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 – Members of the Clark County community are invited to participate in a Clark County Climate Project Community Workshop on Greenhouse Gas Reduction. This event is part of a series of activities throughout the year that will 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 be disproportionately affected by the compounding environmental impacts and natural hazards due to climate change.

This workshop will feature a community report on greenhouse gas emissions data and community input to date, an expert guest speaker, and interactive discussions. Together, we will explore strategies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions locally and create a healthier Clark County.

• Date: Saturday, Oct. 19, 2024
• Time: 9-11 a.m.. Doors open at 8:30 a.m.
• Location: Sarah J Anderson Elementary School, 2215 NE 104th St. 
• Spanish language interpretation available by request by 5 p.m. on Oct. 15. Please note interest when you register.
• Please register by 5 p.m., Oct. 15 at: https://bit.ly/ghg-reduction-clark-co

Additional event details, presenter information, and agenda are included in the above link.

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

Resilience

• Spring 2024: A survey was conducted to collect community member experience and needs related to severe weather events and weather patterns. 
• Early Summer 2024: A community workshop was held to seek public ideas about how to address climate resilience in the unincorporated county. A survey was also conducted as an alternate engagement opportunity for those who could not attend the event.

Pollution Reduction

• Late Summer 2024: A survey was conducted to collect community member priorities on reducing greenhouse gas pollution in Clark County.
• Fall 2024: This event! Community workshop seeking public ideas about how to address greenhouse gas emissions reduction in the unincorporated county.

Adoption Process

• 2025: Members of the public 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.