Commerce Support for Climate Element Planning

Starting in 2024, there is a new Climate element required for Comprehensive Plan updates. Fully planning jurisdictions with Comp Plans due in 2024 need to provide the Climate element in 2029. Jurisdictions completing comp plan updates in 2025 and 2026 need to include the climate element in their updates.

Commerce is providing funding to cover planning expenses, and has created an guide spelling out each step to create the climate element. Last year, I helped Sedro-Woolley get their climate planning funding, and I can report that, so far, the Commerce Climate team is responsive and helpful. At some point, they may become overwhelmed, but so far, they have had adequate staff and have taken the time to answer questions and help jurisdictions get their Climate elements prepared.

The funding for this climate planning depends on your jurisdiction’s population.  Commerce has provided a table of maximum grants for each county and city. It’s best to check there for your jurisdiction.  Here is an overview:

For Counties

For Cities

These planning grants are no-match and no-competition. Your jurisdiction does not have to chip in on the cost. Funds from the grants can be used to pay some salary and benefits of current staff for the time they spend on climate planning. And there is no risk that you will apply and be turned down because some other jurisdiction had a greater need.

There is a challenge that the funds for the program have to be renewed every biennium. If your jurisdiction’s deadline is 2029 and you put off applying for funding until a later biennium, and if legislators do not renew funding, it may happen that there is no funding for your jurisdiction. 

If you do not provide a Climate element, that failure would prevent any further funding for other projects from Commerce, so you need to provide a Climate element that is satisfactory to Commerce. Commerce will hold back 20% of your funding.  If you take the funding and then your jurisdiction decides not to create a Climate element, your jurisdiction would no longer qualify for additional funding from Commerce, and Commerce will not deliver that last 20%.

What is satisfactory to Commerce?

Commerce has provided very comprehensive and clear guidance on how to create a Climate element. In addition to that instruction manual, commerce has also provided a Climate Element Workbook. (All of Commerce’s supporting materials are available on their Climate Program website.) In combination, the guidance manual and workbook make it clear what Commerce is expecting. As the planning is done, you can keep an eye on your copy of the workbook to monitor progress.

You will probably want to hire someone certified in greenhouse gas emissions inventories. To help you with that, Commerce provides a sample GHG Inventory RFP that you can modify for your jurisdiction.

What kinds of goals or policies would go into the plans?

In Commerce’s Climate Menu of Measures, they list 247 possible goals and policies that you might propose as ordinances.  You are not limited to these goals and policies. Those 247 are provided to help you find things you might not have thought of otherwise.

What is involved in applying for the funding?

Commerce’s Climate Planning Grant Application Instructions includes sample budgets and a sample scope of work.  You can modify those to fit your jurisdiction’s needs.

Buddy up!

Commerce asks that you collaborate with neighboring jurisdictions. Some cities have collaborated with their counties. Some plans for projects will work best if you collaborate with your neighbors.  Costs tend to be lower for contracts covering the same work spanning multiple jurisdictions, and there are efficiencies in management.

When should I apply for Commerce funding and start this planning?

You probably want to apply right away. Commerce is funding this work starting on July 1^st each year.  Commerce is accepting applications in the summer months. If your Climate element is due in 2025, and you wait until next year to apply, you will have only a few months to get your element together. These kinds of plans usually take two to five years.  A huge challenge of these plans is educating your staff and citizens.   So you probably want to get going as soon as possible.

Nick Maxwell, PhD

Climate Protection Northwest

Nick Maxwell is certified in greenhouse gas emissions inventories and climate action planning. Climate Protection NW serves jurisdictions in Washington.