Thurston climate committee approves interlocal agreement for coordinated climate mitigation implementation

The Thurston Climate Mitigation Collaborative Executive Committee approved the interlocal agreement (ILA) for implementing the Thurston Climate Mitigation Plan (TCMP) Monday, July 24.

According to Dr. Pamela Braff, Olympia's Climate Programs Director, the ILA would establish a framework for coordinated implementation of the region's climate mitigation plan. This plan aims to address environmental issues and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

The ILA also clarifies the roles and relationships among the groups involved in the Thurston Climate Mitigation Collaborative.

These groups include jurisdiction parties, the lead implementation of all actions outlined in the TCMP; the executive committee, which will review the progress of emission targets; a staff team, who will actively facilitate cross-jurisdictional coordination on TCMP implementation; and the Community Advisor Workgroup (CAW), which will provide community perspectives and feedback on implementation topics.

CAW consists of up to 15 interested stakeholders appointed by the staff team, representing a variety of perspectives on climate actions.

The agreement also covers various elements, including regular updates to the climate mitigation plan; annual climate mitigation retreat, which will serve as a strategic planning session to have deep discussions on climate mitigation progress and needs; greenhouse gas inventories at least every three years to quantify emissions and track progress toward meeting TCMP emission targets; and administrative support to produce annual climate mitigation progress report and hosting and maintaining a website for the TCMC.

The duration of the agreement is from September 1, 2023, through December 31, 2030, aligning with the first regional greenhouse gas reduction target of 2030. During the initial 15 months, a proposed budget of $190,000 is set, with each jurisdiction party contributing an equal share of funds for greenhouse gas inventory, future TCMP updates, and administrative support.

In subsequent even-numbered years, the staff team will provide a proposed biennial budget for review by parties.

The ILA will be forwarded to each of the involved jurisdictions for approval.