I am Taylor Spicer, and I have lived in Atlanta, Georgia since 2012. I joined the ESAL team as the managing director and am now the executive director. I have an academic background in cultural anthropology, international relations, and international development. Before joining ESAL, I worked locally for a nonprofit association and for the sustainability office of Emory University and Emory Healthcare.
What did you do?
I attended a legislative day, sometimes also called a “day at the Capitol” or “lobby day,” at the Georgia State Capitol. The event was organized by four nonpartisan groups–the League of Women Voters (LWV), the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), and the Urban League of Greater Atlanta–that formed a coalition to advocate for civil rights at the state level.
The characteristic gold dome of the Georgia State Capitol located in downtown Atlanta
How did you identify and take advantage of the opportunity?
Events like this are promoted to organization members but not also announced publicly, I received notice from the LWV and ACLU newsletters. I attended the event because it was framed as a coalition of well-established nonpartisan organizations coming together to teach individuals and groups about state-level civil rights legislation and the process of speaking with legislators at the Capitol.
What happened?
The group of over 500 Georgians convened in the morning at the church across the street from the Capitol. Attendees enjoyed breakfast, discussions with other attendees, and remarks from leaders of the coordinating organizations. Each group shared the purposes and statuses of bills that their groups were tracking, including bills affecting civil rights protections, voting rights, diversity, equity, and inclusion, criminal justice, and environmental justice. Attendees had the chance to learn the bill names, numbers, sponsors and progress of the bills and ask clarifying questions. The ACLU led the group through an overview of strategies individuals and groups can use to tell legislators why they should vote a certain way on a bill.
After the training, I walked with the group across the street to understand how to put what we learned into practice. To enter the Capitol, we all had to wait in a security line, walk through a metal detector, pass our belongings through a screener, and show proof of identification. Once we cleared security, we turned into the atrium below the House floor, which was buzzing with activity. In the morning, another coalition hosted “Conservation Day at the Capitol,” so signs about protecting the Okefenokee Swamp were intermingled with Human Rights Campaign “Pride to the Capitol” signs and flags held by supporters coalescing for an afternoon rally. Lobbyists, representatives, and staffers moved up and down the stairs to and from the chambers, committee rooms, their offices, and press conferences.
The group I was with navigated the stairs to the hallway outside the House chamber. There we talked through the process to meet our representative “on the ropes,” meaning outside the chamber. They showed the group where to get the forms you complete to request time with your legislator. Once you complete the form, you hand it to a page, who delivers it to your representative. If they are able, your representative will step out to speak with you. The process is similar for the Senate and House.
Supporters of civil rights bills line up on the stairs in the Capitol while civic leaders hold a press conference below
The group then walked to a separate building housing legislators’ offices. In Georgia, legislators share offices, so you can often speak with staff members of multiple representatives if your legislator is unavailable. The group spoke with staffers of Rep. Jasmine Clark to learn about the committee assignment of HB 670 “Georgia Civil Rights Act of 2025.” The group also dropped off handwritten cards and messages requesting follow-up conversations with Rep. Clark.
After navigating the Capitol and the offices, the group had lunch and then returned for an afternoon rally to raise awareness about HB 670 and its Senate counterpart, SB 320. Leaders of each coalition organization explained the impacts the bills, if passed, could have on their members and all Georgians.
What did you get out of this experience?
I am grateful to all organizations that work to make the initially unfamiliar processes of interacting with elected officials at state capitols accessible for state residents. I wanted to learn how organizations structure these experiences, and they serve multiple purposes:
They bring you into rooms with other residents, most of whom may not have STEM backgrounds but who care about the organizing groups’ advocacy agenda.
You learn about relevant bills, local leaders sponsoring these bills, and the intentions for the bills to impact the lives of your fellow residents.
You learn how the lobbying process works, and you often are able to try it as a member of a group, which can make it less intimidating.
You experience the Capitol, which is a public building open to anyone.
You connect with the people and processes that are shaping the quality of life and opportunities for all people in your state.
You can also start to understand the coalitions that have formed to amplify needs and priorities, an important tactic for people who are not elected officials but who are seeking to influence decision-making.
While I waited in line to get into the building for a second time after lunch, I overheard a legislator walking to their office say that the line to get in was the longest they had ever seen. I could not help but smile at this recognition of the motivation of Georgians to be seen and heard by their state’s decision makers.
Enacting New Policies to Clean California’s Air
La’Shaye Cobley is a staff air pollution specialist at the California Air Resources Board (CARB) where she was introduced during her stint as a California Council on Science and Technology Fellow. Cobley found her calling to science policy shortly after receiving her PhD in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from the University of Utah. Since joining CARB, Cobley has co-led projects such as the drayage component of the Advanced Clean Fleets rule, and Community Engagement Model. Cobley reflects on how her upbringing has informed her path to science policy and how she pursued a career outside academia. Cobley’s ideas are her own and are not a reflection of CARB.
This interview has been edited for clarity and length.
MS: What inspired you to move into air quality and urban policy?
LC: I grew up Rastafarian, which has a culture of stewardship. My mom very much instilled in me a respect for nature, so when I got to undergrad, I studied plants. In my PhD, I studied urban ecology, and the trees that I was studying told me stories about air pollution. I was really curious about where trees in cities get their nutrients from. Where do they get their nitrogen? I thought it would be the story of fertilizer use, but it was a story about vehicle emissions and pollution. It turns out that where I did my research, there's more air pollution in lower-income areas than in higher-income areas. After finding this, I wanted to have a more direct line with making an impact, and that led me into policy through the California Council on Science and Technology (CCST) fellowship.
MS: Do you find policymaking to be a cycle where policy informs the environment, which informs policy again?
LC: It's all connected, especially at the California Air Resources Board (CARB). If we're doing a rulemaking, it has to be data-driven. One of the rules that I worked on, the Advanced Clean Fleets rule, said that trucks in California have to have zero emissions by 2050. I had to talk to engineers, manufacturers, and residents who live next door to warehouses. In addition to these conversations, we were looking at air quality metrics and scientific data. Once we had collected all of this information, we wove it all together to tell a cohesive story about the rule. The benefit of the role that I do is that I get to zoom in and out of the weeds and think about the policy and how it impacts people.
MS: What common challenges do you face?
LC: The thing that is hard is that you don't want to disappoint anybody. As a public servant, you want to be helping everyone, all the time, but it's not always clear what the action should be. When I was working on the Advanced Clean Fleets rule, truck drivers said they wanted clean air, but the zero emission technology was really expensive and was going to put them out of business. Those types of conversations are hard to navigate. The thing that is hard in policy, but that's also true for academia, is that things just take a really long time.
MS: Why does it take a very long time?
LC: California is very developed, and in any rulemaking, you have to prove your numbers to the Department of Finance. There's a cost associated with each rule. You don't want all businesses to just die because that's people's livelihood, so you have to do research on alternatives and perform technology assessments. Once you've done all of this research about the technology and the cost, you need to go and workshop that to the public. Workshopping takes a lot of time because you have to figure out how you are going to meet people in their communities. Are you just going to have one meeting? One meeting for 40 million people? Trying to get a compromise that works for the majority of people just takes time.
MS: How do you get the public to participate?
LC: It depends on the rulemaking and the topic. Despite CARB’s long history of community engagement, the public has said we’re not doing it well. To help address this, one of the things that I work on is CARB’s Community Engagement Model. We are writing a textbook for staff on how to better engage communities. It's already been a multi-year process because of writing the document. We’ve gone to communities in different ways and contracted community experts to identify the best practices and strategies for community engagement. Once the model is finalized, we'll train staff, which will take time as well. All of this to say that outreach is hard. There are some people who want to be very engaged and there are some people who are like, I don't care how you do it, just get my air clean. And so you have to work with all of the above. We encourage people to come to our board meetings, but also encourage them to be a part of the process before the board meeting.
MS: What are your long-term hopes?
LC: At the end of the day, I take it very seriously that I'm a public servant. The highest honor is that I know my work is impacting people, and I want to make sure that, at the bare minimum, I do no harm. To go beyond that, I want to make sure that as we clean the air and move towards reducing greenhouse gases, we do it as equitably as possible. A lot of times, communities of color and low-income communities bear the weight disproportionately of cleaning up and transitioning. I just want to make sure that no community is left behind and that we are leading with them in mind as we make these transitions.
MS: What advice would you give students interested in science policy?
LC: When I was in grad school, it was very hard for me to imagine what my career would look like after I decided that I didn't want to be a professor. I had no training to do anything else. I want students to know that we are valuable; we have skills that can be utilized. You can think about things deeply and complexly and that desire and that skill is transferable.
CivicSciTV "Questions of the Day" Interview with ESAL's Taylor Spicer
On this episode of "Questions of the Day" on CivicSciTV, an initiative of the Civic Science Media Lab, Fanuel Muindi interviews Taylor Spicer, the newly appointed executive director of ESAL. Spicer provides a behind-the-scenes look at how ESAL fosters civic engagement among STEM professionals at the local level.
“We are folks with STEM backgrounds, various career stages, ages, identities, who are coming together around a central interest and motivation to increase local civic engagement,” she explains. Rather than being prescriptive, ESAL supports a wide range of civic actions—from joining commissions to organizing cleanups—adapting to the interests of its growing 2,000-member network. As Spicer puts it, “We try not to be prescriptive for any place, any person, but trust that members understand more about where they live and what communities need.”
The conversation explores how ESAL is scaling impact by launching a new community platform, piloting a fiscal sponsorship model, and collaborating with groups like the National Science Policy Network and Eagleton Institute to generate research on local STEM engagement. Spicer is frank about challenges in tracking long-term impact: “We’ve been saying a bunch of things that, in reality, may not be how folks want to engage.” Still, she sees promise in ESAL’s unique position as an open, accessible connector for STEM professionals: “We are focused a little bit more on the skills and the information you need to show up in your local community.”
Despite the broader uncertainty in federal support, Spicer anchors her vision in a powerful throughline: “Really, right now, ESAL is focused on a message of hope.”
The conversation weaves together motivations for civic engagement where you live, tips for starting your civic engagement journey, ESAL's role in supporting people with STEM backgrounds acting locally, and ways Spicer's background and own civic journey informs how she leads ESAL.
Transcript
Margonelli: Welcome to The Ongoing Transformation, a podcast from Issues in Science and Technology. Issues is a quarterly journal published by the National Academy of Sciences and Arizona State University.
I’m Lisa Margonelli, editor-in-chief of Issues. On our series, Science Policy IRL, we talk to people in science policy about what they do and how they got there. We’ve shared stories of how people have found their way into science policy careers at places like the White House, Congress and federal agencies. In this episode, we’re exploring a different way into science policy: getting involved with your local government.
I’m joined today by Taylor Spicer, the executive director of Engineers and Scientists Acting Locally or ESAL, to learn how her organization helps scientists and engineers get involved in local policy. Taylor talks to us about how she went from international development to leading an organization dedicated to local civic engagement, why it’s important for people with STEM backgrounds to get involved with policy in their own backyards, and how ESAL’s Network can help you get started.
Taylor, welcome. I’m so excited to talk with you today. Let’s start with our usual first question. How do you define science policy?
Spicer: Thanks for this question, Lisa. As someone who just learned of this idea about two years ago, I would love to first answer how I, as someone not of the field, would have thought about it before entering into it. So I am a former sustainability practitioner and I would’ve honestly interpreted this term to be some other name for maybe political science or possibly a way of thinking of shaping policy for safe and supportive uses of science by government. But now that I’ve been welcomed into the field, I do understand more of the commonly used definitions about science for policy and policy for science. So that, to me, means using scientific knowledge to inform policy making and rulemaking, and then setting policies that help shape boundaries and opportunities for the work of science to be done.
But through our work, I see more of the ways that people choosing to participate civically actually shapes how they show up in the world, and also show up for science policy purposes at all levels of decision making, whether that’s federal, state, local, or all of the above. So there’s the individual part of it, of how we are shaped and then therefore our work is shaped, but then also at more of a political cultural level, so how our culture and expectations of policy making, of our government, of governance, how it shapes our civic health. And when I say civic health, I mean an overarching effort to understand how our communities are organized to define and address public needs and opportunities. So there’s a duality here.
Margonelli: Yes, and I think in order to get into this duality, which is super interesting, we need to understand what is Engineers and Scientists Acting Locally?
Spicer: So Engineers and Scientists Acting Locally is serving the STEM community as a source for state and local engagement information, instruction and some inspiration, sharing stories, helping find the motivation for all of us to take the step or take multiple steps out into our communities to use what we have, what we know, make our connections and bring it all together to help shape the quality of life in our communities.
Margonelli: So if I were an engineer and let’s say I lived in Maine, where I live, and I wanted to join my local town or county water management district on the board, I could do that and be a STEM person, a STEM resource in my community, but I could also join Engineers and Scientists Acting Locally.
Spicer: There will be different impacts, of course, so we would hope you might do both because there are advantages to being a part of a network of folks of similar backgrounds that have similar motivations, but it will not be the same as you choosing to directly engage with your community where you live. Because from us, you’ll hear certain types of supports and resources and ideas, but from your community, you’ll hear very locally informed opinions, perceptions, solutions that you then become a part of. So it’s just a different choice. But again, we’d hope you make both so that you could have more support while you serve in that civic role, whatever it may be.
Our mission is to increase local civic engagement by people with backgrounds in STEM, intentionally inclusive of many ways that one could show up because to us, it is important not to prescribe for everyone what you should do because it will not work for everyone. It will not work for every community. An example, some communities have an opportunity to participate in citizen assemblies. It’s a structure designed for input from community members. If I told you, Lisa, to go do that in Maine and you try, you may realize that it doesn’t exist. So there’s not always the same type of opportunities for civic engagement. So we give as much universal training or information as we think we can, and then mostly work with individuals or groups to tailor that based upon where you’re living or what you’re trying to achieve by doing the work.
Margonelli: And so this experience with acting locally and with working with a network group of 2000 STEM professionals across the country who are also networked to each other and also working locally, that has given you this insight into science policy that’s multi-levels. As you put it, it’s both this individual action in your community and then it’s also how you change that community.
Spicer: Yes, I think it is inclusive of the more commonly used definitions of science policy. I think if someone came to us, wanted to do that at the state or other local scale, that would be a good fit for our organization. We have people who’ve done it. We have resources to, again, help you take the steps and soon, we will have more of an organizing structure to help you find more of the people you need to do the work effectively. So yes, our goal is to not limit people’s thoughts and choices about how to show up in their communities because there are a multitude of ways. You do not have to solely try to influence policies or science or integrate science into policymaking. You can still shape decisions by ways that you work with local institutions, nonprofits, citizens groups, how you deliver your comments in town halls, public hearings, how you author op-eds in your local newspaper, how you serve in advisory ways through appointments to local boards and commissions.
And so really by being more inclusive there, hopefully others see it as an opening of more opportunities to pursue because we can’t all do one thing and expect to be able to influence a lot of different outcomes, but all of us doing things in different ways together and united for an overall purpose of using science for the public good can have really amazing outcomes when we are networked, working together, sharing information and helping us not all start from zero. So I think when people pivot to science policy, sometimes there’s a lot of information gaps, a cultural gap of how things get done and relational gaps. And so if we, through the network, are able to share more of that foundational information, help us all not start from zero, it becomes additive and it grows from there.
Margonelli: It’s such an interesting community, and I love the way you’ve described it because it’s much more relational than some of the standard science policy discourse, which is really about influencing policy itself, and this is really about having these relationships within society at different levels. Now you live in Georgia. Can you tell me something that you did with ESAL early on in your relationship with it? What was that like? Or give me a scene, a day in your life that you were working with ESAL in Georgia?
Spicer: So I will say that being a part of ESAL has done multiple things to motivate me, and one of the early ones was to show up to a local, a county board of elections open meeting. So for our county, there are monthly meetings anyone can attend. The agendas are posted online. You can watch from a virtual feed. You can submit questions. I, for the first time, went in person. So I had been following along for a long time virtually, but I needed a little bit of extra motivation to start making the time to go show up in person. So I did that maybe two months after joining ESAL and signed up and delivered my first public comments for the board of elections meetings. Not that I hadn’t in some other fora, but I think my motivation to do it was connected to now wanting to talk the talk, walk the walk.
And I just remember I had a longer history and again, following the work of this group, and I spoke to that and that really resonated with them. And at the time, they were actually having to respond to one individual’s presentation of challenges to other people’s voter statuses, so their registrations. And they were using, and still are in some places, using a new data platform called Eagle AI. I find that people outside of our state have not heard of it. It is being presented as an alternative way to clean voter rolls, whereas many states, I believe I’m still correct in saying the majority of states, use an interstate data sharing coalition called ERIC. And so it’s quite a change in data integrity in elections. And I felt as though I had enough information to show up and add some value to the conversation. And I had the history and the context of knowing those folks and how the commissioners had acted and how they had discussed topics before.
And so I put their current decision in that context and that felt really powerful for me to show up and be able to do that. So that’s one example. And another one didn’t have quite the outcome I had hoped for, but I did, early in my time with ESAL, apply to be on my city’s sustainability and environment board. So I submitted an application during the application period, I went and did an interview with two of our commissioners, and then I was not chosen. However, I can attend the meetings that are held in our city. So I’ve been to a couple of those. But that was one thing that was motivated by ESAL. And at the same time, one of our other members was applying for a commission and did successfully get appointed. So it felt like a good result overall for members of ESAL in that time period.
Margonelli: So this is very much something that you do as a civic activity in addition to your other jobs or other roles in life?
Spicer: Yes. I think that is a commonality of people who choose to spend time contributing to ESAL, finding our organization, folks are looking for information about how to do this work. And a lot of us, once we start, we keep doing more of it. It may not always look the same, but we will find other avenues to show up.
Margonelli: Science sometimes has a reputation for showing up in a white coat and being a little bit at an angle to society perhaps. And you’ve been living in Georgia for some time and I imagine you have thoughts about what is the way that you show up? How is the way that you build trust with the people who are around you?
Spicer: I think that answer can look different depending on who you are hoping to build trust with. And of course, nothing can be universal, so apologies for generalizations, but sometimes you will get more attention and be taken more seriously when you show up in that white coat. Often that can be in the role of an expert, either officially invited to maybe a committee hearing or informally showing up as a member of the public and delivering your comments to maybe a utility commission who wants to hear more about what your research says about transmission, for an example. That will probably be heard differently than someone who doesn’t have a credential like that showing up in a space and asking for commissioners to vote a certain way.
However, I think there can be a tendency to only look at the part of a solution that science might say is most advantageous and at times, not put that into a full context. So there are of course complexities, but there are also other forms of knowledge that matter as well. And there are also many people, groups, neighborhoods, organizations that have invested in places in your neighborhood, your city, your county, your state, and have been a part of work to shape it for a long time. So when you show up in any space locally, you’re a part of a long history, many processes of transformation, corporate interests, of course policies, but maybe community development funds, an initiative to reshape how services are provided. There is so much at play that you, I would suggest first, have to try to listen to those voices, those initiatives, those folks who are already fully invested in doing this.
And then there will probably be a reshaping process where your part of the solution becomes a part of a larger conversation about what should be prioritized. So there is a bit of a humbling process that might personally happen. It can often require us all to make ourselves uncomfortable, possibly inconvenience ourselves a little bit, make time to go somewhere new, step into spaces with people we don’t know, but you can also bring a friend, bring a family member, bring someone with you so that they can help you balance those feelings and still find the motivation to show up because it is important. There are some, very few honestly, bits of research that I can point to about how often people with scientific backgrounds show up locally. It’s a hard thing to measure.
The one that I can point to is more about state-level elected officials. Thank you to the Eagleton Institute. They put out scientists and state politics database, and so they look at the backgrounds of all elected officials. There are over 7,000 of them across the nation. And among them, just over, I believe it’s 300, have a STEM background including healthcare professionals. So within those 300, about 70 are scientists, and I think about 25 are engineers. So those exact numbers are not right, but at our most official, state-level elected folks really only have about 100 scientists and engineers. Layer in healthcare professionals, we’re at about 300.
Margonelli: Wow. Those are stunning numbers.
Spicer: So we would argue that you can have a pretty disproportionate impact when you are showing up to share your expertise and lived experience as a part of these larger community conversations because without you showing up, there is no guarantee that there will be other scientific expertise represented in the decision-making process.
Margonelli: This is very interesting, thank you. So give me a little sense of your path. How did you get here? I’m sure you did not, when you were 10, I doubt you said, “I’m going to grow up and lead a group of engineers and scientists who are going to get involved in local decision-making.” How did you get here?
Spicer: Probably true. I took a winding path as I think a few of us do. So I’ll just say one of my earliest influences and someone who helped me really love the world—and by that I mean people and the natural world—was my mom. She was an avid gardener, loved to hike. We would always take road trips across the country, mostly out west when we could. And through that experience at home and for fun vacations, it just always was about being in nature and loving and appreciating what was around us and what we had. So that, I think, translated to me originally being interested, in high school, becoming a geneticist or a virologist or someone using that knowledge for something that might have taken me into a research lab. But I became a little intimidated by that thought when our AP Bio teacher brought in someone to tell us what that was like. I wanted to be outside. I wanted to be with people. I wasn’t sure that being in a research lab was for me.
So I ended up taking a turn more into the social sciences, studied cultural anthropology. Was really intrigued first by political cultures, just how the ways that we expect our government to work, how it is influenced by different actors and global trends. And so that led me into international development, got a master’s in development practice, and at that time was studying at Emory and became a part of the sustainability office, which was a part of the university administration. And through that very localized institutional sustainability work, I witnessed a lot about how you have to work with municipalities to implement, in our case, an innovative wastewater reuse technology, how you had to negotiate with the county to make something like that useful.
Other members of our team testified in utility commission hearing to advocate for the legality of resilient district energy structures. So it’s something that allows you to generate energy in a place and use it in a place. We can’t do that in Georgia. We all have to work through existing utilities and then just the wide web of how we are so interconnected with the ways that we use resources, supply chains, how we develop culture, how we are a part of economic and social movements, all these things I could witness in one campus doing one bit of institutional work. So I think that really helped not only shape the ways that I like to approach problem solving, but also understand how the work of government weaves into what you can do in practice.
And I will say one other thing about my time at Emory, I would be remiss to not mention my lovely folks that I helped launch the Emory Votes initiative with. We really recognize that there wasn’t an institutional place for our huge voting block, we were almost 30,000 people at that point, could go for accurate information and support to show up and exercise their rights to vote. So we built it. My good friend James Roland and other faculty and students. And that really helped, again, just be the motivator to just get out and do it.
So I think that all laid the path toward Engineers and Scientists Acting Locally because aside from my job, I was doing many other things to get involved, related to elections, integrity work, more sustainability work, social justice work, and they all have so many interlaps, everything in our lives with science and with the applications of what we are learning, what we are researching, how we move toward our best quality of life and supportive systems. So it felt like a nice extension of that work to join ESAL and really only found a supportive group of folks who want to share to make us all better in the STEM and science policy world.
Margonelli: It’s interesting because you’ve brought this deeply social science lens on political culture to understanding how STEM professionals can interact with that political culture. STEM professionals, they study a lot, but they haven’t necessarily studied political culture, which affects the way that you do the STEM, the way that you build the infrastructures, the way that the STEM knowledge interacts with both physical structures and political structures. So I want to switch a little bit to the big questions that motivate you. What gets you out of bed in the morning for this job?
Spicer: You already said it. To be honest, Lisa, this work is so relational and it’s the relationships with people and knowing that our team and our network have been drawn to this work, and I want to play my parts in supporting that group, supporting this work and growing it in the ways that continue to serve the mission, make the space, protect the space for people to show up and be involved in their communities. I’ve personally felt a lot of the co-benefits of this type of choice. And I think there’s so much that grows beyond the original reason you choose to show up. I think to go back to the idea of civic health, we have been often encouraged to think of ourselves as operating alone. We have to work so hard. We won’t get what we deserve until we put in all this time and effort.
And I wonder what that mindset has cost us and what it has led us to prioritize. And what I am hoping is I can encourage more people to do is to also try to prioritize more of your time and your motivation toward building relationships with people. They don’t always have to be the policy makers. They can be your neighbors. They can be the person at your favorite farmer’s market. They can be anyone around you because the foundations of trust, security, hopefulness lie in our ability to connect with each other and grow from there. We don’t always know why we are connected, but there is something more to it. And the more we make time for it, the more we start to uncover it. And then we understand how our assets, we all have individual assets, we start to understand how that can best fit the needs that our communities have and the opportunities that we can pursue.
We will not find that out if we are operating in isolation, if we are focused on competing with each other, it’s not going to happen. And I worry that now that we’re in a moment of so much turmoil that the tendency will be to withdraw instead of reach out and look to each other because it’s what we need to do in this moment. Nobody in the scientific field or enterprise, whatever terms we want to use, community, hopefully, more what it feels like, but nobody is alone in having to respond to the turmoil. If we choose each other, lean on our networks, including ESAL—come on, be a part of it—we will start to operate more interconnectedly and navigate systemic change in more resilient ways.
Margonelli: You just said that we need to connect to each other to navigate systemic change. What are you saying? You’re saying that we’re going through, together, a systemic change, which is a different way than this moment in our history is I think being treated by say, the newspapers. The newspapers are saying we are in a very polarized time. There’s a lot of politics going on. There’s a lot of political peril at high levels. What you’re saying is we’re all together overlapping with each other in different ways and we are all going through a systemic change together. Explain to me what you’re thinking is about that systemic change.
Spicer: Yeah, that was a good summary. What I am saying is that the systemic changes that we are experiencing are revealing, if we choose to see them, the ways that we are so interconnected because these federal changes, well just the Trump administration’s action, they’re diminishing federal civil service opportunities as well as retracting federal funds and services and jobs that our local communities rely on. And within those changes are so many impacted people, families, communities, country, globe. It is so interconnected. And what I am saying is that there have been so many ways that society… forces that want us to not look to each other in this moment have tried to tell us that if we don’t succeed right now, it’s because of our individual character, our motivation, our will to try. That is not the case. We know that some of the people directly impacted by these changes are the brightest of us all, have worked so hard, but they are still directly impacted and interconnected with the rest of us in this moment.
So we all—individually, in groups—have choices right now, and those choices matter deeply for the health of our democracy and our healthy democracies center practices, values, norms that support and encourage civic engagement. They want us to be involved, but if we let it go, if we don’t choose to come together, we can lose more than we ever we could lose. So it’s my call, my hope is that we be intentional in making those connections. It does not have to be a huge thing. It can really be at an interpersonal level, checking in on someone, letting them know what you have, you can share, knowing that you’re thinking about them. It all rebuilds or strengthens trust that is foundational to a democracy that works for all of us.
Margonelli: So I want to move towards asking how people can get involved in ESAL. But before I do that, I just want to clarify, ESAL is nonpartisan. So you can be anywhere on the political spectrum or finding yourself on the political spectrum, whatever that means at this point. And the interactions are not necessarily along the spectrum that is presented at the national stage. It is far more local. Local politics may have little to do with national. So tell us about that and then how people can get involved with ESAL.
Spicer: Yes, so ESAL is national, nonpartisan, nonprofit, and there is a reason to be nonpartisan more than just to appeal to the two major parties. Nonpartisan groups exist because we are all not inherently a political party. We will all not inherently choose to operate in the line with political parties. We are much more than that. There is so much more to our identities, how we show up in the world, and we want to leave space for anyone who wants to learn how to do civic engagement, again, unified by their identity with a background in STEM to find a safe place, a community, a resource, an opportunity, whatever works for them. Because political parties are not one thing. They’re not static. They aren’t entrenched forever. There will always be civic participation work and opportunities that are not partisan. They are not about political party success, about any one bill, about any one candidate.
So I think that gives us the longer term view of how engagement in this country will shift. May not always be so staunchly tied to parties or one or two particular policy issues that they promote heavily that impact how we live. So that is how we are shaped. That’s part of why nonpartisan work is so important. And through ESAL, there are different ways you can engage. You can be directly involved in the work that you see of the organization programmatically, operationally. We are always looking for more folks who want to help us do our mission and strengthen it. So we have opportunities that we post on our website or on social media. We also have a monthly newsletter as well as we’ll have new opportunities soon through the organizing platform that I briefly referenced earlier.
So through that platform, when it launches in July, any individual will be able to join it, find timely and specific local engagement information. So say it’s your time for your legislative session, we will have that on your local calendar, have folks in there to help you identify, based upon what you want to do, maybe best contacts, the representative who sponsored the bill that you want to be involved with. So just getting the information you need to do your local engagement work. And through that platform, we’re looking for folks who have that local knowledge and again, are willing to share it with folks to raise the foundational collective knowledge that we all have so that we’re all not starting from zero. And yeah, it’s hopefully our way to turn back in to the full STEM network that we’ve grown, that collective knowledge that we right now don’t have a great way to share. So it doesn’t quite exist yet, but I’m excited to see what happens when so many of the wonderful people that we’ve come to know are now connecting with each other.
Margonelli: Are you now inspired to go to your local town hall or board meeting? Go to Engineers and Scientists Acting Locally’s website at esal.us to find resources about how local governments work, how to get involved and sign up for their newsletter to be the first to hear when their new platform launches in July.
Write to us at podcast@issues.org with your local science policy news, or other topics you’d like to explore and please subscribe to the Ongoing Transformation wherever you get your podcasts. Thanks to our podcast producer, Kimberly Quach, and our audio engineer Shannon Lynch. I’m Lisa Margonelli, Editor in Chief at Issues and Science and Technology. Thank you for listening.
Ellen Bruno is an Associate Professor of Cooperative Extension in the Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics at UC Berkeley. Cooperative Extension economists like Bruno focus on applied research and outreach related to economic and policy issues that impact California’s agriculture and natural resources. Working closely with government agencies, environmental organizations, community groups, and the agricultural sector, Bruno and her colleagues provide accessible, research-based solutions that bridge local concerns with broader academic insights.
Bruno’s work primarily examines water resource management policies. Her recent projects include analyzing how agricultural groundwater use responds to price changes over time and investigating the factors that influence collective action and policy choices in California’s groundwater management. Her research supports the implementation of the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA), a landmark piece of legislation that promotes sustainable groundwater practices through locally developed Groundwater Sustainability Plans.
JL: Can you tell us more about your role within UC Berkley’s Cooperative Extension and how a Cooperative Extension Specialist operates within a community?
Bruno: In a general sense, we fulfill the University of California’s mission of public outreach by connecting our research with Californians who can benefit from it. Cooperative Extension is all about bridging the research happening at the university with people in the state who can put it to use. As one of the few economists in the Cooperative Extension network, my role is unique—I concentrate on providing economic insights specific to water resources and agricultural sustainability, aiming to fill a niche within the program. With regards to novel policies like SGMA, I get to explore research questions related to groundwater management, review the economic factors influencing Groundwater Sustainability Plans, and share insights directly with decision-makers in these local agencies. As such, I collaborate with irrigation district managers, water utility leaders, farmers, and other key stakeholders invested in California's water resources. I also share information with environmental justice organizations that are particularly concerned with equitable water access for underserved communities. My work ultimately seeks to balance economic feasibility with the environmental and social demands of water management, offering a distinct perspective that complements the natural science approaches of my colleagues.
JL: What would you say is the biggest challenge in groundwater resource management that you've encountered?
Bruno: In many regions around the world—and even within California—groundwater has become an increasingly critical resource, particularly in areas where agriculture is prevalent. However, groundwater use remains largely unregulated, leading to declining reserves. California’s Central Valley, for example, is one of the most agriculturally productive areas in the country, and as such has faced significant declines in its groundwater table over time. Climate change exacerbates this issue by increasing demand; when surface water becomes scarce, especially during droughts, farmers often turn to groundwater as an alternative to meet their crop needs. This reliance puts immense pressure on groundwater reserves, a resource that, historically, has been poorly managed and rarely monitored in much of California. Economists often consider this a classic example of market failure, where there’s a strong need for better management practices. Addressing these challenges and improving groundwater management has been a central focus of my research.
To this end, my work has centered on understanding the impact of California’s efforts to regulate groundwater. In analyzing the early effects of these regulations, I found no significant shifts in groundwater extraction or water-intensive investments in areas with stricter anticipated controls. This suggests that high private discount rates may drive producers to prioritize immediate returns over long-term regulatory impacts. These findings provide valuable insights for local agencies and policymakers, helping them design more timely and effective water management strategies.
JL: Beyond the people you collaborate with, are there other factors or experiences that drive your interest in this field?
Bruno: The majority of my work has focused on studying groundwater pricing as a potential policy tool for managing groundwater allocation, particularly in agriculture. Traditionally, landowners could drill wells and pump water with minimal cost, mostly just the electricity needed to extract it, so essentially, the water itself was free. This low cost has led to overuse, with groundwater tables dropping significantly over time.
To address this, I’ve been researching the effects of implementing a groundwater price or tax to discourage over-pumping. My work includes analyzing data from irrigation districts, like those in the Coachella Valley, where they actually charge for groundwater to fund replenishment efforts. Alongside economist Katrina Jessoe from UC Davis, we have studied how these price changes influence farmers' pumping decisions. While price isn't the sole factor in these decisions, it serves as a critical signal impacting water extraction. My research has isolated the effect of price adjustments alone—amid other factors influencing pumping choices—on water use behavior.
JL: As a final question, do you have any advice or words of motivation for young people starting their STEM careers, especially those interested in conservation or in exploring the economic side of these fields?
Bruno: I would say, start by finding what you're genuinely interested in and go from there. If you’re driven to work with communities or government and want your work to make an impact, a great place to begin is with a needs assessment. This means talking to the communities or individuals you’re interested in supporting, learning about the challenges they face, and seeing if your skills can help address those issues.
To maximize the impact of your research, keep the public informed. I regularly advertise webinars and make my research freely accessible on my website. Additionally, I present these findings at public events, fostering wider engagement and understanding.
To see Ellen’s ongoing research, you can visit her website here: https://ellen-bruno.com/
Meet Al Licata, ESAL's new program manager
ESAL is excited to welcome Al Licata as our new program manager. With a background in neuroscience and nonprofit administration, Al brings a deep passion for both STEM and local advocacy. In this Q&A, they share their journey, motivations, and vision for the role.
From Neuroscience to Local Advocacy
TK: What led you from neuroscience to working in local advocacy?
Licata: I’ve always been passionate about science and technology, but I also deeply believe in the power of local advocacy to shape our communities. My career started in neuroscience, but over time, I was drawn to the nonprofit sector, particularly in homeless services. ESAL offers a unique space where these two interests intersect.
The path to civic engagement
TK: What first sparked your interest in civic engagement?
Licata: The major social movements of my generation, particularly the rise of Black Lives Matter and the political shifts of the late 2010s, played a huge role. I started recognizing how much local policy directly affects people's daily lives. One of my first experiences combining STEM and advocacy was with the Scientist Action Advocacy Network at NYU, where we used neuroscience research to support policy changes in the juvenile justice system. That was an eye-opening moment—realizing that scientific knowledge can be leveraged for meaningful policy impact.
TK: How did your work in homeless services shape your perspective?
Licata: Working in homeless services showed me how small policy details can have enormous consequences. Something as simple as the cost of a birth certificate can be a huge barrier for someone experiencing homelessness. These local policy details matter, and they need advocates who understand the data behind them.
Science, technology, and local impact
TK: Why do you think STEM professionals should engage in local advocacy?
Licata: Decision-makers love data, and STEM professionals can provide the evidence needed to shape better policies. Whether it’s climate change, housing development, or AI governance, science is already influencing policy—it’s just a matter of whether scientists are at the table. Plus, local engagement teaches valuable skills like relationship-building, persuasive communication, and navigating complex systems. These are essential for advocacy, but they also make us better scientists, engineers, and problem solvers.
A new vision for ESAL
TK: What initiatives are you leading as ESAL’s program manager?
Licata: I’m focused on launching a digital platform to connect STEM professionals in local advocacy and developing an online course to teach practical civic engagement skills.
We’re excited to roll out Mighty Networks, a digital space designed to foster connections and resource sharing among engaged STEM professionals. It’s a bit like social media but with a stronger focus on community building and collaboration.
TK: Tell us more about the online course.
Licata: ESAL has long been committed to providing practical guidance on local civic engagement, and this course will help us reach even more people in a structured, accessible format. We want to equip STEM professionals with the tools they need to make a real impact.
The power of community
TK: What excites you most about your new role?
Licata: The strength of community. Now more than ever, we need to support one another. The challenges we face—whether in science, policy, or society—require collective action. ESAL is about empowering STEM professionals to engage locally, and I’m thrilled to be part of that mission.
We’re excited to see the impact Al will make in their new role and look forward to the growth of ESAL’s programs under their leadership. Welcome to the team, Al!
Engaging Locally in a Changing Federal Landscape
Since the start of the current Trump Administration, changes in federal policies have had significant impacts on many engineers and scientists as well as the broader scientific enterprise. These changes have implications not just for federal agencies and programs but also for the ways in which science informs decision-making at all levels of government. We at Engineers & Scientists Acting Locally (ESAL) recognize that many of you are asking how you can most effectively engage in decision-making in this new context.
Eight years ago, we founded ESAL on the premise that while federal policies play a significant role in shaping the landscape of STEM-related issues, state and local governments and communities are critical arenas for driving change. These levels of governance are responsible for implementing many policies that directly affect communities—such as environmental regulations, public health initiatives, infrastructure projects, and education programs. Scientists and engineers bring essential perspectives and expertise to these efforts, and our mission is to empower them to engage more effectively at the local level.
Toward this end, we have developed resources–articles, workshops, playbooks, events, and more–to help engineers and scientists navigate and contribute to local and state governance. This work has always been grounded in an implicit understanding of how federal, state, and local governments interoperate. With recent federal shifts in policy and funding, however, state and local responses will need to evolve in new and unexpected ways. That means our approach to supporting your engagement must also adapt.
We are actively updating and expanding our offerings to ensure they remain relevant in this changing landscape. Your insights are invaluable to this effort. Where are you encountering the most significant changes in how you engage locally? What are you hearing from your STEM peers and from your communities? Let us know. Your questions and insights will shape how we prioritize updates to help you meet this moment with action and impact.
In a few months, ESAL will launch an online platform aimed at lowering barriers to local engagement. The platform will help you connect with people near you, receive information about local engagement opportunities, and easily find relevant resources.
New circumstances require new ways of doing things. Nonetheless, ESAL’s mission, core beliefs, and commitment to Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion remain unchanged. Since ESAL’s founding, we have held to the belief that communities thrive when all members participate and meet challenges together. As you navigate these uncharted waters, we encourage you to embrace the advice that opens every ESAL presentation: show up in your communities. Attend local meetings. Listen to your neighbors. Offer your help wherever it’s needed. Change starts at home.
Taylor Spicer Named First Executive Director of Engineers & Scientists Acting Locally
ESAL is proud to announce Taylor Spicer as its inaugural executive director, effective January 1. Spicer, previously ESAL’s managing director, brings a wealth of experience in organizational leadership and civic engagement to the role.
As executive director, Spicer will drive ESAL’s efforts toward its mission of increasing local civic participation by scientists and engineers. Her responsibilities include strategic leadership, fundraising, volunteer management, and overseeing operational and organizational initiatives. Under the guidance of ESAL’s board of directors, she will also set performance targets and champion justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion (JEDI) principles across all activities.
Spicer’s leadership journey has included exceptional contributions to ESAL’s growth. Since joining the organization, she has strengthened internal operations, enhanced volunteer engagement, and streamlined processes to foster collaboration across its network. Prior to ESAL, Spicer served as interim director of Emory University’s Office of Sustainability Initiatives, where she spearheaded programs in local and sustainable food procurement, campus engagement, and climate solutions while co-launching the Emory Votes Initiative to promote local election participation.
Spicer’s academic credentials include a master’s in development practice (MDP) from Emory University, where her research spanned topics such as climate adaptation, social movements, and intimate partner violence prevention. Her dedication to fostering community impact extends to her roles with nonprofit boards and civic organizations, both locally and globally.
“Appointing our first full-time executive director reflects our commitment to scaling ESAL’s impact,” said Arti Garg, PhD, ESAL founder and chair. “Taylor is the ideal leader for this new role. Her vision and expertise will be instrumental as we work to empower more people with backgrounds in STEM to drive meaningful change in their communities.”
Spicer’s promotion marks a key milestone in meeting ESAL’s strategic goals, outlined in its Strategic Plan, 2024-2027, which include expanding its programs and solidifying its organizational sustainability. With her at the helm, the nonprofit is poised to strengthen its mission and amplify its influence nationwide.
Rhode Island's 2024 Energy Storage Systems Act - Policy Analysis
Passed on 26 June, the 2024 Energy Storage Systems Act (SB 2499 and HB 7811) represents a significant step toward achieving Rhode Island’s goal of 100% clean energy by 2030. This legislation emphasizes the importance of energy storage in enhancing the reliability and resilience of the state's energy grid, especially as it increasingly relies on renewable sources like solar and wind power.
The legislation was developed with input from various STEM experts, including those from environmental organizations, technical specialists in energy systems, and academic researchers focused on clean energy. This collaborative approach was key in grounding the drafting of the legislation in sound technical understanding and practical feasibility.
The involvement of these experts helped shape the bill's provisions, such as setting cumulative energy storage targets and developing infrastructure programs through the Rhode Island Infrastructure Bank. This helps to ensure that the legislation will effectively address technical challenges and promote innovation in energy storage technologies.
Key Highlights of the Energy Storage Systems Act
· Infrastructure Boost: The Act empowers the Rhode Island Infrastructure Bank to provide grants and loans for developing energy storage infrastructure. This support will help accelerate the adoption of energy storage technologies, making them more accessible to local communities and businesses.
· Ambitious Storage Goals: The Act has set cumulative energy storage capacity targets of 90 megawatts (MW) by 2026, 195 MW by 2028, and 600 MW by 2033. These targets are necessary so that the state can store excess energy generated during peak production times and use it when demand is high or when renewable sources are not producing energy.
· Role of the Public Utilities Commission (PUC): The PUC is tasked with implementing the Act, which includes creating regulations for storage and interconnection tariffs, evaluating storage technologies, and overseeing procurements from utilities.
Battery storage 101
To understand the specifics of this Act, it’s helpful to know some basics about battery and energy storage practices.
Battery storage systems operate by storing electrical energy in its chemical form and then releasing it when needed. At the core of these systems are electrochemical cells that comprise an anode, a cathode, and an electrolyte. When electricity is supplied to the battery (during the charging phase), a chemical reaction occurs that stores energy. When the battery discharges, the chemical reaction is reversed, releasing the stored energy as electricity.
Common battery types used for energy storage include lithium-ion, lead-acid, and flow batteries. As an example, lithium-ion batteries, used in smartphones and laptops, are popular for their high energy density, efficiency, and long life.
How Batteries are used in Grids:
In a few different ways, utilities can use batteries to increase the reliability of grids, decrease consumer costs, and incorporate sustainable energy alternatives over a reliance on fossil fuels:
Peak Shaving: Batteries are used to store energy during periods of low demand (when electricity is cheaper) and discharge it during high or peak demand times to reduce the load on the grid and avoid the need for expensive peak power plants.
Load Balancing: Battery storage can help balance supply and demand by storing excess energy generated from renewable sources, like solar or wind, and releasing it when production is low or demand is high.
Frequency Regulation: Batteries can respond quickly to grid frequency fluctuations, which helps to stabilize the grid and maintain the balance between supply and demand.
Grid Resilience: In the event of power outages or disturbances, battery storage systems can provide backup power, thereby improving the resilience of the grid.
Microgrids: Battery storage enables the creation of microgrids, which can operate independently from the main grid, to provide power to remote areas or during emergencies.
The Takeaway
Renewable energy sources are necessary for the transition to clean energy; however, sources such as solar or wind energy do not continuously generate electricity. To most effectively take advantage of clean energy, energy storage infrastructure needs to be in place.
The 2024 Energy Storage Systems Act will provide future opportunities for STEM professionals to participate in and contribute to energy storage projects, in areas such as research and development, engineering and design, and data analysis and optimization, not to mention contributing to future energy storage policy and regulations. Local governments, companies, and individuals can access funding and support for developing and deploying energy storage systems. The Act also encourages collaboration between public and private sectors, promoting innovation and shared expertise in clean energy technologies.
In a press release published by the State of Rhode Island General Assembly, Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Dawn Euer, who cosponsored the law, had this to say:
“Rhode Island is a leader in our commitment to ending our reliance on polluting carbon-emitting energy. Keeping that commitment means we need to innovate and we need to do it at speed.” She continues: “Moving to renewable electricity means we are going to need the structures—both physical and regulatory—to store energy. This bill sets concrete goals and action plans to build a resilient grid that can accommodate the green energy transition that is happening now. This is just one of many actions we will need to meet our diverse energy goals and ensure that Rhode Island keeps its commitment to a carbon-neutral future.”
The TL;DR
Rhode Island's 2024 Energy Storage Systems Act sets a precedent for other states looking to enhance their energy resilience and sustainability. This policy not only represents a critical advancement in clean energy but also offers a practical framework for local engagement and innovation in energy storage. As the state moves toward its clean energy goal, the involvement of local engineers, scientists, and policymakers will be crucial in shaping a sustainable energy future.
Seattle's Path to Sustainable Maritime Operations - Case Study
Introduction
Seattle's port is making a strong push for environmental sustainability by requiring all homeported cruise ships to use shore power by 2027, moving up their original goal from 2030. This change aims to cut emissions and promote cleaner energy use in the maritime sector.
Background
The Port of Seattle, established in 1911, is a key hub for both maritime and aviation activities in the Pacific Northwest. It includes Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, Fishermen’s Terminal, and several cruise ship terminals and piers, such as Pier 91 and Pier 66. The port plays a crucial role in the local economy, supporting nearly 200,000 jobs and generating significant revenue.
Even when docked, cruise ships often use their diesel generators for power, which leads to substantial greenhouse gas emissions and particulate matter. This not only affects local air quality but also contributes to global climate issues. The Port of Seattle initially aimed to have all homeported cruise ships use shore power by 2030, as part of the Northwest Ports Clean Air Strategy—a joint effort with other regional ports to reduce emissions and promote sustainable practices.
Seeing the urgent need to reduce environmental impacts and taking advantage of major investments from the cruise industry and port infrastructure, the Port of Seattle Commission decided to move the target date up to 2027. This decision shows the port's strong commitment to environmental sustainability, with a long-term vision of achieving zero-emission operations by 2050. Shore power allows ships to turn off their diesel engines while docked and plug into the port's clean electricity grid. This can reduce diesel emissions by up to 80%, significantly improving air quality and supporting broader climate action efforts.
Objective
Seattle's main goal with this mandate is to reduce air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions from cruise ship operations. By using shore power, ships can significantly cut diesel emissions while docked, which aligns with Seattle's broader commitment to enhancing local air quality and addressing climate change.
Implementation
The initiative gained traction with a new 10-year agreement with Carnival Corp., a major player in the cruise industry. This deal not only ensures that Carnival will use shore power at Pier 91 but also encourages other cruise companies to use these facilities.
Scientists and engineers played a key role in supporting Seattle's shore power mandate. Their research showed the environmental benefits, and their expertise was crucial in implementing the necessary infrastructure upgrades. The initiative required significant investments in both the ships and the facilities at the port, highlighting the collaborative efforts of technical experts and policymakers.
This collaborative approach highlights Seattle's strategy to leverage private sector partnerships to achieve its sustainability goals while also boosting local economic development.
Currently, the port is in the final stages of electrifying Pier 66, with completion expected by the upcoming summer season. Once this upgrade is finished, all three of Seattle's cruise berths will be equipped with shore power, allowing the port to meet its regional clean air targets ahead of schedule.
Results and Impact
Research cited by port officials shows significant environmental benefits from using shore power. During the 2023 cruise season, using shore power helped prevent the emission of 2,700 metric tons of greenhouse gases and 0.75 metric tons of diesel particulate matter. This reduction is comparable to taking nearly 650 passenger cars off the road for a year, showing the immediate positive impact on local air quality and public health.
Seattle's forward-thinking approach sets a valuable precedent for ports worldwide. Currently, less than 2% of the world's cruise ports offer shore power, mainly due to high initial costs, technical challenges, operational disruptions, and economic considerations. However, initiatives like Seattle's are expected to encourage broader adoption. The Cruise Lines International Association notes that around 20 additional ports globally plan to electrify at least one berth by 2025, potentially increasing the share of cruise ports with shore power to about 3%.
Lessons Learned
Seattle's case offers several key lessons for ports worldwide:
Strategic Partnerships: Working with industry leaders like Carnival Corp. and leveraging local STEM expertise can accelerate the adoption of sustainable technologies like shore power.
Early Investment in Infrastructure: Long-term investments in shore power infrastructure are crucial for reaping environmental and economic benefits over time.
Commitment to Sustainability: Setting and exceeding ambitious environmental goals demonstrates leadership and enhances the port's reputation as a sustainable maritime hub.
Conclusion and Takeaways
Seattle's mandate for all homeported cruise ships to use shore power by 2027 is a prime example of proactive environmental stewardship and strategic planning in port management. By showcasing the feasibility and benefits of shore power, Seattle not only improves local air quality and reduces greenhouse gas emissions but also positions itself as a global leader in sustainable maritime operations. The city's efforts serve as a compelling example for other ports to follow, inspiring broader adoption of sustainable practices in the maritime industry worldwide.
Moreover, Seattle's initiative demonstrates the pivotal role local governments and agencies can play in promoting sustainable maritime operations. By collaborating with industry leaders and investing in infrastructure, these entities can significantly reduce emissions and set a precedent for other coastal communities. The efforts of the Port of Seattle, supported by entities such as the Port of Seattle Commission and regional environmental agencies, highlight how local actions can inspire broader adoption of clean technologies in the maritime industry.
