New Orleans Times-Picayune
- Managing Port Fourchon and the South Lafourche Leonard Miller, Jr. Airport