With the passage of HB 1181 during the 2023 Washington State legislative session, Clark County is now required to add a climate change element into its Comprehensive Plan

VANCOUVER – Clark County is seeking community input to help plan for climate change through a series of activities throughout the year to inform the county’s new climate chapter for its comprehensive plan.

With the passage of HB 1181 during the 2023 Washington State legislative session, Clark County is now required to add a climate change element into its Comprehensive Plan. The new climate chapter will include actions the county can take over the next 20 years to improve community resilience, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and benefit overburdened communities that will disproportionately suffer from the compounding environmental impacts and natural hazards due to climate change.

To start, members of the Clark County community are invited to complete a survey to share how they and their families have been affected by severe weather events and weather patterns. 

• The survey is available in multiple languages.
• Responses are requested by 5 p.m. Sunday, May 12.
• Surveys are available online at: https://clark.wa.gov/community-planning/climate-change-planning.
• Print copies may be requested by contacting (564) 397-4968.

Feedback provided through the survey will inform the development of the resilience component of the climate chapter and what actions the county can take to prepare for and cope with future severe weather events and weather patterns. 

Community members will have additional opportunities to provide feedback on this project later in the year. The entire climate event series includes:

Resilience

• Spring 2024: Survey to collect community member experience and needs related to severe weather events and weather patterns. The survey will be available through May 12. 
• Early summer 2024: Community workshop to seek ideas about how to address climate resilience in the unincorporated county.

Pollution Reduction

• Late summer 2024: Survey to collect community member priorities on reducing greenhouse gas pollution in Clark County.
• Fall 2024: Community workshop seeking ideas about how to address greenhouse gas emissions reduction in the unincorporated county.

Adoption Process

• 2025: Residents will have the opportunity to submit comments or testify to the Planning Commission and County Council about the county’s proposed climate chapter for the Comprehensive Growth Management Plan.

To learn more about county climate planning, sign up for project updates, or submit a comment, please visit the project website at https://clark.wa.gov/community-planning/climate-change-planning.

The county’s Climate Project is being funded by a state grant. The Washington Department of Commerce climate planning grant is supported with funding from Washington’s Climate Commitment Act (CCA). The CCA supports Washington’s climate action efforts by putting cap-and-invest dollars to work reducing climate pollution, creating jobs, and improving public health. Information about the CCA is available at www.climate.wa.gov.

Information provided by Clark Co. WA Communications.