Letter: Natural gas plan does not reflect nature of our reality | Letters To The Editor

Letter: Natural gas plan does not reflect nature of our reality | Letters To The Editor

We have nine years to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) by 45% if we are to have any hope of stabilizing our climate to 1.5 degrees C warming, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change at ipcc.ch.

The city of Bellingham has had a climate action plan since 2005. For 16 years they have provided transparent inventories, strategies and other planning for their community. As of 2018, they have reduced their GHG emissions by 70%. You can see their reports by going to their website at https://cob.org/services/environment/climate/program.

Where is our local city and county leadership and what are they planning?

The city utility is planning for capital improvements to their natural gas utility, which include expanding natural gas service infrastructure. If you search “City of Ellensburg Comprehensive Plan” it should come up on Google search or go directly to https://www.ci.ellensburg.wa.us/835/Comprehensive-Plan. Selecting “Appendix A: 6-Year Capital Improvements Plan” reveals the natural gas utility scope. Table 25 indicates the slated 2018-2024 natural gas infrastructure improvements with a grand total cost of over $2.2M.

Seriously? It is astonishing how this kind of “planning” is approved today. It certainly does not reflect the nature of our reality. It does, however, indicate we are not prepared.

Yet other communities in the rest of our state are preparing. In 2019, Kitsap County, in collaboration with the cities of Bremerton and Port Orchard, announced they are conducting a climate resiliency assessment to determine what impacts and risks the county should plan for in the coming years.

Thurston County has adopted an interlocal climate mitigation plan that aims to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions over the next three decades. Their Board of County Commissioners unanimously approved a resolution adopting the Thurston Climate Mitigation Plan in partnership with the cities of Lacey, Olympia, and Tumwater. The plan aims to reduce emissions by 45% below 2015 levels by the year 2030 and 85% below 2015 levels by 2050. The board also amended and approved a resolution that declares a climate emergency. Go to theolympian.com and search “climate emergency”. Then select the article titled: “Thurston board of commissioners OKs climate emergency declaration, mitigation plan” and read more about Thurston County.

Most cities and counties have already adapted planning for the climate crisis.

Support local comprehensive climate planning and renewable energy sourcing.

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