Learn more about a plan to address climate change in Benton and Franklin counties | Opinion
CORRECTION: This story has been corrected to show that the resources come from the federal Inflation Reduction Act and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the state Climate Commitment Act and the skills and existing infrastructure in this region.
Benton and Franklin counties have a bright future. We have both the resources and the imperative to transform our region so that we enjoy resilience to climate change impacts, improved human health and economic vitality while doing our part to reduce the emissions driving global warming.
The imperative comes from the 2023 revision to the Washington State Growth Management Act (GMA), which requires the more populated counties in the state (including Benton and Franklin) to update their comprehensive plans with actions to build resilience to at least one climate change hazard and to reduce greenhouse gas emissions consistent with the 2050 target of net-zero emissions.
The resources come from the federal Inflation Reduction Act and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the state Climate Commitment Act, and the skills and existing infrastructure in this region. The funding available is particularly generous for low-income households.
State and federal funding is available for electrifying and improving the energy efficiency of public and private buildings and homes, purchasing electric vehicles, adding public charging stations, installing community solar energy farms, expanding nuclear energy production, nurturing urban forests, expanding public transit, and adding protected bicycling and walking paths.
We should tap into these funding opportunities with our skilled labor and educated workforce. Relaxing urban zoning and minimum parking requirements to increase housing density will reduce vehicle miles traveled, the cost of housing and our counties’ fossil fuel use and associated emissions of carbon dioxide and toxic pollutants.
The effectiveness of these actions can be evaluated by monitoring changes in carbon emissions and vehicle miles traveled.
The greatest climate threat to Benton and Franklin counties is the depletion of mountain snowpack as the climate warms. That will both reduce the irrigation water available from the Yakima Watershed and increase the frequency of wildfires that pollute our air with smoke.
To build resilience to climate change, the water storage capacity in the Yakima Watershed can be increased, water conservation can be incentivized, air filtration systems can be subsidized for people sensitive to wildfire smoke, buildings can be made resilient to wildfires, and tree planting and care can be encouraged in town.
The benefits of such actions include reduced costs of heating and transportation, more electricity available for electrification, more customers at businesses and residents at apartments with charging stations, reduced exposure to toxic air pollutants, improved health from active transportation, economic vitality, resilience to wildfires and water shortage, and relief from extreme heat.
To this end, the Benton – Franklin Climate Opportunities Action Team has been reaching out to potential partners to develop and implement a Benton – Franklin Climate Opportunity Action Plan that will serve as a template for the required update to the counties’ comprehensive plans.
The plan is available for sharing at https://tinyurl.com/COAPword.
However, the GMA only requires an update to the counties’ plans. Our intent is to help implement the plan once updated. We can facilitate by connecting households, businesses, and governments with the funding opportunities that help pay for the improvements that reduce operating costs and improve human health as well as reduce emissions.
Washington State performs relatively poorly at applying for federal funding. Our team brings experience with proposal writing that we will use to help cities and counties apply for funding. We’ll also work with contractors and car dealers to help consumers get rebates and tax credits for heat pumps and electric vehicles.
We’ll support Rep. Barnard’s Moving Assets Towards Community Health Program (MATCH) ACT, which was passed by the Washington State Legislature this year, but the governor struck the funding that would assist communities applying for federal grants.
With the cheapest electricity in the nation, our region is best able to reduce operating costs by fully electrifying buildings and transportation. Our two counties can be a model for clean energy production, clean heating and transportation, and resilient, healthy and walkable communities.
Our future is bright indeed, if we seize this opportunity.
This story was originally published August 9, 2024 at 3:00 AM.