Author Archives: Thad Curtz

A1.6 Feed additives Provide education to promote methane-reducing livestock feed additives (ex. seaweed derivatives). Make cost effective by partnering with local vendors and consumers to develop a bulk purchase program. A recent piece about the ongoing research at Penn State … Continue reading →

G7: Miscellaneous G7.1 Interlocal coordination Don’t wait for the state! Collaborate among the four participating jurisdictions, including possibly coordinated taxation. G7.2 Tribal innovation Look to tribes for regulatory innovations in those areas having legal roadblocks elsewhere.

G5: Advocate for climate-mitigating state and federal policy. G5.1 UTC presence Track, monitor and share information about Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission (UTC) meetings and actively recruit residents to give feedback and attend meetings to support bold GHG emission policy. … Continue reading →

G4: Data and monitoring G4.1 Emissions inventory Prepare and publish an annual emissions inventory that tracks greenhouse gas emissions by jurisdiction and source category. Review and update emissions inventory methodology as necessary to address improvements to data or methodologies, improve … Continue reading →

G3: Financing tools (See also B1.7 Energy Efficiency Financing) G3.1 Tax benefits Develop tax incentives for businesses that demonstrate GHG reductions in their production. G3.2 Cost-sharing (See G7.3 Interlocal Coordination) Partner and share costs of expertise. e.g. Green Building Officer. … Continue reading →

W7.1 Waste route efficiency Utilize one side of the street pickup W7.2 Waste service areas Eliminate areas served redundantly by municipalities and private waste collection, such as the Tumwater/Olympia border south of the high school, by trading service areas. W7.3 … Continue reading →

T6: Other Transportation & Land Use initiatives T6.1 Olympia-Seattle rail Support a commuter rail connection between Olympia and Seattle T6.2 Olympia ferry service Support ferry service between Olympia and Seattle. T6.3 Shore power at the Port Provide shore power to … Continue reading →

B6.5 Natural gas fee Create a utility fee for natural gas use. Berkeley’s energy advisory committee recommended that the City seek authorization to adjust its utility taxes to make them proportional to the relative emissions of the City’s natural gas … Continue reading →

B6.4 Natural gas transition * Phase out new natural gas connections in new buildings over time. Seattle has adopted an local amendment to the building code requiring all new commercial buildings, multifamily buildings above three stories, and hotels to use … Continue reading →

B5.10 Group purchasing * Develop/support a city-sponsored group purchasing programs. Olympia Community Solar organized a group purchasing program for rooftop solar systems, in collaboration with Olympia and Lacey. It included reduced financing through PSCCU, and reportedly provided systems at an … Continue reading →