In recognition of its citywide environmental impact and for being a “leader in sustainability, setting the standard for green initiatives in Thurston County,” the City of Lacey received the 2025 Green Municipality of the Year award from the Thurston County Chamber of Commerce.
The award was formally presented on Wednesday, April 9 during the chamber’s annual Thurston County Green Business Forum & Awards hosted at Saint Martin’s University.
According to the chamber, the title honors city governments that produce measurable results cutting pollution and resource use through daily operations, infrastructure upgrades, and long-term planning.
The chamber recognized Lacey as a public sector that “sets the gold standard for municipal sustainability” from its energy-efficient infrastructure to its water conservation, as stated in The Voice, April 2025 issue.
Meanwhile, in a statement released by the city on Thursday, April 10, City Manager Rick Walk acknowledged the mark of excellence and reiterated that with more than 60,000 residents, Lacey is the largest city in Thurston County.
“Taking a sustainable path can be challenging, but it is essential for our community. … Thank you to the Thurston Chamber and the Thurston Green Committee for this award,” Walk said.
He also credited the Lacey City Council for its leadership and policy direction, which helped embed “efficiency measures” into the city’s governance structure.
He pointed out that under the council’s guidance, it has allowed Lacey to successfully move toward reducing its environmental footprint through targeted actions in energy efficiency, water conservation, waste reduction and infrastructure design.
The chamber echoed the same view, reaffirming that Lacey continues to lead on public sector sustainability and is lowering its civic footprint.
On the energy front, Lacey expanded its energy-saving access to the public.
To date, the city powers all of its municipal buildings using 100% green electricity through Puget Sound Energy’s Green Direct program, which supports regional wind energy development.
The city government replaced traditional lighting systems like street lights, traffic signals and building fixtures, with energy-efficient LED units, which has a consumption of less energy and last longer.
The Community Center is now 80% LED-lit, the Maintenance Center is at 70%, and both Smith House and Sprout House are fully converted. The Senior Center is halfway there, with 50% LED coverage.
Another, through a rebate program with PSE, the city helped residents cut energy use at home and cover over $200,000 worth of home and business energy efficiency upgrades.
In addition, Lacey introduced an online solar application process to make it easier for homeowners to transition to renewable energy by installing solar panels.
Water conservation, particularly during summer months, is treated as one of the top priorities of the city government. During peak season, daily water consumption in Lacey can exceed 15 million gallons.
According to Walk, Lacey recycles and repurposes 70% of its municipal wastewater through LOTT Clean Water Alliance. The public project helps “support irrigation systems and recharge groundwater aquifers,” which contributes to the reduction of strain on local water sources.
Moreover, the city gives away indoor and outdoor “conservation items,” such as low-flow shower heads, hose timers and soil moisture sensors to the customers of the Lacey water utility.
Another rebate program, also in partnership with LOTT, is the WaterSmart Program. Here, the city covers up to 75% of costs for water-saving appliances. The rebates apply to high-efficiency toilets, washers and smart irrigation systems.
To cut transportation-related emissions, Lacey supports lower-emission travel options. Walk specified the city has installed electric vehicle charging stations at City Hall, Timberland Library and Regional Athletic Complex.
The city is also replacing part of its city fleet with electric vehicles. The process depends on availability and if the equipment meets job requirements, as revealed by the city to the chamber.
For reduction of daily commuter traffic and related emissions, Lacey opens an opportunity for 9/80 work weeks and telecommuting options to city employees. The changes in this move reduce the number of trips employees make each week.
As a milestone, Lacey was the first city in Thurston County to fully convert its traffic signals to LED, which use less electricity and need fewer replacements.
“This is just a small sample of the work we are doing,” Walk said.
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