CONTACT:    Rebecca Harvey, Climate Mitigation Senior Program Manager, Board of County Commissioners, (360) 867-2938 or Rebecca.Harvey@co.thurston.wa.us 

OLYMPIA – Thurston County and the Cities of Lacey, Olympia, and Tumwater each released an annual Jurisdiction Work Program for near-term implementation of the Thurston Climate Mitigation Plan (TCMP). The four jurisdictions have worked together since 2018 on the creation of the TCMP, which aims to reduce community-wide greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions 45% by 2030 and 85% by 2050, relative to a 2015 baseline. 

“I am very happy to mark this important evolution in our regional process to address our imminent climate crisis,” said Lisa Parshley, Olympia City Councilmember and Chair of the Thurston Climate Mitigation Collaborative (TCMC) Executive Committee. “The foundation created will help guide our region’s work over the next two decades.” 

The Work Programs document the climate mitigation activities each jurisdiction intends to implement during the coming year. The goals are to raise public awareness of local government actions and provide accountability on progress toward achieving regional climate goals. 

According to Tumwater City Councilmember Eileen Swarthout, “By maintaining our individual authority, we are able to tailor our plans to our specific community and local priorities. This shared plan ensures our local actions support the greater whole of the Plan.” 

The Work Programs list projects currently underway or planned across the TCMP’s five sectors: Buildings & Energy, Transportation & Land Use, Water & Waste, Agriculture & Forests, and Cross-Cutting. Each project description includes an identified TCMP strategy, participants involved, and anticipated timeline. 

“The county is striving to integrate climate actions into departmental work plans across our government, and into our regional partnerships,” shared Thurston County Commissioner Tye Menser. “We look forward to continuing our close work with the cities to make tangible progress toward our shared goals.”

In addition to actions by each jurisdiction, the TCMC aims to collaborate closely on top-priority initiatives each year. The TCMC has selected household energy efficiency and forest protection as priorities for regional coordination in 2024. 

“Improving energy efficiency and forest protection are essential for reducing harmful carbon levels,” said Lacey City Councilmember Carolyn Cox. “By combining our efforts in these two areas, we can make a greater impact.”   

The Jurisdiction Work Programs can be found at https://www.trpc.org/1027/Additional-Resources. Questions about specific projects can be directed to the staff contacts listed at the top of each document.

More information on the Thurston Climate Mitigation Plan can be found at www.ThurstonClimatePlan.com.

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