Pierce County - Sustainability 2030 - 2023 Update

Sustainability 2030: Pierce County’s Greenhouse Gas Reduction Plan

2023 Update Mt. Rainier National Park

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Table of Contents Upholding Tribal Treaty Rights Introduction: Sustainability 2030 Climate Impacts in Pierce County

Pg. 7

Energy & Built Environment

Pg. 12

Transportation

Pg. 13

Waste Reduction

Pg. 14

Nature-based Climate Solutions

Pg. 15

Education & Outreach

Pg. 16

Growing Community Capacity

Pg. 17

Internal Municipal Actions

Pg. 18

Appendix 1: Archive of Completed Actions

Pg. 26

Appendix 2: Archive of omitted Actions

Pg. 29

Appendix 3: Equitable Community Engagement Framework

Pg. 30

Appendix 4: Gathering Community Voices

Pg. 34

Appendix 5: Public Comment & County Responses

Pg. 42

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Upholding Tribal Treaty Rights It is our intent to start this plan in a good way, a right way.

We recognize that the land now identified as Pierce County has for thousands of years been the traditional territory and home for the Puyallup Tribe, the Nisqually Tribe, the Squaxin Island Tribe, and the Muckleshoot Tribe. Today, this land is still home to these four federally-recognized tribes. These Tribal governments are sovereign Nations, and their sovereignty is an inherent right that has existed since time immemorial, recognized with a government-to-government relationship by the United States. We respectfully recognize the Puyallup, Nisqually, Squaxin Island, and Muckleshoot people as past, present and future guardians of this land both culturally and legally, as evidenced by their respective treaties, which is the supreme law of the land.

These four federally-recognized Tribes in Pierce County prioritize the sustainability of their people and the ecology around them.

Today Tribal governments have their own sustainability programs and initiatives with goals and standards that often exceed County, State, and National guidelines. We will work to ensure our sustainability efforts compliment and support the sustainability work of the Tribes around us.

In the past, treaties were broken, and tribes were systematically excluded from government decision-making and made to feel invisible. In this plan we commit to working alongside Tribal Nations as co-managers of the land, plants, and animals and actively acknowledging and protecting their treaty rights.

We commit to always saving a seat at the table for Tribal representation and being willing to receive feedback regarding our sustainability and carbon emission reduction work. While this will not heal the injustices of the past, we hope a collaborative and inclusive working relationship will serve as an example of how County departments can productively engage with and involve Tribal Nations.

Fox Island

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We must respond immediately to climate change and our actions must be bold.

Introduction Our rapidly changing climate is affecting every resident in Pierce County. As the frequency of wildfires, extreme heat events, and flooding increase, we see the impact of pollution and rising temperatures on public health, critical species like salmon, and economic resources. These adverse impacts also disproportionately affect our most vulnerable and under-served neighbors. In 2021, Pierce County Council and Executive Dammeier took bold action in the passage of Sustainability 2030: Pierce County’s Greenhouse Gas Reduction Plan (Sustainability 2030 Plan) to provide a sustainable future for generations of Pierce County residents to come.

We must continue to act in response to fossil fuel pollution and climate change with urgency and the best available science.

The Sustainability 2030 Plan aligns with the State of Washington’s climate commitments and seeks to reduce climate change-causing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions 45% by 2030 based on a 2015 baseline. The first update to the Sustainability 2030 Plan considers what has been accomplished in the past two years, new information about where County GHG emissions are coming from, and what is most important to our communities. This 2023 update edits original actions and divides our focus areas into two groups: Community Focus Areas: + Energy & Built Environment + Transportation + Waste Reduction + Nature-based Climate Solutions + Education & Outreach + Growing Community Capacity

Municipal Focus Areas: + Buildings & Fleet Energy + Commute Trip Reduction + County Waste System + Education & Equitable Practices

The Sustainability 2030 Plan continues to provide a road-map of measurable and science-based actions for reducing communitywide emissions and internal County operational emissions. The next Plan update will occur in 2025 for the 2026-27 biennial budget cycle. The Plan is a living document and revisions are made every two years or as necessary.

Continuing to implement the Plan will require ongoing collaboration and partnership between County departments, community partners, residents, and businesses in order to reach our GHG emissions reduction goal. Together, we can make a difference today and for future generations!

The Tacoma Narrows Bridge

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Guiding Principles for Pierce County's Sustainability 2030 Greenhouse Gas Reduction Plan The following guiding principles were identified to ensure that Pierce County remains aware of the connections between these principles and our desired greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction actions. These six guiding principles were applied to develop the GHG reduction actions.

Economic Opportunity

Fiscal Responsibility

Vibrant Communities

Equity

Innovation

Accountability

Embedding Equity Frontline communities are those who face historical and current inequities in multiple ways,

whether by being confronted with systemic barriers, being historically underserved, or both. These communities include those who are and will be disproportionately burdened by climate change, often experiencing the first and most acute impacts.

Pierce County recognizes the importance of ensuring

frontline communities are included in the

prioritization, implementation and future updates of Pierce County’s Sustainability 2030 Plan. While we all experience the impacts of climate change, we are not affected equally. To reduce GHGs in Pierce County, we are committed to ensuring that these changes result in a more equitable Pierce County. This includes understanding which communities are most threatened by degraded environmental conditions and climate impacts (see map). Centering equity in our efforts to reduce GHGs also means running each communitywide Plan action through an equity assessment, and centering frontline communities in Plan engagement and implementation (see Appendix 3). The benefits of GHG emissions reduction are abundant and should be experienced by all, and this is how we work towards equitable distribution.

The Washington State Health Department’s Environmental Health Disparities Map is an interactive tool that compares communities across the state. High ranking areas face greater environmental health hazards and have less resources than lower ranked areas. This tool provides insights into where public investments can be prioritized so that everyone can benefit from clean air, clean water, and a healthy environment.

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Climate Impacts in Pierce County

Some of our communities are more at risk of certain climate impacts than others. Communities in east Pierce County are much more likely to be impacted by wildfires whereas coastal communities and those in river valleys are more likely to be impacted by flooding.

Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions trap heat in the atmosphere and are the leading cause of global temperature rise. Between 1895 and 2014, the Pacific Northwest warmed by +1.3 degrees Fahrenheit.[1] The significant impacts of this warming are being experienced in all seasons.[2] In Pierce County we are experiencing increased flooding events, more extreme heat during summer days (temperatures over 900F), acidification of Puget Sound, reduced snowpack, increased landslides, and more forest fires.[1] These destructive and life altering events not only impact the environment but have lasting effects on human health and the economy.

The graphic to the right outlines nine environmental impacts that our region must be prepared to address. The financial costs to repair or replace existing infrastructure damaged by these climaterelated events and the costs to human life as climate-related disease, illness, and mortality rise are significant. For more detailed information, please visit the Climate Change Explained webpage.

The climate impacts shown here pose challenges for everyone in Pierce County, now and into the future. However, the exposure, or the degree to which communities experience climate impacts, is not the same. Similarly, vulnerability, or the extent to which communities can cope with climate impacts, varies across communities and individuals. Both exposure and vulnerability ultimately determine an individual’s or community’s level of risk.

1. SEA LEVEL RISE

4. DECREASED GLACIERS & SNOWPACK

7. FLOODING

2. OCEAN ACIDIFICATION

5. EXTREME HEAT & WILDFIRE

8. SEDIMENTATION

3. INCREASED WATER TEMPERATURE

6. LANDSLIDES

9. EXTREME PRECIPITATION

Adapted from An Unfair Share: Climate Change Hits Some Harder Than Others, FrontandCentered.org

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Impacts on human health

Impacts on wildlife

Impacts on the economy

Warmer drier summers with more excessive heat days and wildfire smoke will affect community members who are elderly, work outdoors, are pregnant, do not have access to home cooling and air filtration or are unhoused, or have underlying heart and lung conditions. During the 2021 summer heat dome, 28 people in Pierce County died due to heat-related health issues.[3] Flooding caused by increased winter rainfall or sea level rise can pollute waters, impacting those living in flooded areas as well as the safety of shellfish harvesting downstream. Damage to infrastructure from sea level rise, storms, or heat can also result in hazards that cause injury. Lack of access to nature for recreation, cultural and spiritual practices, and traditional foods due to climate impacts can affect physical and mental health.

Many youth have expressed anxiety about recent extreme weather events and the uncertainty of a future in a changing climate (see quotes below).

Just as warmer temperatures and flooding impact human health, they also affect the health of plants and animals in Pierce County. Warm dry summers reduce summertime stream flows and increase water temperature, causing toxic algae blooms and heat stress for freshwater animals. Pollution resulting from flooding events also affects freshwater and marine species. Rising carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere causes our oceans to become more acidic which puts stress on marine animals.

Less snowpack and more winter rain can lead to erosion and sedimentation in our rivers that destroy hillsides and stream habitat for salmon fry. Some local tree species are not well adapted for hot, dry summers which is causing tree die offs, making our forests more susceptible to wildfires and landslides.

As valuable resources and natural lands are lost due to climate change, industries such as tourism, agriculture, forestry, and fisheries will suffer. Longer periods of drought may require more irrigation on local farms, straining drinking water resources. Reduced snowpack and glacial melt affect drinking water availability and wintertime recreation. Work time will be lost due to health impacts and climate hazards. Flooded bridges and docks, homes lost to wildfires, roads collapsed by landslides, and heat-stressed powerlines will create new costly expenses for residents and public agencies.

More households will need to invest in air conditioning and filter fans to stay cool and may have to pay more medical bills due to climate-related health impacts.

Beyond our local economy, global supply chains will be threatened by climate change, potentially destabilizing markets and increasing the cost of necessities like food.

Comments from Washington High School Students: “I was 5-8 years old in Washington summer and I was outside just relaxing but it was so hot that I began to sweat and get dizzy, and I was scared so I called for my mom and she ran out to find me having a heat stroke. Also, this past summer there was so much smoke that my mom has struggled to breathe.” – Al “Climate change affects us … It’s starting to get way hotter than what we are used to and if [temperature] goes up too much then that could mean our trees would die that give us oxygen. Our animals and fish would be gone which is our food supply and us people would probably be gone as well. It makes me feel emotional and worried about my house or land catching on fire.”

“In summer 2022 I was affected by climate change … It got to the point where there were wildfires and very smokey air and caused me to have asthma attacks more often."

“It [climate change] is making me anxious and a little afraid for a lot of reasons. Such as being worried about family and friends from different states. Not to mention it being hotter and colder.”

“I like to go fishing but climate change is affecting that because it messes with the seasons, so it messes with the fish.” – Aidan “With the hotter climate every year, it gets harder for my family to stay cool in the summer months. We live in an apartment and aren’t allowed an AC as we live on the third story. Every summer we have to get one to two new fans. It is getting harder to afford the fans, meaning it gets harder to stay cool. On top of this, we live in an area that gets hit with a lot smoke from the uncontrolled wildfires. This leads into us getting sick and can’t breathe because of the smoke. It also means that the windows have to be shut when it’s smoky, meaning it is even harder to stay cool.” – Tristin

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Plan Progress As of May 2023, 23 of the original 77 actions have been completed or are ongoing activities. Many more actions are in progress.

Starting in 2022, the Sustainable Resources division collected community and County staff feedback on the Plan to inform the 2023 update process. In response to that feedback, some actions have been edited,

some removed, and some new actions have been added.

This updated Plan now divides greenhouse gas emission reduction actions into community and municipal focus areas, with 48 and 16 actions, respectively. These actions will steer countywide activities in 2024-2025.

The Sustainability 2030 Plan will continue to go through updates every two years to keep the Plan aligned with community priorities, new State and Federal policies, and emerging technologies and innovations.

Completed actions can be found in the Plan Archive, Appendix 1. Actions removed from the Plan and an explanation of their omission can be found in Appendix 2.

The next update will take place in 2025 to guide countywide emission reduction activities in 2026-2027.

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Community Voice: What are we hearing from our community?

One of the main goals of the 2023 update to the Sustainability 2030 Plan is for actions to reflect community priorities. Our team gathered community feedback in multiple ways including attending community events, scheduling interviews with interested and invested groups, hosting workshops, and more. Each Community Focus Area contains

a “Community Voice” section that illustrates what we’ve heard from our community and how we have incorporated their feedback.

The 2023 update also features a new section, “Growing Community Capacity”, that recognizes the need to include actions that do not directly impact greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction, but instead address

other priorities that build our community’s readiness to have ownership over community-led GHG reduction projects.

When the first iteration of the Plan was passed in 2021, we committed to creating a list of community-generated GHG reduction actions. A indicates which actions in each

section were proposed by our community.

Appendix 4 explains in more detail the organizations that the 2030 team met with and events the team was invited to participate in to hear directly from community members.

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Community Actions Snapshot Action Focus Area Energy & Built Environment

Transportation

Waste Reduction

Nature-based Climate Solutions

Education & Outreach

Growing Community Capacity

Objectives

Greatest Opportunities

1. Expand access to clean and renewable energy 2. Improve energy efficiency of homes, commercial buildings, and industrial buildings 3. Encourage innovative and efficient building design

+ Transition the electric grid toward 100% clean energy + Retrofit existing homes, commercial and industrial buildings to electric heating. + Onsite solar installation and community renewable energy projects + Efficient all-electric new developments

1. Increase use of public transit, ride sharing and active (walking, biking) transportation 2. Minimize commutes and incentivize teleworking 3. Encourage density in the urban unincorporated area with mixeduse and transit-oriented development 4. Promote electric vehicles, clean fuels and expand the network of electric car charging stations

+ Support transit and active transportation options + Reduce single-driver car trips + Improve land use codes to efficiently utilize land, materials, energy, alternative transportation systems and infrastructure + Transition to zero emission vehicles

1. Expand GHG reduction efforts in solid waste and recycling 2. Encourage behaviors that consider life cycle impacts and reduce waste

+ Reduce unnecessary consumption and food waste + Ensure our solid waste system follows greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction best management practices

1. Protect and conserve lands for carbon sequestration and ecosystem services 2. Increase the use of carbon sequestration best management practices 3. Expand urban tree canopy and green spaces

+ Conserve mature forests + Protect and restore eelgrass beds, kelp forests, saltwater wetlands and floodplains + Maintain forestland and increase tree canopy cover in urban areas + Prioritize absorbent landscapes by capturing and retaining water as a key strategy for carbon sequestration

1. Foster democratic participation and equity by increasing decision-making opportunities 2. Increase broad community engagement to develop GHG reduction policies that are equitable 3. Align programs, workshops, and messaging with existing community concerns and priorities

+ Increase awareness and understanding of GHG emissions and their impacts + Make it easier for community members to take action and participate in decision-making processes + Leverage federal and state funding opportunities for Pierce County residents

1. Foster community leadership in sustainable solutions 2. Connect community members to local natural systems

+ Increase community member capacity to participate in sustainability actions + Broaden the number of actors and community-based organizations taking action

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Community Actions

How are our emissions changing over time?

Greenhouse Gas Emissions in Pierce County Greenhouse gas (GHG) inventories are used to determine the amount of GHG emissions generated within a specific geographic area.

GHG emissions result from activities and choices made within Pierce County. For example, driving a car in Pierce County results in direct GHG emissions in Pierce County.

However, the process to manufacture the car also resulted in GHG emissions generated outside of Pierce County. All emissions are significant and could be tracked, but most often jurisdictions complete inventories focused on the GHG emissions generated within their geographic area. This Plan is focused on actions and tracking of emissions occurring within the geographical boundary of Pierce County.

In 2021, Pierce County partnered with four counties in the Puget Sound region to produce new GHG inventories for the year 2019 and recalculate 2015 GHG inventories using updated methods. The updated 2015 Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory is the new baseline for our GHG reduction goal; the 2019 GHG Inventory and future inventories will be used to track progress and determine necessary next steps.

Most of Pierce County's GHG emissions come from heating residential and commercial buildings, driving vehicles, and removing

Key Goal: Reduce communitywide GHG emissions 45% by 2030 based on 2015 baseline.

From 2015 to 2019, our county increased emissions by about 16%.

trees. While the County’s electricity supply is predominantly clean hydropower, approximately 30% is powered by natural gas and coal. Natural gas heating is common in Pierce County and represented approximately 41% of residential and commercial building emissions in 2019.[4] To meet the County goal of reducing communitywide GHG emissions 45% by 2030, our community-based actions focus on using 100% clean and renewable electricity, electrifying buildings and transportation, expanding low carbon transportation options, reducing food waste, protecting and planting trees, and conserving land. The following sections detail actions to reduce GHG emissions across six community focus areas: energy & built environment, transportation, waste reduction, nature-based climate solutions, education & outreach, and growing community capacity.

Key

Sources of GHG Emissions in Pierce County, 2019 Total= 10.8 million MTCO2e*

Solid Waste & Wastewater 4% Solid waste generation & disposal 3%, Wastewater process emissions <1%

Refrigerants 4% Land Use 28% 27% Tree loss, <1% Agriculture

Built Environment 34% Electricity 14%, Natural gas 14% Other sources 6%

Transportation 31% On-road vehicles 23%, Off-road equipment 4%, Aviation 3%, Marine vessels & rail 1%

*MTCO2e stands for metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions.

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Energy & Built Environment About

Buildings are the most rapidly growing source of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in Washington State. While statewide emissions have increased 10% overall since 1990, building emissions have jumped by 50%, more than any other source in our state.[5] Between 2015 and 2019, built environment emissions increased 25%.

TABLE LEGEND Co-benefits Enhance Public Health Improve Water Quality Improve Air Quality Promote Equity Provide Jobs Community Priority

The energy and built environment sector represents 34% of Pierce County’s communitywide GHG emissions. Residential homes account for 13.9%, commercial buildings 9.8%, and industrial buildings and processes account for 10.6% of total emissions. While the County’s electricity supply is predominantly clean hydropower, approximately 30% is still powered by fossil fuels. Natural gas and propane used for heating and industrial processes also contribute significant GHG emissions in this sector.

Action Identifier EBE-1 Electrify New Buildings EBE-2 Retrofit Existing Buildings EBE-3 Transit-oriented Growth EBE-4 Community Solar

Community Voice: What are we hearing from our community?

Transitioning to renewable energy, community solar projects, and increasing awareness of energy assistance programs are top community priorities. See actions EBE-4 and EBE-6.

In 2030, my sustainable community…

“[will have] lower energy bills due to sustainable products.” -Safe Streets Community Conference participant “[will have] tools and work vehicles that are not gas reliant.” -Pierce County Trails Conference participant

Actions Adopt codes and support developers as they move towards 100% electrification in new developments.

Maximize energy rebates coming into Pierce County and create new, local expedited permitting for retrofitting existing homes and buildings, particularly affordable and multi-family housing, for healthy low carbon living spaces.

Focus new growth in communities where high-capacity transit is available or planned.

Prioritize opportunities for community solar projects that serve as demonstration projects (Purdy Landfill, Chambers Bay) and/or reduce energy burden in priority communities.

Co-Benefits

Lead Department Planning & Public Works - Building and Code Enforcement, Long Range Planning Planning & Public Works - Building and Code Enforcement, Long Range Planning Planning & Public Works - Long Range Planning Facilities, Planning & Public Works - Sustainable Resources

EBE-5 Access to Renewable Energy EBE-6 Weatherization Assistance

Eliminate barriers to the installation of renewable energy projects and achieve SolSmart silver designation by 2025.

Seek new funding and improve contracting processes to expand the capacity of Pierce County’s weatherization program to serve more low-income residents.

Planning & Public Works - Building and Code Enforcement, Long Range Planning Human Services, Planning & Public Works Sustainable Resources

EBE-7 C-PACER

Expand, market and administer the Commercial Property Assessment Clean Energy + Resiliency (C-PACER) program.

Planning & Public Works - Sustainable Resources

EBE-8 Reduce Embodied Carbon

Reduce the carbon intensity of new buildings by encouraging net zero emission construction practices, such as cross laminated timber (CLT), low GHG construction materials, and designing for deconstruction.

Review Land Use plans to identify specific strategies for greenhouse gas emissions reductions.

Work with homebuilders to increase efficiency in new homes and create a local home energy audit program to retrofit older homes.

Planning & Public Works - Building and Code Enforcement, Long Range Planning

EBE-9 Land Use EBE-10 Energy Audits

Planning & Public Works - Long Range Planning Planning & Public Works - Sustainable Resources

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Transportation

51% moving into Pierce County’s unincorporated Urban Growth Area.

Additionally, 75% of Pierce County residents drive alone to work and 46% of those commuters spend 30 minutes or more driving to work.[7] [6]

About Transportation is the second largest contributor of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in Pierce County, responsible for approximately 31% of all GHG emissions.[4] On-road vehicles alone comprise 23% of emissions. Population in Pierce County has increased by over 90,000 people since 2015, with

About

TABLE LEGEND Co-benefits Enhance Public Health Improve Water Quality Improve Air Quality Promote Equity Provide Jobs Community Priority

Reducing GHG emissions in the transportation sector will reduce particulate matter pollution, improving air quality and human health. Communities living closest to busy roads will see the greatest improvement. Fewer trips and vehicles on the road will also reduce other sources of pollution like oil and tire rubber that affect the health of salmon and other key species in our environment.

Community Voice: What are we hearing from our community?

Improved public transit and countywide active transportation infrastructure were two of the major transportation themes community members identified in our engagement efforts. See actions T-2, T-5, T-6, T-11, and T-13.

In 2030, my sustainable community… “[will have] sidewalks, bike lanes and crosswalks everywhere so that every area is accessible and safe (and enjoyable) without a car.” -Franklin Pierce Youth First Coalition member “will be planned around people, not cars.” -Parkland Tree Giveaway participant

Action Identifier T-1 Clean Transit

Actions Support Pierce Transit’s efforts to implement a zero-emission fleet, expand bus rapid transit offerings, and promote on-demand first/last mile transportation services.

T-2 Active Transportation Plan T-3 Port Decarbonization

Evaluate Pierce County’s active transportation network in the urban unincorporated area and create an active transportation plan.

T-4 ORCA Usage T-5 Transit Education T-6 Transportation Planning T-7 Parking T-8 Telework T-9 Airport Electrification T-10 Clean Aviation T-11 Accessible Walking and Biking T-12 Public EV Charging T-13 Multi-modal Safety T-14 Commute Trip Reduction

Support efforts to advance electrification at the Port of Tacoma and Northwest Seaport Alliance (NWSA), including the Shore Power Program, the South Harbor Electrification Roadmap (SHERM) project, and development of a regional clean truck collaborative.

By 2025 increase ORCA card usage by 10% from 2022 ridership.

Reach out to students about youth ORCA card, low carbon transportation options, and how to utilize them.

Implement land use and transportation strategies, including multi-modal transportation investments, that reduce vehicle miles traveled and advance equitable outcomes for underserved and historically disadvantaged communities.

Update development regulations to reduce minimum parking requirements and require electric vehicle charging infrastructure.

Encourage Pierce County’s commute trip reduction (CTR) affected employers to reduce traffic flow in and out of King County through the promotion of telework whenever practical.

Support an electric aviation program that includes charging stations and looks at the viability of an electric plane.

Prepare to respond to FAA changes regarding low lead and low carbon fuel.

Significantly increase amount of bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure with a focus on creating accessibility in the urban area and connections to cities and trails.

Develop a countywide public electric vehicle infrastructure plan that prioritizes underserved communities and seek funding and partnerships to install public charging equipment.

Co-Benefits

Lead Department County Council, Executive, Planning & Public Works Sustainable Resources Planning & Public Works Office of the County Engineer (OCE) Planning & Public Works Sustainable Resources Planning & Public Works Sustainable Resources Planning & Public Works Sustainable Resources Planning & Public Works Long Range Planning Planning & Public Works Long Range Planning Planning & Public Works Sustainable Resources Planning & Public Works Airport & Ferry Planning & Public Works Airport & Ferry Parks, Planning & Public Works - OCE

Evaluate County roads for safety and compatibility with walking, biking, and transit.

Parks, Facilities, Planning & Public Works - Sustainable Resources, OCE Planning & Public Works - OCE

By 2025, decrease the drive alone rate among Commute Trip Reduction (CTR) affected employers compared to 2022 numbers.

Planning & Public Works Sustainable Resources

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waste landfill in Pierce County and has approximately 10-16 years of remaining capacity. Solid waste collection and disposal generates GHG emissions as a result of the operation of heavy equipment and vehicles. As materials in the landfill break down, GHG emissions are also generated.

Waste Reduction About

In 2022, Pierce County adopted a new 20 year Solid and Hazardous Waste Management Plan (SHWMP) to ensure an equitable and resilient solid waste system with the lowest possible impact on our environment and community. Notably, the new SHWMP focuses on reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, collaborating with partners and the community, and reducing food waste.

About

Solid waste poses many environmental challenges in Pierce County.

The 304th Street Landfill is the only operational municipal solid

TABLE LEGEND Co-benefits Enhance Public Health Improve Water Quality Improve Air Quality Promote Equity Provide Jobs

Action Identifier WR-1 C&D Waste WR-2 Food Waste Reduction WR-3 Green Tech Recycling WR-4 Single-use Waste

While the disposal of goods in our solid waste system accounts for 3% of Pierce County's locally generated GHG emissions, the upstream emissions generated outside of the county in producing and transporting the goods we purchase are not included in the geographic emissions inventory. We know from neighboring counties that consumption-related emissions can account for 50% or more of the county's overall emissions.[8]

Actions Work with interested parties to increase salvage, reuse, and recycling of construction and demolition debris (major contributor to GHG emissions in the solid waste management system) (SHWMP, MW1).

Determine options and recommendations, including GHG analysis, for residential and commercial food waste subsidies, fees, and disposal (SHWMP, O1).

Support Federal and State efforts to create recycling and producer responsibility programs for batteries, solar panels, and other emerging clean technology (relates to SHWMP, A2).

Support legislation at the state-level that promotes packaging with the lowest life-cycle GHG emisssions (SHWMP, WR1).

Community Voice: What are we hearing from the community?

Many community members have expressed concern about the amount of litter and pollution in their communities. More options for residential recycling and decreased use of plastics were also popular themes.

In 2030 my sustainable community... "comes together as a community working together to keep litter and trash off the streets and take care of the trees." -South Hill Library visitor, teen corner climate impacts display "will have locally sourced economies." -South Sound Sustainability Expo attendee

Co-Benefits

Lead Department Planning & Public Works - Sustainable Resources Planning & Public Works - Sustainable Resources Planning & Public Works - Sustainable Resources Planning & Public Works - Sustainable Resources

Community Priority

LRI Landfill

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Nature-based Climate Solutions About

Nature-based solutions to climate change involve conserving, restoring, or better managing ecosystems to avoid greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from decomposition and/or remove carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere, also known as carbon sequestration. Examples include planting trees and regrowing forests, restoring coastal wetlands and supporting restorative farming practices such as no-till and cover crop rotations. These nature-based strategies capture carbon from the air and sequester it in plants and soils. As a co-benefit, nature-based climate solutions also reduce the impacts of climate

About

TABLE LEGEND Co-benefits Enhance Public Health

change by providing ecosystem services such as clean air and water, flood control, increased biodiversity as well as economic benefits.

Community Voice:

Carbon sequestration is the process of capturing CO2 from the atmosphere and storing it long-term in plants, soils and the ocean.

Removing carbon from the atmosphere is as important as reducing GHG emissions. Land, plants and soil combined remove approximately 26% of GHG emissions from the atmosphere.[9] Through natural processes like photosynthesis, plants and healthy ecosystems absorb and store carbon.

Healthy soils comprised of organisms and organic matter enable soil to store carbon, which also improves primary productivity, water retention and decreases erosion.

An overwhelming amount of feedback has been in strong support of the protection and addition of trees throughout Pierce County. Community members have additionally expressed interest in having more community gardens, better access to green spaces and parks, and green infrastructure to help catch water runoff and keep neighborhoods cool. See actions NCS-1 and NCS-2.

The oceans, kelp forests and saltwater wetlands remove approximately 17% of the GHG emissions from the atmosphere.[10] Fast-growing aquatic plants and seaweeds are particularly good at removing carbon.

Additionally, their low oxygen soils store carbon for hundreds or even thousands of years.

Action Identifier NCS-1 Land Conservation Plan NCS-2 Urban Forestry

Improve Water Quality Improve Air Quality

NCS-3 Stormwater

Promote Equity Provide Jobs Community Priority

NCS-4 Blue Carbon

NCS-5 Unify Land Conservation Programs NCS-6 Rural Incentives NCS-7 Forest Management

NCS-8 Biochar NCS-9 Compost Use

Actions Create and adopt a county land conservation plan that identifies potential lands and strategies for carbon sequestration and ecosystem services.

Create an urban forestry plan for unincorporated Pierce County that sets a tree canopy and planting goal with strategies for tree protection that will reduce urban heat.

Develop and implement a policy that incentivizes absorbent landscapes, water retention and green infrastructure (ponds, raingardens, bioswales), and works to limit impervious surfaces where appropriate.

Partner with local Tribes, the Washington Department of Natural Resources and others to map eelgrass and kelp and identify innovative ways to sequester carbon in estuaries and the nearshore environment.

Unify county land conservation incentives (Conservation Futures, Transfer of Development Rights, and the Open Space [tax] Program) to meet guidance provided by the land conservation plan.

Implement recommendations of the land conservation plan to conserve rural and resource lands and strengthen rural economies.

Steward County properties for carbon sequestration, climate change resilience and forest health and work with the Pierce Conservation District and WSU Pierce Extension to support small forest landowners with best management practices.

Conduct feasibility study for a biochar production facility in Pierce County.

Promote the use of compost and SoundGro in Pierce County.

What are we hearing from the community?

In 2030 my sustainable community...

“When adding more housing units, [will] make sure to add plenty of nature areas for exploration, meditation, and community gardens” -Parkland National Night Out participant "[will have] shaded sidewalks and pollen sinks"- Tree Giveaway participant, South Hill Community Park "[will have] more native plants everywhere so it's prettier and eco-friendly"- South Hill Library visitor, Teen Corner climate impacts display

Co-Benefits

Lead Department Parks, Planning & Public Works - Sustainable Resources, Long Range Planning, Surface Water Management Parks, Planning & Public Works - Sustainable Resources, Surface Water Management Planning & Public Works - Surface Water Management, Long Range Planning, Sustainable Resources Planning & Public Works - Surface Water Management, Sustainable Resources

Parks, Planning & Public Works - Sustainable Resources, Long Range Planning

Planning and Public Works - Sustainable Resources, Long Range Planning Parks, Planning & Public Works - Sustainable Resources, Long Range Planning

Planning & Public Works - Sustainable Resources Planning & Public Works - Sustainable Resources, Sewer

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About Education and outreach are essential in building understanding and support for the actions identified in this plan. To create understanding and generate communitywide action, we must engage all Pierce County residents and work together with employers, businesses, and industry. We must center frontline

About

TABLE LEGEND Co-benefits Enhance Public Health Improve Water Quality Improve Air Quality Promote Equity Provide Jobs Community Priority

community members in education and outreach efforts. This means acknowledging marginalization as the status quo practice of current systems historically designed to exclude frontline community members from County planning processes. If we do not make intentional efforts to address marginalization, then by default, marginalization continues. These concerted efforts include partnering with and valuing organizations who serve frontline community members. The result is greater collective participation to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and building a culture of collaboration.

Action Identifier EO-1 Sustainability Collaborative EO-2 Climate Education EO-3 Community Engagement EO-4 Newsletter EO-5 Youth in Climate Action EO-6 Teacher Support EO-7 Green Workforce Development

Community Voice:

What are we hearing from the community?

Broadly, Pierce County community members want more opportunities to make social connections and to learn about gardening, waste reduction and reuse. Youth across Pierce County have expressed their desire to talk to their friends and family about climate change as well as raise awareness to their local elected officials. See actions EO-2 and EO-5.

In 2030, our sustainable community… [“Will have] classes teaching how to garden and more sustainable ways to live.” -South Hill Library Climate Change in Pierce County display participant [“Will have] more environmental education for students and better sharing of opportunities for youth to get involved with the 2030 plan.” -Lakewood Farmers Market attendee

Actions Expand and administer the Pierce County Sustainability Collaborative to share best practices with cities, tribes, and major employers.

Lead Department Planning & Public Works - Sustainable Resources

Provide local climate change educational workshops, activities and engagement opportunities that are meaningful and culturally relevant.

Implement a community engagement strategy moving towards community-led strategies that center frontline community members.

Planning & Public Works - Sustainable Resources, Parks Planning & Public Works - Sustainable Resources, Communications

Create a sustainability-focused newsletter and distribute to Pierce County residents as a virtual Earth Matters.

Support and amplify youth voices in sustainability planning and decision-making processes.

Human Resources, Planning & Public Works Sustainable Resources, Communications Planning & Public Works - Sustainable Resources

Support k-12 teachers in implementing appropriate climate and sustainability curriculum to improve climate science literacy that is meaningful and culturally relevant.

Partner with local education providers to support equitable workforce training programs to prepare for a low-carbon, renewable-energy economy.

Planning & Public Works - Sustainable Resources

“My design is a flower that I used a stencil to draw. The flower is presenting the idea of keeping balance. Nature is important. The dark colors represent problems that are being pushed away.”- Kiara Kiara- YESS poster contest submission

Co-Benefits

“It is about limited time.

What we do now affects the future.”- James

James- YESS poster contest submission

Planning & Public Works

WINNING ENTRY

Education & Outreach

Makenna- YESS poster contest submission

“It’s 3 different trees [birch, oak, and sequoia] resembling a recycling symbol” – Makenna

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Growing Community Capacity

Community Voice:

What are we hearing from the community?

About Reducing communitywide greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to create a healthy environment for all requires us to work in partnership with our community. We cannot and should not do this work alone. The following actions address the foundational capacity our community needs to start and lead their own GHG reduction projects that address specific community priorities. Internally, we must invest in our team’s organizational capacity to center equity and dismantle systemic barriers to community participation.

About

TABLE LEGEND Co-benefits Enhance Public Health Improve Water Quality Improve Air Quality Promote Equity Provide Jobs

Action Identifier GCC-1 Leadership Development GCC-2 Connections to Nature GCC-3 Climate Impacts Planning GCC- 4 Strengthen Tribal Relationships

To work with our community on greenhouse gas reduction, we must understand what our communities need and align our actions with community priorities. The Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department’s Communities of Focus (East Tacoma, Key Peninsula, Parkland, South Tacoma, Springbrook, and White River) have all identified food justice and healthy food access as a top community priority.

Future updates to the Sustainability 2030 Plan will address our community's priority for food justice and food security.

In 2030, our sustainable community… “[will have] healthy food and more affordable fish and vegetables.” -Latinx Sumner Brain Health Event participant “[will have] equitable pathways for youth to find purpose/place via community projects!” -South Hill Library climate change display participant

Actions Support the Climate Leaders Cohort with partners to open sustainability leadership trainings to Pierce County residents.

Provide and support programming that reconnects community members of all ages to nature to improve mental health and help restore relationships to the land.

Concurrent to updating the Hazard Mitigation Plan, integrate climate adaptation into the applicable natural hazard mitigation strategies of Pierce County communities.

Maintain government-to-government relations with Tribal nations to work in partnership as co-managers of the land, plants and animals.

Co-Benefits

Lead Department Planning & Public Works - Sustainable Resources

Parks, Planning & Public Works - Sustainable Resources

Department of Emergency Management

Parks, Planning & Public Works - Sustainable Resources

Community Priority

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emissions source. In 2015, wastewater treatment made up 73% of waste emissions (and 55% in 2019). Solid waste accounted for the remaining portion of waste-sector emissions (27% of waste sector emissions in 2015 and 2019).

Municipal Actions

Figure 1: Operational Emissions by Sector and Source 2019

Greenhouse Gas Emissions in Pierce County As Pierce County does extensive work to help our community transition to a low carbon future, it is important that Pierce County’s organizational operations reflect the same commitment to a healthy, vibrant, sustainable community by taking responsibility for internal greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction while promoting equity in all County practices and policies.

In addition to completing a communitywide geographic GHG inventory for 2019, Pierce County also conducted an inventory of County operational GHGs. The major sources of County emissions come from County employee commutes, fleet vehicles and heating County

buildings. The County has the opportunity to lead by example in reducing emissions and meet the same 45% reduction by 2030 target as our community.

Food 6%

Asphalt and Cement 3%

Computer Hardware 1.8%

Electricity 6%

Wastewater 6%

Between 2019 and 2015, County operational GHG emissions increased by 2% despite emission reductions in materials purchased and waste management. To meet Pierce County’s internal emission reduction goal, we will need to make responsible investments in new technology and adopt new behaviors in a work environment that encourages employees to be sustainability leaders and learn together.

Natural Gas 19%

Landfilled Waste 3%

Consumption Based 11% Waste 8%

Ferries 6% Transit Electricity 0.01%

Buildings 26%

Transportation 55%

Diesel 8%

Emissions Trends by Sector: 2015-2019 Employee Commute

Stationary Diesel 0.6%

Transmission and Distribution Losses 0.3%

Fleet Gasoline 14%

and Business Travel increased by 2% between 2015 to 2019.

Operational emissions

Fox Island

Gasoline 26%

Between 2015 and 2019, the buildings sector has experienced the greatest increase in emissions (25% increase), followed by transportation at 3%. The largest emissions reductions Key Takeaway: What are the greatest emitters? occurred in the waste sector, where emissions have decreased 17% since 2015. emissions decreased 2015-2019).

Figure 2 and • Consumption-based Transportation is the greatestalso emitting sector(15% (55%between of the total in 2019).See Most transportation Figure 3. emissions come from gasoline from fleet vehicles and employee commuting (41% of all

operational emissions).

•

Figure

by Sector Sector Over Time (MTCO e) The combustion of Buildings are the second largest contributor (26% ofTime the (mtCO2e) total in 2019).

Figure 2.

2. Emissions Emissions by Over 2 natural gas is the chief source of emissions within this sector (19% of all operational emissions).

Consumption - Based Waste

2019 2015

Transportation

Key Goal: Reduce County municipal operation GHG emissions 45% by 2030 based on 2015 baseline.

Buildings

3

0

2,000 4,000 6,000 8,000 10,000 12,000 14,000 16,000 18,000

Figure 3: Emissions by Sector Over Time (Percentage)

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County Buildings & Fleet County building energy use accounts for 26% of municipal greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions – 19% is from natural gas use for building heating alone. Additionally, County owned vehicles account for 28% of municipal emissions (ferries, diesel and gasoline road vehicles). In 2023, Executive Dammeier signed an updated Electric First Policy, requiring all departments to prioritize electric options when making new purchases for building equipment, vehicles, and other maintenance equipment and tools. The following actions will help the County implement the Electric First Policy and reduce GHG emissions from County equipment and buildings.

TABLE LEGEND Co-benefits Enhance Public Health Improve Water Quality Improve Air Quality Promote Equity Provide Jobs

Action Identifier CBF- 1 Building Electrification CBF-2 County Office Space CBF-3 Fund Upgrades CBF-4 Lighting Efficiency CBF-5 Fleet Electrification CBF-6 EV Charging CBF-7 Ferry Efficiency

Actions Create a building electrification strategy to meet the intent and goals of Pierce County’s Electric First Policy.

When reviewing County space needs (owned or leased), prioritize building energy performance, proximity to public transportation and walking and biking accessibility.

Create a sustained funding mechanism to support building and fleet electrification upgrades at County facilities.

Complete the change out of building lighting and streetlights to LEDs and more energy efficient lighting controls.

Maximize fleet electrification and minimize fuel usage across County fleets.

Develop an electric vehicle charging infrastructure strategy and install appropriate electric charging based on the needs of the fleet.

Repower boats with EPA regulated diesel engines.

Co-Benefits

Lead Department Facilities Facilities

Finance Facilities Finance Facilities

Planning & Public Works - Airports & Ferries

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Commute Trip Reduction 26% of municipal greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions come from employees commuting to work and traveling for business. The County can play an important role in helping employees reduce single-occupancy vehicle commutes by encouraging carpooling, vanpooling, public transit use, biking, and teleworking when possible.

TABLE LEGEND Co-benefits Enhance Public Health Improve Water Quality Improve Air Quality

Action Identifier CTR-1 Parking

Actions Revise County parking policies to maximize vanpool, carpool, and transit usage by employees.

Co-Benefits

Lead Department Facilities

CTR-2 Bicycle Infrastructure CTR-3 Teleworking

Develop a plan for bicycle infrastructure at County owned facilities.

Facilities

Develop countywide best practices for setting departmental telework policies.

Planning & Public Works - Sustainable Resources

Promote Equity Provide Jobs

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County Waste System 3% of County operational greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions come from solid waste generated at County buildings. The emissions generated from the operation of the County’s wastewater treatment plant account for 6% of total County emissions alone. While we will continue to work with employees to reduce County waste, we also have an opportunity to improve waste systems managed by the County to reduce communitywide GHG emissions as well. 4% of communitywide emissions result from landfill operations and wastewater treatment.

TABLE LEGEND Co-benefits Enhance Public Health Improve Water Quality Improve Air Quality Promote Equity Provide Jobs

Action Identifier CWS-1 Internal Recycling CWS- 2 Sustainable Landfill CWS-3 Waste Collection Transportation CWS-4 Sustainable Wastewater

Actions Expand and enhance internal recycling support and waste reduction efforts, including the addition of internal waste audits.

Maximize the amount of GHG captured at the LRI landfill (SHWMP, O3).

Develop a plan by 2025 for lowest GHG collection, disposal, and transport of Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) in collaboration with contract partners (SHWMP, C1).

Maximize the beneficial use of biosolids and biogas produced during the wastewater treatment processes at the Chambers Creek Regional Wastewater Treatment Plant through the Unified Sewer Planning process to contribute to GHG reduction efforts.

Co-Benefits

Lead Department Planning & Public Works - Sustainable Resources Planning & Public Works - Sustainable Resources

Planning & Public Works - Sustainable Resources

Planning & Public Works - Sewers

Hidden Valley Transfer Station

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Education & Equitable Practices In order to continue equitability engaging community members in sustainable solutions and building relationships with community-based organizations, we need to continue internal work to build equitable practices and understanding of sustainability issues. The actions in this focus area aim to increase County capacity to equitably reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The County will continue to participate About on the Equity Action Collaborative and incorporate equitable approaches to community engagement.

TABLE LEGEND Co-benefits Enhance Public Health Improve Water Quality

Action Identifier EPP-1 Employee Education EPP-2 Employee Capacity for Equitable Engagement

Actions Develop employee training and continuous learning opportunities on sustainability and greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction practices.

Develop internal effort to increase community voice in County processes and decrease disproportionate harms caused to lowincome communities and communities of color.

Co-Benefits

Lead Department Planning & Public Works - Sustainable Resources Planning & Public Works - Sustainable Resources

Improve Air Quality Promote Equity Provide Jobs

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Moving Forward Creating and sustaining systemic change to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions requires us to reflect on what’s working well and where adjustments should be made within this evolving field of research and practice.

Our 2023 update allowed us to add, remove, refine and adjust our actions. Considerations were made based on extensive community feedback, our ongoing assessment of climate vulnerability and equity impacts, recent federal and state legislation and funding opportunities, and even technological advances. We also incorporated our updated understanding of the largest emission sources in Pierce County to help guide our work.

The following steps will be crucial to meeting our GHG reduction goals: 1. Ensure Pierce County Executive and Council engagement, oversight and support of GHG reduction efforts.

2. Prioritize actions to maximize GHG reductions and co-benefits, especially those that will most affect frontline communities and those identified as community priorities.

3. Secure funding resources for plan implementation and coordination.

4. Continue to meaningfully engage frontline community members, build relationships with partners, and integrate community priorities into Plan implementation.

2022 YESS Poster Contest Winner

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Collaborators City of Lakewood

Tacoma Pierce County Health Department

City of Puyallup

Tacoma Public Utilities

City of Tacoma

Walk and Roll Pierce County Coalition

Downtown on the Go

Franklin Pierce Youth First Coalition

Floodplains for the Future

Red Barn Youth Center

KGI Watershed Council

Pierce County Master Gardeners

LRI

Pierce County Libraries

Northwest Seaport Alliance

White River Partnership

Pierce Conservation District

WSU Pierce County Extension

Pierce Transit

Communities for a Healthy Bay

Puget Sound Clean Air Agency

Safe Streets

Puget Sound Energy

Lakewood Youth Council

Peninsula Light

Washington High School Global Challenges Class

Puget Sound Regional Council

Tacoma Tree Foundation

Puyallup Tribe of Indians

EarthGen

Puget Sound by Fox Island

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Coordination with Other Plans City of Tacoma 2030 Climate Action Plan Clear Creek Strategy Plan Department of Ecology 2023-2025 Strategic Plan Northwest Ports Clean Air Strategy Parks, Recreation and Open Space Plan Pierce County Community Plans Pierce County Comprehensive Plan Pierce County Solid and Hazardous Waste Management Plan Pierce Transit Development Plan Puget Sound Clean Air Agency Strategic Plan Puget Sound Regional Council Transportation Plan Salmon Habitat Protection and Restoration Strategy for Puyallup and Chambers Watersheds Washington Department of Commerce 2021 State Energy Strategy

Works Cited [1] Krosby, and A.K. Snover, 2015. State of Knowledge: Climate Change in Puget Sound. Report prepared for the Puget Sound Partnership and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Climate Impacts Group, University of Washington, Seattle. doi:10.7915/CIG93777D [2] Puyallup Tribe’s Climate Change Impact Assessment and Adaptation Options (2016) [3] Washington State Department of Health- Heat Wave 2021 [4] Puget Sound Clean Air Agency. (2018, June). Puget Sound Clean Air Agency Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory. Retrieved from https://pscleanair.gov/ DocumentCenter/View/3328/PSCAA-GHG-Emissions-Inventory [5] Washington State Governor Office. (2018). Clean Buildings Policy Brief.

Retrieved from https://www.governor.wa.gov/sites/default/files/cleanbuildings-policy-brief.pdf [6] Office of Financial Management. (2020, August). State of Washington 2020 Population Trends. Retrieved from https://www.ofm.wa.gov/sites/default/ files/public/dataresearch/pop/april1/ofm_april1_poptrends.pdf [7] County Health Rankings and Roadmaps. (2020). Explore Health Rankings.

Retrieved from https://www.countyhealthrankings.org/explore-healthrankings [8] King County Communitywide Consumption-based GHG Emissions Inventory [9] Project Drawdown. (2020, August 13). Land Sinks. Retrieved from https:// drawdown.org/sectors/land-sinks Lake Tapps

[10] Project Drawdown. (2020a, August 13). Coastal and Ocean Sinks.

Retrieved from https://drawdown.org/sectors/coastal-and-ocean-sinks

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Appendix 1: Completed Actions Energy & Built Environment (EBE)-5 Develop and implement a building energy conservation

program to establish state mandated energy management plans, perform energy audits, train staff in energy management best practices, and implement cost effective energy efficiency projects in County owned facilities This action is complete and ongoing. The Facilities Management Department and the Resource Conservation Manager have developed and implemented a building energy conservation program for monitoring energy use in County owned facilities. This program is also actively planning for the new Washington State Clean Buildings Standard by conducting building energy audits, tracking building energy use intensity and greenhouse gas emissions, and identifying cost-effective energy efficiency projects.

EBE-16 Incorporate energy efficiency and energy performance as integral elements of any County review of space needs This action is complete and ongoing. All property reviews for County space consider energy efficiency and energy performance. Internal Municipal Action County Building & Fleet Action-2 has been added to continue evaluating County building needs in a post-pandemic work environment.

EBE-20 Explore the benefits and costs of participation in utility's green power purchasing program

EBE-7 Collect and review energy performance data on all County owned and leased facilities.

This action is complete. Facilities Management Department and Sustainable Resources Division staff met with Puget Sound Energy’s Green Power purchasing liaison and obtained cost estimates for the County to participate in various green power programs. These results have been summarized and are available upon request. Participation in a green power purchasing program is not a priority currently. However, purchasing green power may be explored in the future, when all other options to directly reduce GHG emissions from County operations have been exhausted.

This action is complete and ongoing. Facilities Management established protocols for regularly updating and documenting changes to County owned buildings’ energy use using the Energy Star Portfolio Manager (ESPM) tool. Six County owned buildings are currently required to comply with the Washington Clean Buildings Standard, and next steps have been identified to align those facilities with energy use intensity targets per the Standard. Energy use at County leased properties has been documented and analyzed.

Transportation (T)-5 Support and participate in regional and state-wide efforts to accelerate transportation electrification

Incorporate energy usage reporting requirements into Pierce County's property leasing contracts and use data in budgeting and decision-making processes

EBE-14 Implement a Commercial Property Assessment Clean Energy Resilience (C-PACER) program to provide financing for clean energy measures in commercial properties This action is complete. Pierce County Council adopted Ordinance No. 2022-12s in March 2022, implementing a Commercial Property Assessment Clean Energy + Resilience (C-PACER) program to provide financing for clean energy measures in commercial properties. The program opened for applications in August 2022. Next steps include continued marketing to owners of commercial, industrial, agricultural, and multi-family buildings. See new Energy & Built Environment Action 7: CPACER for planned work in 2024-2025.

EBE-15 Design all new County owned buildings to run on electricity, with an exception for generators where an all-electric version is not feasible

This action is complete and ongoing. The Pierce County Electric First Policy was adopted March 1, 2023. This policy directs departments to consider electric options when purchasing new equipment.

As building systems are updated, the Electric First Policy will support building electrification and ensure new County construction projects are held to an all-electric design standard whenever possible. This action is supported by the 2021 Washington State Building Code that will require all new commercial buildings to use all-electric space and water heating in most circumstances when the codes go into effect.

This action is complete and ongoing. Sustainable Resources Division staff participate in Puget Sound Regional Council’s Regional EV (REV) Collaboration, Washington State University and Washington Department of Commerce Alternative Fuels and Vehicles Technical Advisory Group (AFV-TAG), and transportation electrification workshops through the Urban Sustainability Directors Network (USDN).

Additionally, a Sustainable Resources staff member is on the advisory committee for the Washington State Electric Vehicle Coordinating Council to advise in the Washington State Transportation Electrification Study.

T-6 Establish a trip reduction policy that includes a remote work strategy, appropriate technology, and considers how employees can work or deploy from closest field office This action is complete and ongoing. The Department of Human Resources has established a County telework policy that supports remote work and/or reduced trips. Commute miles saved are formally tracked in coordination with the Sustainable Resources Transportation Demand Management team and Information Technology Department. See Commute Trip Reduction Action 3: Telework for continued work in 2024-2025.

T-9 Purchase hybrid Sheriff vehicles until electric vehicles are pursuit rated. Look for opportunities to use electric vehicles when pursuit rated is not required This action is complete and ongoing. The Pierce County Electric First Policy, adopted in March 2023, directs all fleet managers to prioritize acquisition of electric and hybrid vehicles, including Sheriff vehicles, based on their emissions reduction potential.

T-10 Utilize low carbon biodiesel until low GHG renewable diesel is cost competitive This action is complete and ongoing. The Maintenance and Operations Division of the Planning and Public Works Department completed a 12-month study in December 2021 that determined B20 biodiesel is a suitable fuel in maintenance facility generators, experiencing no degradation in performance. The County continued the transition to B20 biodiesel for applicable vehicles and equipment and reached greater than 97% utilization by the end of 2022.

T-14 Increase County employee, business, and school district participation in ORCA passport program This action is complete and ongoing. The Sustainable Resources Commute Trip Reduction team continues to support employee, business, and school district participation in the ORCA passport program. Beginning September 1, 2022, riders 18 and younger ride transit for free. See Commute Trip Reduction Action 1 for continued work in promoting transit use by County employees and Transportation Actions 4 & 5 for continued work promoting transit ridership communitywide.

T-16 Consider access to high frequency transit, walkability and bicycle infrastructure whenever the County builds or leases space This action is complete and ongoing. All property reviews for County space consider access to transit, pedestrian access, neighborhood walkability, proximity to bicycle infrastructure, and provision of onsite bicycle amenities. County Buildings & Fleet Action 2: County Office Space has been added to continue evaluating County building needs in a post-pandemic work environment.

Consumption & Waste Management (CWM)-1 Develop targeted campaigns for recycling material with highest GHG reduction impact (paper, metal, food waste) This action is complete and ongoing. In 2021 the Sustainable Resources Division in coordination with the County Communications team ran social media campaigns on the importance of recycling paper (April) metal (July) and yard/food waste (November). These “Waste Less Wednesday” campaigns have continued, and Sustainable Resources is working with Communications to identify new ways to promote recycling material with highest GHG reduction impact.

CWM-7 Continue to support and expand gleaning and food recovery programs This action is complete and ongoing. The Sustainable Resources Division maintains a How to Reduce Food Waste webpage with information and resource links, including where to donate excess food.

The Pierce County Council has also proclaimed one week each April as “Food Waste Prevention Week” in Pierce County, Washington, most recently via Resolution No. R2023-37. In light of recent State legislation regarding food waste, new Waste Reduction Action 3: Food Waste Reduction sets a priority to plan for food waste composting in 2024-2025.

Carbon Sequestration (CS)-5 In the next update of Conservation Futures, include carbon sequestration potential as a metric in scoring criteria This action is complete. In February 2023 the Pierce County Council amended County code via Ordinance No. 2023-1s as requested by the Conservation Futures Citizens Advisory Board and Technical Advisory Committee to incorporate point allocation scoring for sites that offer “Carbon Conservation” and “Carbon Restoration” potential. This metric includes points allocated for conservation of trees and other vegetation, including wetlands and estuaries, and restoration or other changes to land use management that provide measurable carbon sequestration and ecosystem services.

CS-12 Inventory and classify all County owned forested and undeveloped natural lands to plan for long term use This action is complete. In 2021, the Pierce County Parks Department Natural Lands Program completed site visits of forested and undeveloped natural lands to assess conditions and make recommendations for improved lands management, with support from the Natural Lands Washington Conservation Corps.

Education & Outreach (EO)-1 Create a Pierce County sustainability collaborative to share best practices with cities, tribes, and major employers This action is complete and ongoing. In March 2022 the Sustainable Resources Division invited staff from all cities and towns within Pierce County to take part in quarterly virtual meetings to share best practices and information on topics of interest to the group such as EVs (April), Climate Action Plans (July), Comprehensive Plans-Climate Planning (November), and Tree Canopy (February 2023).

Education & Outreach Action 1, included in the 2023 Plan update, will continue to expand the Sustainability Collaborative.

EO-2 Provide GHG reduction educational workshops, activities and engagement opportunities to residents This action is complete and ongoing. The Sustainable Resources Environmental Education team has developed in-person and virtual presentations and engagement tools on GHG emission reduction actions for County residents of all ages. The team visits schools and attends meetings and community events as well as offering online classes, like Sustainability 101, Recycling 101, and Pierce County Farms & Climate Impacts.

EO-3 Develop and implement a community engagement effort that is equitable and prioritizes underrepresented communities This action is complete and on-going. The Sustainable Resources Division developed an equitable community engagement framework (see Appendix 3) and led an engagement effort for the 2023 update of the Sustainability 2030 Plan that prioritized building relationships with and gathering feedback from underrepresented communities and community-based organizations. Equitable community engagement work will continue in 2024-2025 per Education & Outreach Action 3 in the 2023 Plan update.

EO-5 Host an annual youth sustainability summit This action is complete and on-going. In April 2022, Pierce County along with other collaborators sponsored YESS – the Youth Environmental and Sustainability Summit – to bring together groups of middle and high school-aged youth from across Pierce County. The Sustainable Resources Environmental Education team maintains and updates the YESS County webpage and sponsors ongoing interactive youth activities, like the Sustainability 2030 Art Contest and a request for youth Climate Stories.

EO-6 Support k-12 teachers in implementing appropriate GHG reduction and climate impact curriculum This action is complete and ongoing. The Sustainable Resources Environmental Education team partnered with the City of Tacoma, Tacoma Public Utilities, and Pierce Conservation District to offer free STEM teacher workshops and a climate literacy curriculum, reaching over 600 teachers. Through these relationships throughout Pierce County, and the lens of the Washington State Environmental and Sustainability Literacy Plan (2022), the Pierce County Environmental Education Program is a resource for educators, administrators, families, community members, community-based organizations, and businesses.

EO-7 Promote reuse of goods through sharing information for landfill alternatives including online platforms such as buy nothing groups This action is complete and ongoing. The Sustainable Resources Consumption & Waste Management team has promoted reuse of goods to keep items out of landfills both externally, to the public, and internally, to county staff. The Pierce County Recycling Menu now has a "Reuse & Salvage" webpage link, and employees have learned about neighborhood-based groups for sharing or requesting free in the context of swapping Halloween costumes and wasting less during holiday seasons.

EO-8 Develop and distribute employee sustainability newsletter This action is complete and ongoing. The Sustainable Resources Division collaborates with Communications team staff to create informative, action-oriented newsletters, distributed via email to all County employees monthly on diverse themes, such as “Bivalves and Bipeds for Better Water Quality” and “Waste Less Plant More”.

EO-9 Redesign the County sustainability website to highlight county sustainability projects, education, and resources This action is complete. The County Sustainability webpages have been updated and expanded to highlight completed and ongoing sustainability projects, education opportunities, and resources.

Appendix 2: Omitted Actions Energy & Built Environment (EBE)-2 Engage with local utilities to explore fuel switching to electric energy upgrades in homes and commercial buildings This action was incorporated into another action to promote building efficiency. The new action that captures this work is Energy & Built Environment Action 2: Retrofit Existing Buildings.

EBE-4 Develop tools to transition new development to utilize electricity and establish incentives for the replacement of existing low efficiency energy systems associated with building retrofits This action was separated into two new actions, Energy & Built Environment Action 1: Electrify New Buildings, and Energy & Built Environment Action 2: Retrofit Existing Buildings.

EBE-13 Work with utilities to explore strategies to reduce GHG emissions in multifamily housing This action has been incorporated into the new Energy & Built Environment Action 2: Retrofit Existing Buildings.

Transportation (T)-2 Identify strategies to increase first/last mile access to Sound Transit hubs via Pierce Transit or other micro-mobility (electric scooters, bikes) This action was found to be impractical and is eliminated for now. In 2021, Pierce Transit and Pierce County discussed micro-mobility and determined this action can’t move forward until the County has additional sidewalk and bike lane infrastructure in place.

T-17 Explore opportunities to pursue transportation technical assistance partnerships for County fleet This action was found to be redundant and is eliminated. Sustainable Resources Division staff continue to participate in electric vehicle collaborations and workgroups, which include information on fleets as well as medium & heavy-duty low and zero emission vehicles.

T-19 Use data to create more efficient all electric pool vehicle system for intergovernmental travel This action was found to be unnecessary and is eliminated. Considering the Covid-19 pandemic and related increase in both teleworking and virtual meeting options, it was determined that tracking electric pool vehicle use data would not create a more efficient all electric pool vehicle system.

T-20 Consider how a ride share system could result in a reduced County owned fleet This action was found to be unnecessary and is eliminated. Considering the Covid-19 pandemic and related increase in both teleworking and virtual meeting options, it was determined that a ride share system would not result in a reduced County owned fleet.

Consumption & Waste Management (CWM)-9 Implement a green office policy that reduces waste and conserves energy and fuel

This action was found to be redundant and is eliminated. Policies that reduce waste and conserve energy and fuel across County facilities are already in place. The Sustainable Resources Division will continue to promote material and energy saving behaviors through the employee sustainability newsletter and other learning opportunities for Pierce County staff.

CWM-6 Develop a County sustainable purchasing working group to develop and implement a new Sustainable Purchasing Policy This action was found to be unnecessary and is eliminated. Finance is organizing an interdepartmental electric equipment purchasing working group to support implementation of the Electric First Policy. Beyond the Electric First Policy, developing new sustainable purchasing policies was deemed to be low priority and excluded from the 2024-2025 work plan.

Carbon Sequestration (CS)-9 Support WSU Extension efforts to hire a Regional Agricultural Specialist for Pierce and King Counties to support and promote best management practices Shifting priorities and constraints around hiring WSU faculty reduced ability to hire a Regional Agricultural specialist. Pierce County continues to contract with and support WSU Extension in support of food security, gardening, and horticultural efforts.

CS-11 Continue to support and participate in coordinated regional agricultural coalitions This action was found to be redundant and is eliminated. Planning and Public Works Agriculture Program staff continue to participate in coordinated regional agricultural coalitions.

Appendix 3: Education & Outreach Action 3 - Equitable Community Engagement Framework outcomes is iterative and dynamic, not linear, and we use this framework with an attitude of growth, not perfection. Each section illustrates what the Sustainable Resources Division has done to implement said practices and what we plan to do moving forward. Future Sustainability 2030 Plan updates will include amendments to each of these sections.

Framework Preparing the Ground

This framework completes action EO-3 in the Sustainability 2030 Plan and is informed by: •

City of Durham’s Equitable Community Engagement Blueprint by the Neighborhood Improvement Services Department

•

Race Forward’s From Seed to Harvest: A Toolkit for Collaborative Racial Equity Strategies by Leah Obias and Emi Yoko-Young

•

Urban Sustainability Directors Network’s The Nexus: Guidance for Local Governments Centering Racial Equity in Climate Planning and Practice

Introduction and Background The Sustainable Resources Division recognizes equity as both an outcome and a process. As a process, racial equity is applied when those most impacted by structural racial inequities are meaningfully involved in the creation and implementation of the institutional policies and practices that impact their lives. Focusing on racial equity provides the opportunity to use a framework, tools, and resources that can also be applied to other areas of marginalization. Leading with race is not based on the intent to create a ranking of oppressions, but rather to create intersectional strategies that will impact all communities. We must use equity as a process to reach racial equity as an outcome. The Equitable Community Engagement Framework outlines community engagement practices that the Sustainable Resources Division will follow to actualize our commitment of working in partnership with the communities we are privileged to serve.

This framework is sectioned into three categories: Preparing the Ground, Project Planting and Growth, and Harvest and Regrowth. This process of building equitable practices for equitable

Just as one would get to know the type of land they’re about to garden in and ensure the soil is at optimal conditions, our team should get to know the community we serve and internally assess and build our capacity to meaningfully engage our community. Building trust and relationships in our community is necessary to repair historic and present-day harm while also figuring out how to move from a community engagement to community ownership model. While this section is listed first in the framework, the practices listed below are constantly happening, not just at the beginning of a project.

Build an understanding of power and a shared language: Both as a team and as individuals, we must recognize our personal and positional power and learn how it shows up in our work and interactions with others. The result is a greater culture shift within our division where we question the norm and critically assess the way we work.

Definitions Equity is achieved when all people – regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, income, neighborhood, or other factor – have access to the resources and opportunities necessary to reach their full potential.

Equity assessments proactively seek to eliminate racial inequities while advancing equity for all. This process involves collecting and analyzing information to determine the extent to which a practice, policy, program, etc. is equitable to each member of the community. Equity assessments provide opportunities for deep examinations of the root causes of inequities, helping us better understand how to serve our communities more equitably.

Frontline communities are those who face historical and current inequities in multiple ways, whether by being confronted with systemic barriers, being historically underserved, or both. These communities include those who are and will be disproportionately burdened by climate change, often experiencing the first and most acute impacts.

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Allow time and space for internal staff learning and capacity building to create a baseline understanding of inequities and equitable practices. This includes taking trainings, sharing resources, and reading books, articles, etc. on racial equity.

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Organize and implement practices that operationalize equity in everyday work.

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Assess organizational readiness to build relationships with frontline communities and assess past engagement strategies using the Spectrum of Community Engagement to Ownership Guide.

Invest in trust and relationship building: Having trust within our community is at the core of equitable

community engagement. Without it, there can be no meaningful involvement of frontline communities. Recognize that building trust and relationships takes time and that this practice is always happening. Community is built at the speed of trust.

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Meet with and build relationships with community-based organizations we haven’t talked to yet.

Identify opportunities and set time aside to listen to the community. Continue to show up to community group meetings. Use these opportunities to learn if and how community members want to be engaged and what their priorities are.

Project Planting & Growth Preparing the ground gives us a solid foundation for developing different strategies and tools we need to equitably engage our community. This is where we put what we learn into practice.

Get to know and prioritize frontline communities: Learning about what communities care about and are challenged with helps to ground our work in community priorities.

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Identify organizations and partners who are doing racial equity work and are maintaining accountability to the communities they serve.

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Learn about community priorities and align with project goals. Go to where community is already meeting.

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Better understand what our organization can offer and share these resources with our community.

Develop and/or use tools for equitable engagement: Various tools can help guide equitable engagement. These resources can be found online and adapted to our organization’s specific needs. For example, Pierce County developed the following tools that are designed to center equity in County decision-making.

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Pierce County Equity Note: An Equity Note must be completed with any proposed resolution or ordinance that is sent to the County Council. The Equity Note includes information about the proposal, how it was developed, populations and/or geographies impacted, and how impacts and unintended consequences will be monitored.

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Pierce County Equity Index: This Index includes an overall Opportunity Index rating which is made up of five categories (Livability, Accessibility, Economy, Education, and Environmental Health), and 32 individual data points, including poverty rate, kindergarten readiness, and access to a household vehicle.

What we’ve done: •

Trainings taken (non-exhaustive): •

Urban Sustainability Directors Network (USDN) Equity Foundations and Equity Foundations 2.0.

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WA State Government to Government Tribal Relations

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Racial Equity Institute Groundwater

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How We Got Here: A Reckoning with U.S. and Tacoma History (video)

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Hired a full-time Equity and Engagement Associate Planner to lead equitable engagement for the Sustainability 2030 Plan and future updates.

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Created equity workgroups to keep up the momentum of operationalizing equity in everyday work. Workgroups include Equitable Community Engagement; Internal Education and Training; and Budget, Assessment, and Data

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We currently maintain relationships with: Tacoma Pierce County Health Department Communities of Focus, Walk and Roll Pierce County Coalition, Springbrook Connections and Partners, Franklin Pierce Youth First, White River Partnership, Lakewood Youth Council, Pacific Islander Health Board of Washington, Safe Streets, Red Barn Youth Center, and more.

Moving forward, Sustainable Resources will…

What we’ve done: •

Tools created: Equity Assessment Tool (see below), Community Connections Database (in progress), Community Events Guidance Rubric, Environmental Education Rubric, and Avoiding Bias in Visual Communications Guide •

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As mentioned in the table of definitions, equity assessments are designed to identify burdens, benefits, and unintended consequences of a specific action and to propose alternative solutions. The Sustainable Resources Division created the Equity Assessment Tool found on page 19 to assess potential outcomes of all external community-based actions listed in the Sustainability 2030 Plan and plan for equitable implementation. As of May 2023, 11 actions have been run through the tool.

Use Washington Health Disparities Map and Equity Index to help prioritize which community events to attend, where to host events, and which communities to center throughout the Sustainability 2030 Plan update.

Moving forward, Sustainable Resources will…

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Have new staff complete the USDN Equity Foundations 2.0.

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Seek out new trainings and resources that advance our division’s capacity to practice and implement equitable engagement.

Continue to operationalize and re-evaluate our tools to advance equity in our division programs and projects.

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Continue our equity workgroups and re-evaluate workgroup progress, objectives, and projects.

Determine a best path forward for sharing the Equity Assessment Tool among Sustainability 2030 Plan partners.

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Run all external Sustainability 2030 Plan actions through the Equity Assessment Tool, prioritizing Community Priority actions (see page 9).

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Organize and report back on the Equity Assessment results of Sustainability 2030 Plan actions.

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Use the Equity Assessment Tool on other division actions, practices, and programs.

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Complete Pierce County’s Equity Note and Index for all work that goes before the County Council.

in this first phase will make for fruitful and meaningful partnerships with those in our community most impacted by climate change. We will continue to revisit and revise this framework as we see fit.

Equity Assessment Questionnaire Background

Harvest & Re-growth In this phase, we establish accountability, evaluate the impacts of our community engagement practices, and share and celebrate successes.

The following practices allow for deep reflections that support the creation of new processes for collaborative governance that center racial equity.

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Building long term relationships: continue to show up and follow through.

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Evaluating success and gaps: How are we defining success? Does this definition reflect our community’s definition of success? What measures does our organization have in place to assess progress?

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Ensuring accountability: How will we report back to our community on what we heard, learned, and are working on? Do we have an accessible way for community members to share feedback?

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Leading by example for other organizations and sharing what has been done.

What we’ve done: •

Report out Equity Workgroup progress at division staff meetings.

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Shared the Equity Assessment Tool among other Pierce County Departments and Divisions.

Moving forward, Sustainable Resources will...

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Establish a process for accountability and reporting back to our community on equitable practices and progress.

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Share our equitable community engagement practices and framework with other cities and towns.

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Continue building relationships with communities most impacted by climate change by showing up, listening, and integrating community priorities into our division’s programs and practices.

This equity assessment is designed to complement Pierce County’s Equity Note process. Adopted in early 2023, the Equity Note is used when a proposed resolution or ordinance is sent to County Council for consideration. The Equity Note is filled out at the end of a project and includes information about the proposal, how it was developed, populations and/or geographies impacted, and how impacts and unintended consequences will be monitored.

This Equity Assessment Questionnaire is designed to help us remedy long-standing inequities and, inturn, fulfill County goals. These questions were influenced by a variety of similar tools used locally and across the country, including Government Alliance on Race and Equity (GARE)’s Racial Equity Toolkit, Chicago United for Equity’s Racial Equity Impact Assessment, and King County’s Equity Impact Review Process. These questions may be updated as assessments progress to best aid in equitable plan and program implementation.

Questions Step 1: Determine Outcomes and Interested Parties Q1: What is the action* and what problem is it trying to solve? (*Replace action with other words as applicable i.e., policy, program, practice, etc.)

Q2: Who are the key groups impacted by this problem?

Q3: How will these groups be involved in decision-making and ensuring equitable outcomes?

Step 2: Look at Numbers and Narratives (see data sources listed below) Q4: What data will we collect and look at? Why? Q5: Where do we see disparities in the data (qualitative and quantitative)?

Q6: What can we learn from histories and narratives to better understand this data?

Step 3: Measure Benefits and Burdens Q7: What are the benefits and who is most likely to receive them?

Q8: What are the burdens and who is most likely to bear them?

Conclusion The Sustainable Resources Division is currently functioning in the Preparing the Ground phase and is moving into the Project Planting and Growth phase. The special attention and amount of time spent

Q9: What are potential unintended equity-related outcomes?

Step 4: Examine Alternatives or Improvements Q10: Does this action align with community values and priorities? If not, how could it?

Q11: How could this action address root causes of inequities?

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Q12: What are different options to make this action racially equitable?

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Q13: How will we evaluate the impacts and report back on the outcomes of our solution? I.e., how will you track outcomes and success of the action? How will you communicate progress with those most impacted?

Step 6: Summary / Discuss Next Steps Q14: Which of the County goals does this action integrate and how?

Q15: List next steps. What are the deadlines and who needs to be assigned to which tasks?

Q16: Fill out the summary table below with findings after answering these questions.

Action: Equity gaps (disparities)

How we address equity

Desired equity outcomes

County goal(s) integrated

Data Sources for Step 2: Numbers and Narratives Pierce County • • • • • •

Open Pierce County Portal Open Pierce County (piercecountywa.gov) Pierce County Equity Index Home Page - CAI Live (caimaps.info) • User guide: Tacoma and Pierce County Equity Index (caimaps.info) Tacoma Pierce County Health Department (TPCHD) 2015 Health Equity Assessment Full Report Draft_JC2 (tpchd.org) TPCHD Pierce County Covid-19 2020 Health Equity Assessment tpchd.org) TPCHD Health Equity Maps Health Equity Maps | Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department (tpchd.org) Census reporter (US Census Bureau) Pierce County, WA - Profile data - Census Reporter

State of Washington • •

English on Vimeo Available in Spanish, Russian, and Vietnamese Front and Centered Community 2021 Report on Environmental Justice Front and Centered - EJ TF Community Report Environmental Justice (EJ) Task Force 2020 Recommendations for Prioritizing EJ in WA State WA State Environmental Justice Task Force Final Report

Federal

Step 5: Evaluate and Be Accountable

Key groups impacted (frontline

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Washington Quickfacts (US Census): U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: United States Washington Tracking Network Information by Location Tool: Information by Location | Washington Tracking Network (WTN) • How-to video: Information by Location Tool - Washington Tracking Network in

US Census Explore Census Data 2020 Census Gateway (US Census) Decennial Census of Population and Housing by Decades

Appendix 4: Gathering Community Voices In an effort to accommodate many voices, the Sustainable Resources Division of Pierce County applied a mixed-methods approach to gathering feedback for the update of the Sustainability 2030 Plan. This appendix outlines the methods used, events attended, conversations held, and a summary of feedback received. Building community relations requires an ongoing commitment to slowing down, listening, and showing up to local events important to community members.

Dot Board Feedback When attending outreach events, Pierce County staff displayed dot boards to understand community priorities. Community members could indicate which response to the dot board question best reflected their interests or write in another response. This information helps staff understand how the external actions are connected to the interests of community members.

While we heard from many community members throughout the Sustainability 2030 Plan update process, the responses shared in this appendix reflect the views of those we reached and are not necessarily a statistically representative sample of all Pierce County residents.

Attending Community Events From the fall of 2022 to spring of 2023, the Sustainability team attended 24 community events to share information about the Sustainability 2030 Plan, share resources from the Sustainable Resources Division, and gather input from community members. Two main methods were used for gathering feedback during community events, Dot Boards and the Community Vision Tree Poster.

Below is a list of all community events attended to gather feedback on the Sustainability 2030 Plan:

Dot Board at the Latinx Sumner Brain Health event.

For example, when asked, “What climate impacts are you most concerned about for our lands and waters?”, the most dots reflected concerns around 1) fires and drought and 2) floods and stormwater pollution. These top two concerns received 58 and 45 votes respectively out of a total of 190 votes. When asked, “What dedicated space would you like to see as an amenity/service in your community?”, the most dots reflected the need for more housing options (54), community gardens and access to healthy food (41), more trees (38), and free indoor public spaces (37). While some of the community interests indicated through the dot board activity can directly inform Plan actions and implementation, others provide useful context for understanding community priorities and concerns that affect the everyday lives of Pierce County residents.

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South Hill Community Park Tree Giveaway

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South Sound Sustainability Expo (2022)

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Puyallup Tribe of Indians Earth Day Event

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Lakewood Farmers Market

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Thriftapalooza (2023)

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Lakewood Family Resource Center grand opening

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Parkland Multifamily Community Cleanup

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Fir Fest

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Lakewood YMCA Youth Fair

Response

Number of votes

Percent of total

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Lakewood Youth Climate Change Roundtable

More sidewalks, bike lanes, and trails

33

39%

More bus routes and transit options

24

28%

More EV and charging stations

16

19%

Micro-mobility (scooters, bikes)

12

14%

TOTAL

85

Write-in comments

Better coordination, less wait time between major routes between sounder connected to busses

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Parkland National Night Out

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Canoe Landing Planting Event

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Latinx Sumner Brain Health Fair

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Thriftapalooza (2022)

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Community Resource Fair – Tacoma

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Green Blocks Parkland Tree Planting and Pickup

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Meridian Habitat Park Tree Giveaway

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Garden Fest

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South Sound Sustainability Expo (2023)

Park(ing) Day

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Community Resource Fair – Parkland

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Pierce County Trails Conference

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Pierce County Parks Trick or Tree

Juntos en el Parque (Together at the Park)

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Safe Streets Community Conference

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Pacific Islander Health Board of WA Healthcare Enrollment Event

The following tables illustrate the results of each dot board used to collect community input. Some of these dot boards were used at more than one event. Top responses have been highlighted. The total number of votes do not necessarily reflect event attendance since some community members chose not to participate in the activity and others decided to vote for more than one response.

Table 1. Transportation Dot Board: What is your top priority for transportation in your community?

better designed public transit that serves more people commuting from suburb to suburb Note: This dot board was used at Park(ing) Day in Tacoma, WA.

Table 2. Waste Reduction Dot Board: What is your priority for reducing waste at home?

Response

Number of votes

Percent of total

Composting at home or a community garden

12

12%

Reducing the amount of food I throw

23

23%

Reusing and purchasing secondhand

36

35%

Proper space and containers for garbage and recycling

7

Recycling right

23

TOTAL

101

Write-in comments

Waste management shows up to pick up the recycling

Note: This dot board was used at Park(ing) Day in Tacoma, WA, Lakewood Family Resource Center Grand Opening in Lakewood, WA, Safe Streets Community Conference in Tacoma, WA, YMCA Youth Fair in Lakewood, WA, Community Resource Fair in Tacoma, WA, Green Blocks Parkland Tree GiveAway event in Parkland, WA, and Juntos en el Parque (Together at the Park) in Bonney Lake, WA. Table 4. Nature-based Climate Solutions Dot Board: What natural climate solutions do you want to see more of?

Response

Number of votes

Percent of Total

7%

Conservation incentives for farmers

14

13.9%

23%

Sustainable kelp and shellfish farming 10

9.9%

Urban trees, rain gardens, and

36

35.6%

County investments in parks and forests

23

22.8%

Composting and food waste recycling for soil nutrients

18

17.8%

TOTAL

101

Write-in comments

holding corporations accountable for the pollution they generate

Reducing single use plastic, particularly for food items Note: this dot board was used at Thriftapalooza 2022 in Tacoma, WA. Table 3. Public Amenities Dot Board: I would like to see dedicated space to this amenity/service in my community for ______.

Response

Number of votes

Percent of total

Parks

44

16.1%

Trees and natural spaces

58

21.2%

Community gardens and access to healthy food

57

20.8%

Free, indoor public space

43

15.7%

More housing options

72

26.3%

TOTAL

274

Write-in comments

Turn the fountains back on

Affordable in East PC

Bicycle trails

Support for the unhoused

Easier recycling

Public transit in Bonney Lake

Graffiti wall

Farmland

Youth centers

Mobile libraries/little free libraries

Easier access to recycling at apartments

More info on recycling & more accessibility

Kids health, nutrition programs Parks that are not under high - intergenerational power lines

ban/strictly regulate 'forever chemicals' dams to stop floods Note: This dot board was used at the 2022 Canoe Landing Earth Day Celebration on Puyallup Tribe Lands, Pierce County Parks’ Trick or Tree event in Spanaway, WA, and FirFest 2022 in Fircrest, WA.

Left: Dot board from 2022 Puyallup Tribe Canoe Landing Earth Day Celebration.

Right: Dot board from 2022 Thriftapalooza event.

Table 5. Climate Impacts Dot Board: What climate impacts are you most concerned about for our lands and waters?

Table 6. Energy & Built Environment Dot Board: What do you think will help homes & businesses decrease energy use and save on energy bills?

Response

Number of votes

Percent of Total

Response

Number of votes

Percent of total

Wildfires and droughts

73

30.4%

9

10%

Floods and stormwater pollution

51

21.3%

Rebates for home energy upgrades

Noxious and invasive species

33

13.8%

36

40%

Low stream levels and warmer waters

43

17.9%

Assistance for low-income families

Ocean acidification

40

16.7%

Community solar projects

22

24.4%

23

25.6%

TOTAL

240

Low-rate loans for home energy upgrades

Write-in comments

litter/pollution in waterways

TOTAL

90

Native species migration (helping them move) specifically trees

Write-in comments

More housing resources for the unhoused

Clear communication about how much energy/water usage from landlords

energy windows for renters

Safe tiny home communities

Free solar projects for the home

Taking transit

Air quality - car pollution more access and safe electricity using thermal energy Note: This dot board was used at the Canoe Landing Earth Day Celebration on Puyallup Tribe lands, Pierce County Planning and Public Works employee event, Latinx Sumner Brain Health event in Sumner, WA, FirFest 2022 in Fircrest, WA, Lakewood Youth Council meeting in Lakewood, WA, Safe Streets Community Conference in Tacoma, WA, YMCA Youth Fair in Lakewood, WA, Pacific Islander Health Board of Washington Healthcare Enrollment event in Tacoma, WA, and South Sound Sustainability Expo in Tacoma, WA.

Note: This dot board was used at Thriftapalooza 2022 in Tacoma, WA and the Community Resource Fair in Tacoma, WA. Community Vision Tree Poster Feedback At all community events attended, the Sustainability team prompted community members with the unfinished sentence, “In 2030, my sustainable community…”. The responses were divided up into the following broad themes: waste reduction, land use, community activities and education, buildings, transportation, and health. Each of these themes were then broken down into more specific themes (see below). In total, the Sustainability team received 222 responses to the prompt from 25 events.

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Tabling at Lakewood Family Resource Center Grand Opening, September 2022.

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Waste reduction: less litter, accessible and more recycling options, less single use/plastics, organics reduction, and programs that promote a circular economy.

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Land use: more trees and plants, more community gardens, land stewardship opportunities for community members, more parks, and responsible development and less sprawl.

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Energy: transitioning to renewable energy, easier access to home products that lower energy bills, and incentives for energy savings.

Community activities and education: classes on waste reduction and reuse, classes on gardening, more farmers markets, youth education and engagement opportunities, more inclusive civic engagement opportunities.

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Buildings: more green infrastructure, affordable housing, and more social and communal spaces for community members.

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Transportation: better and more public transportation options, more and improved active transportation infrastructure (more bike lanes, sidewalks, and connectivity), and more accessible EV infrastructure.

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Health: cleaner air and waters, less pollution, healthy sustainable foods, safer communities, more trust and kindness, and more wildlife.

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Downtown On the Go

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Communities for a Healthy Bay

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Tacoma Pierce County Health Department

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Sustainable Tacoma Commission

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Northwest Seaport Alliance

What We Heard - The following lists summarize responses heard from local organizations.

Question 1: What is going well in the community you serve?

Conversations with Organizations and Partners During the fall and winter of 2022-2023, the Sustainability team conducted conversations with community-based organizations that serve priority communities as well as other agencies that play a role as partners in the Sustainability 2030 Plan. The purpose of these conversations was to build relationships with organization staff, understand the organization’s priorities and the priorities of the communities they serve, and learn about their barriers and opportunities for improvement. The following questions were used to help guide conversations:

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Firewise program

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People show up to connect with each other

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Resource centers and churches

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Farmers markets

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Vision Zero: Key organizations making public policy & events happen

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Openness to receive new information

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Education and outreach

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Community capacity and social support/ networks created out of shared needs

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Schools as community hubs

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Eagerness to learn and implement

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Learn skills for one’s own benefit & increase capacity

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Working with other organizations

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Plant clinics

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Willingness to make change

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Common goals in organizations support partnering to serve people

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Younger people making informed consumer decisions

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Funders more adaptable to address challenges

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Overcoming barriers to participating in program

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Tell me about your work? Who does your organization serve and how?

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Master Gardener speaker series

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What is going well in the community you serve?

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Planning for public engagement

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What concerns do members have living in their community?

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Salmon in Classroom program

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What climate impacts are this community experiencing (extreme heat, flooding, poor air quality, etc.) and how do they respond?

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Back to school events

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Public knowledge of programming

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Which sustainability focus areas are most important to the community you serve? What should we emphasize in our update?

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Helping others

What would make it easier for you and others in the community you serve to participate in sustainability planning? For example, email updates, e-newsletter, and community workshops.

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Interest in preparedness

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Distribution of resources

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Creative outlets for teens

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Who else should we be talking to?

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Teaching

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Any other thoughts, comments, or questions?

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Building relationships

Conversations were conducted with the following organizations:

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Openness to connect

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Storytelling as part of engagement

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Walk and Roll Pierce County Coalition

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Rebuilding Together South Sound

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Online channel for youth to connect

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Community organizing around food justice

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Franklin Pierce Youth First Coalition

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White River Partnership

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Understanding new career path options

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Libraries as community centers

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Red Barn Youth Center

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Pierce Conservation District

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Racial justice community café walking group

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Wildlife corridors

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Washington State University Pierce County Master Gardener Program

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City of Tacoma

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Community based solutions

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Bringing attention to Muckleshoot history and native plants

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Tacoma Public Utilities

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Political will to prioritize sustainability

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Puget Sound Energy

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WSU Pierce County Extension

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Building Beyond the Walls

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Pierce County Teen Library Services

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Puyallup Tribe of Indians

Question 2: What concerns do members have living in their community?

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People are overwhelmed

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Lack of new farmers

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Unsafe sidewalks

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Otherness, lack of cultural competency

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Affordable rentals, hotel vouchers, rental assistance

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Food scarcity

People concerned with how next generation will manage

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Financial burden to remove home oil tanks/heating + cost of new system

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Funding restricts to homeowners in single family

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Children not safe

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Pressure on schools to serve as community center in unincorporated PC

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Affording necessary change

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Limited infrastructure in unincorporated Pierce County

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Roads not safe to walk on

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Rain garden maintenance

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Lack of transportation connectivity

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Limited walkability

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Losing farmers

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Lack of community gathering space

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Plant hardiness zone concerns

Question 4: Climate change affects every area of our lives. The plan we’re updating, the Sustainability 2030 Plan, is striving to reduce these impacts by focusing on our homes and businesses, how we get to and from places, protecting trees and other natural areas, managing waste, and fostering community connection and wellbeing. Which of these are most important to the community you serve? Which should we emphasize in our update?

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Transportation

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More public transit options

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Public transit

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How to make properties climate resilient

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Need better public transit

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Need more trees

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Affordable housing

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Needs more parks

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Food security

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Electric vehicles

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People want to compost

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Thinking ahead for climate change impacts

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Planting trees

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Tree loss

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Plants to address increased rain

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Trees and natural spaces

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Green building

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Mental health

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Teen councils

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Sustainability as access

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Understanding why changes are needed

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Connecting youth to resources and each other

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Need to build wealth through home ownership

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Cash flow within organizations

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Improve walkability

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Limited education on heat pump maintenance

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Dual fuel use in home not accepted by utilities for rebates

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No public transportation

Question 3: What climate impacts is this community experiencing (extreme heat, flooding, poor air quality, etc.) and how do they respond?

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Heat

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Schools serving as cooling centers

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No tree cover

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Generosity of neighbors and helping

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Air quality issues related to forest fires

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Fire and Smoke

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Loss of power during storms

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Extreme heat

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Heat islands

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Air quality

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Stormwater and flooding

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Environmental exposures

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Getting people cooling units and filter fan kits

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More interest in air conditioning

Loss of internet – on-site internet academy for students

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Respiratory impacts of smoke

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Increased development pressure

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Increased traffic

Engaging Youth The Sustainability 2030 Plan highlighted the importance of youth voices in sustainable solutions in Education and Outreach Action 5. Furthermore, youth are one of the most climate change vulnerable populations since they will inherit climate impacts decades into the future and often do not get a voice in decision-making. To hear specifically from Pierce County youth, the Sustainability team engaged youth in the Sustainability 2030 Plan update in the following ways: •

Washington High School lessons – Sustainable Resources Division staff gave guest lessons to four classes at Washington High School in the winter of 2023. Students learned about the Sustainability 2030 Plan and gave their ideas for different solutions they’d like to see implemented in their community.

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Lakewood Youth Council - Sustainable Resources Division staff were invited by the Lakewood Youth Council organizers to host a roundtable for Clover Park School District high schoolers about climate change, its local impacts, and opportunities for action.

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South Hill Library Climate Change Display - Sustainable Resources Division staff were invited by Pierce County Library Teen Services to design a wall display about climate change in Pierce County to gather feedback from the community. This display has rotated to be featured at the Orting branch and will soon be featured at the Parkland-Spanaway branch.

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Youth Engaged in Sustainable Solutions Virtual Town Halls – through the establishment of a youth sustainability summit (EO Action 5), Sustainable Resources staff hosted two virtual town halls for high school students across Pierce County. Students were invited to have a conversation with fellow classmates and give their input on the Sustainability 2030 Plan.

Pierce County Library Teen Council – Sustainable Resources Division staff facilitated a conversation with members of the Pierce County Library Teen Council to talk about what they loved most about their community and what sustainable solutions they’d like to see more of.

What We Heard – Table 7 categorizes and outlines the feedback we heard from youth. The main themes we heard included: •

Needing a safe space to have positive conversations about climate change

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More and safer sidewalks and public transportation

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Community events and activities that bring community members together

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Less litter and more community cleanup opportunities

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Reduce food waste by donating uneaten food and composting food scraps

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More educational opportunities for people to learn about climate change

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More trees and plants near buildings as well as easier access to green spaces

Table 7. Youth Feedback

Transportation

Not use gas powered things/ cars and go more economic I found out that the way Tesla makes the car batteries is producing extreme amounts of carbon emissions and I think that a different and more efficient way of travel can be adapted.

More sidewalks to increase public transportation

More sidewalks and crosswalks in Parkland More electric vehicles available, more public transportation and safer/cleaner, people who need to get around by vehicle aren’t old enough so they may need more sidewalks and trees or bike lanes Security guards around train stations and on buses for safety

I think we need to start using hydrogen to power vehicles.

Safer public transportation so people are more willing to ride public transport Affordable electric vehicles

Carpool more

Electric public transportation Government funded electric school buses

Emphasis on public transportation, this is how we'll stop relying on cars so much Electric drones that would deliver packages instead of using transportation vehicles More bike paths in Tacoma

Waste reduction Donate unused goods to DV and homeless shelters

Volunteer to clean up spaces

Reusing the ugly food and make them cheaper

People need to pick up after their pets and themselves.

Expired food should be put in a bin so that farmers can get them and feed their animals Better school food to reduce food waste

Produce clothing that can be recycled/last 10x longer

Community Compost bins or Compost bins at home like the trash and recycling bins

Community based cleanup crews

Get together with others and spread the word. Research ways to help.

Have a pet session with people who like cats and talk about the climate issues in our country

Get to know your community.

More community sports and people who are interested in going out and playing for fun.

Create a community trash pickup day

Address racial inequities

Protect frontline communities

More farmers markets

Send out a newsletter with different events

I would like to go door to door around the county just getting people connected to local schools and get informed more easily Coming together as a community working together to keep litter and trash off the streets and take care of the trees

More volunteering opportunities in my community we can help each other and become stronger.

Have a group chat to organize events throughout our neighborhood to help around for like park cleanups.

Extremely safe community

Everyone in the neighborhood should be involved.

Rain gardens, trees, green roofs, bioswales on the sides of the highway

Rain gardens in parking lots

Green urban areas

More hang out spots

Build more efficient buildings that run off the sun

We should add pervious payment to the outer walls of buildings.

Moss walls!

Make communities more walkable: pedestrian friendly, put businesses, houses, and schools closer together, eliminate the need for cars (would make it easier for people with mobile disabilities to be independent, reduces CO2 emissions) I want to see buildings with vertical gardens!

Have more places that don’t have a lot of packages of plastic because you can’t recycle plastic Cleanup crews to clean up the rivers and beaches.

Public compost

Community cohesion

Neighborhood planning and buildings

Civic engagement and education

Educate the people in power

Talk about climate change with others

Have positive conversations with those around me about climate change People need a better understanding of climate change and how severe it really is.

All Pierce County schools should have a global challenges class if they don’t and teach this More classes talking about climate change (colleges) Environmental and earth science classes

Speak to local lawmakers about increasing regulations to incentivize technology that will lower carbon emissions Bring students together to discuss and do activities to explain what climate change is Spread awareness, enlighten to allow people to make informed decisions.

Bills/legislature passes to clean up the earth.

Educate through advisory classes, community collaborations and group conversations Inspire a group through an artistic / inspirational project using items typically associated with pollution, waste and climate change.

More people need to be educated on climate change Bring attention to the problem.

Enlighten. Give information.

Library books talking about ways to make the world a better place

More investments in schools, teachers, and resources.

More classes based on global issues Have a climate change and sustainability seminar at the high schools: the seminar would be the whole school, you would share, and explain to them the reasons for needing to help the environment, and get them engaged More community education: climate change and how much emissions are coming from cars

Teaching students more about trash and environmental justice We should have more education about our ocean

More opportunities to be outdoors to be physical and help improve.

Clean and protect our rivers

Coordinate outdoor restoration events

Replace cut down trees to avoid erosion and generate oxygen

Spend time in our environment.

Connect with nature and understand the need.

More kelp gardens

Remove barriers to create access and coordinate activities that support getting students outside and experiencing joy in a more nature centered environment.

Plant more native trees in Parkland and Tacoma, include my community within to help out and support In the schools they should make resolutions year after year with the help of the students, helping to plan trees, cleaning the green areas, watering the plants, etc.

How to ride public transit

Holding the biggest polluters accountable

Connecting with nature

Additional workshops, classes, and presentations In addition to attending in-person community events, Sustainable Resources Division staff also hosted several virtual workshops and classes that covered content on the Sustainability 2030 Plan and included activities for community members to share their ideas on sustainability actions.

Sustainability team staff were also invited to present at meetings hosted by other organizations to give their members an opportunity to learn about the Sustainability 2030 Plan and provide feedback.

Sustainable Resources hosted classes o

Food and Climate Connection – virtual class

o

Intro to Sustainability 2030 Webinar

o

Climate Change in Pierce County – virtual class

o

Sustainability 101 Webinar

Invited presentations o

Climate Pierce County – Sustainability 2030 Presentation

o

Franklin Pierce Youth First Coalition – Sustainability 2030 Presentation

o

Master Gardener Lecture Day – Sustainability 2030 Presentation

o

Sustainable Tacoma Commission

Open House - Online Survey While many of the strategies used to gather community feedback prioritized community members and organizations representing underserved communities in Pierce County, the online survey was an opportunity to reach a broad audience. The online survey was shared via e-newsletter, printed Earth Matters newsletter mailed to all Pierce County residents, social media posts, spring 2023 outreach events, and the Sustainability 2030 Plan webpage. The online survey walked participants through background information on the Sustainability 2030 Plan, sources of countywide greenhouse gas emissions, the County’s greenhouse gas emission reduction target, and climate change impacts in Pierce County before asking a series of rank choice and open-ended questions for each focus area of the Plan. 125 total survey responses were received as of late May 2023. Top responses for each section of the survey are detailed below.

Top 3 climate crisis concerns 1. Heat, smoke, wildfire 2. Melting glaciers and snowpack 3. Increased ocean acidity Energy & Built Environment top ranked actions 1. Plant and protect trees that keep our neighborhoods cool with summer shade

2. Design neighborhoods to enable safe and convenient access to goods and services needed in daily life 3. Invest in and make it easy to install renewable energy projects Transportation top ranked actions 1. Invest in sidewalks and bike lanes

•

Pierce County Human Services Community Needs Assessment

•

City of Tacoma Environmental Justice Leaders Workgroup

•

Puget Sound Sage Powering the Transition

•

Front and Centered Community Report on Environmental Justice

•

Disability Mobility Initiative: Transportation Access for Everyone: WA State

2. Improve public transportation services 3. Expand and connect regional trail network Waste Reduction top ranked actions

1. Capture more methane at the landfill and wastewater treatment plant 2. Reduce construction and demolition waste 3. Provide support to restaurants and businesses to compost food waste Natural Climate Solutions top ranked actions 1. Invest in green infrastructure like raingardens and urban trees that reduce stormwater pollution and flooding and work to decrease heat in areas with limited tree canopy 2. Conserve rural lands, including working farms and forests 3. Restore critical habitats like kelp beds and salmon bearing streams

Next Steps Community feedback has been incorporated into the addition of new actions and rewriting of existing actions in the Sustainability 2030 Plan to keep the Plan moving in a direction that supports community needs and interests. In the Sustainability 2030 Plan Update, actions that align with top community voiced feedback are indicated with an icon in the action tables. It is important to note that some issues raised by community members, such as concerns about food security and interest in sustainable food production, have not be reflected in the 2023 action updates. We will continue to work on incorporating these priorities into the Sustainability 2030 workplan in future updates. The Sustainability team will continue to gather community input and have in depth conversations with partners and community-based organizations to strengthen and build relationships so that community priorities can also inform implementation of Sustainability 2030 Plan actions as we move forward.

Continuously offering opportunities for community engagement will help keep the Sustainability 2030 Plan relevant to our communities and improve the next update process in 2025.

Education & Outreach top ranked actions 1. Support training programs to prepare our workforce for jobs in renewable energy, electric vehicles, and efficient homes and buildings 2. Provide educational events and resources 3. Provide more opportunities for community members to participate in County planning processes

External Sources of Community Priorities and Feedback In addition to directly collecting feedback through a variety of methods, the division also reviewed and incorporated community feedback collected by other agencies. These sources of community input also centered priority communities, and by using multiple sources, we are better able to understand community needs. The sources below also helped us design outreach and engagement methods and were used to cross check what we’ve been hearing from our community. Moving forward, we will continue to review external community plans and incorporate priorities into Plan updates and implementation. External data sources are listed below.

•

Safe Streets Climate Change Workshops

•

Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department Communities of Focus Summary of Priorities

Clover Park School District high schoolers engaged in a climate solutions activity, photo courtesy of City of Lakewood.

Appendix 5: Public Comment and County Responses Comment #

Comment Received

Pierce County Response

1

Just leave people alone. Leave the planet alone. Leave everything alone.

No response

2

I would like to see mandates for street trees as a part of the urban forest plan.

On page 15, Nature-based Climate Solution Action 2, Urban Forestry, calls for an urban forestry management plan for unincorporated Pierce County. While this action does not explicitly include mandates for

3

Scrap all green new deal programs!!!

No response

4

Stop clearing land and trees if you want to help climate and the air! Duh!

On page 15 of the Sustainability 2030 Plan Update in the Nature-based Climate Solutions section there

5

In the "Waste Reduction" section, I was wondering if you would consider adding a goal around wood waste reuse from removal of The actions currently included in the Waste Reduction section of the Plan are tied directly to short-term trees from development, road expansion, hazardous removals, storm response, etc? With tree removal being a primary driver of high priority actions in Tacoma-Pierce County Solid and Hazardous Waste Management Plan. However, Pierce County emissions it seems like a beneficial strategy to try to divert some of that wood from landfills, burn piles, and the chip- Sustainable Resources will consider opportunities to reduce wood waste and support our local economy per, and instead lock that carbon into a durable good such as lumber or furniture or home goods. There are local mills throughout through Nature-based Climate Solution action 2, Urban Forestry.

Pierce County. We could support our local economy while taking more responsible stewardship of the land.

6

There is no such thing as Zero emission cars. The production of Electric cars batteries is a Environmental Nightmare.

The production of electric cars and batteries and other alternative fuel vehicles does have environmental costs that will need to be addressed at the international and national level. The Transportation section of the Sustainability 2030 Plan has a strong focus on reducing vehicle miles traveled through active transportation and public transit options that reduce reliance on single-occupancy vehicles. However, Pierce County does need to prepare for an influx in personal and commercial electric vehicles driven by State and Federal policies.

7

Address impacts of aquaculture - tighten up restrictions of aquaculture in environmentally sensitive areas. Advocate to increase buffers around eelgrass and other marine vegetation important to salmon and other creatures.

Please see the Pierce County Shoreline Master Plan for more information on actions Pierce County is taking to protect critical marine habitats. Sustainable Resources and Surface Water Management will continue to work closely with partners to address these concerns while implementing Nature-based Climate Solution Action 4, Blue Carbon, on page 15. https://www.piercecountywa.gov/956/Shoreline-Plan

8

Tree Canopy and Wildlife Corridors: Unincorporated Pierce County has lost track of many areas once dedicated for "open space" (for example, the many short plats made from 70s to 90s which have privately-owned greenbelts on dedicated parcels, and many shoreline parcels also have dedicated greenbelts for wildlife corridors) and is not protecting them from encroaching development by the landowner. These spaces need to be mapped to maintain wildlife corridors. Code Enforcement should take part in monitoring the removal of significant trees on private property and consequent damage to both wildlife passage and to storm water flows. When large trees are removed, the neighbors often pay the price for dealing with flooding and septic drain field failure.

When residential developments are approved with the caveat of retaining a minimum number of trees, and then parcels become privately owned residences, the owners can remove the trees at will?--that is what Code Enforcement has told me!

On page 15 of the Sustainability 2030 Plan Update in the Nature-based Climate Solutions section, there are several actions to help conserve rural and resource lands and protect existing trees. The County Land Conservation Plan (NCS Action 2) will look specifically at habitat connectivity and wildlife corridors as part of a countywide assessment of land for carbon sequestration potential and ecosystem services.

9

There is no such thing as Climate Change. It’s a massive government money grab! It has been fabricated for so many years that people actually believe it to be real. Anyone that does believe that this is real are uneducated morons!

No response

10

Amazing work! It is clear how much thought and genuine care went into this update. I especially appreciate the effort to highlight youth voices, and really dig deep into what community engagement could and should look like. Equitable engagement takes serious time and effort but is so crucial to ensuring that future decisions benefit those with greatest need. This update doesn’t just list what feedback was received - it clearly shows how that feedback affected the new set of actions.

Everyone who worked on this update should be very proud. Seeing this work gives me hope. Thank you!

No response

11

We whole-heartedly support the current PC Sustainability Plan 2030 Update. We are in concord with the Community Actions Snapshot page where it says, “Protect and conserve lands for carbon sequestration and ecosystem services.” We have the privilege of living in the first, and only so far, Biodiversity Management Area (BMA) in Pierce County. In the 48 years we have lived in Crescent Valley on the Gig Harbor Peninsula we have enjoyed seeing a wealth of wildlife on our property, but we have also observed that some native residents, plants and animals on ours and surrounding properties, have disappeared. Over the years, we have watched our rural neighbors, usually in their ignorance, clear their properties of large trees and native bushes in order to “landscape” with lawns or pave large areas. In the process they have altered the natural stormwater runoff systems, damaged homes of both humans and native species, and lowered the land’s ability to sequester polluting emissions. We believe the segment in this 2030 Plan on Education and Outreach is key to Pierce County’s ability to counter the rise in CO2 and other greenhouse gases in our atmosphere, and to sustain a livable place for both human residents and indigenous life here.

Thank you for your comments of support. As you have identified, Action EO-2 and others in the Education & Outreach focus area with support community understanding of sustainable habitat stewardship as well as actions NCS-1 and NCS-2 to preserve and protect tree canopy and other essential lands for ecosystem services.

12

See full comment received by Future Wise below.

Thank you for your support of the Sustainability 2030 Plan 2023 Update.

Regarding comments on additional emission reduction goals, the current scope of the Sustainability 2030 Plan as passed by County Council in 2021 in ordinance 2021-8s2 sets a goal for greenhouse gas emissions through 2030 but does not identify a net zero emission goal or emission reduction targets beyond 2030. Setting additional targets and goals requires Council action.

Regarding comments on urban density, Action EBE-3 calls for transit-oriented growth which will increase density in urban areas served by high-capacity transit. EBE-9 calls for further review of land use planning to reduce GHG emissions which may encompass strategies for increased density in urban centers.

Regarding comments on conserving agricultural lands, action NCS-1, Land Conservation Plan, will identify strategies for conserving multiple land types including working agricultural lands. NCS-6, Rural Incentives, will also support conservation of rural agricultural and other resource lands.

Regarding comments on climate resiliency planning, including wildfire and sea level risk reduction, the Sustainability 2030 Plan as adopted in ordinance 2021-8s2 is primarily a GHG emission reduction plan (often referred to as climate mitigation) and not a climate adaptation or resiliency plan. We received many community member comments during community outreach for the 2023 Update that also expressed concern about climate impacts (included in Appendix 4).

Action GCC-3, Climate impacts planning, was added to a new focus area of the Plan to incorporate climate adaptation into the Department of Emergency Managements Hazard Mitigation Plan as a first step in developing community capacity to respond to climate disasters. Expanding the scope of the Sustainability 2030 Plan to include more actions on climate impact preparedness will require Council action.

816 Second Ave, Suite 200, Seattle, WA 98104 p. (206) 343-0681 futurewise.org

June 27, 2023 Pierce County 930 Tacoma Avenue S Tacoma, Washington 98402 Dear Planning Staff: Subject: Comments on the Sustainability Plan 2030 Update.

Send via email to: ppwsustainability@piercecountywa.gov; CompPlanUpdate@PierceCountyWa.gov Thank you for the opportunity to comment on the Sustainability Plan 2030 Update.

Futurewise supports the Sustainability Plan 2030 Update and the impressive progress the County has made to implement the actions called for in the plan.

Overall, we support the update. We do have some suggestions to address community needs set out below.

Futurewise works throughout Washington State to support land-use policies that encourage healthy, equitable and opportunity-rich communities, and that protect our most valuable farmlands, forests, and water resources. Futurewise has members and supporters throughout Washington State including Pierce County.

Futurewise supports the Sustainability 2030 Plan’s alignment with the State of Washington’s climate commitments and seeking to reduce climate changecausing greenhouse gas emissions 45 percent by 2030 based on a 2015 baseline, but we need to achieve net zero emissions.

Futurewise supports the Sustainability 2030 Plan’s alignment with the State of Washington’s climate commitments and seeking to reduce climate change-causing greenhouse gas emissions 45 percent by 2030 based on a 2015 baseline, but it is clear that to limit warming to 1.5C, an important objective to maintain livability, we must reach net zero CO2 emissions in the early 2050s and net zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the 2070s. 1 The most recent IPCC report documents the need to rapidly reduce our greenhouse gas emissions to these levels maintain the

1 IPCC, Synthesis Report of the IPCC Sixth Assessment Report (AR6): Summary for Policymakers p.

21 (2023) last accessed on May 1, 2023, at: https://www.ipcc.ch/report/ar6/syr/ and at the Dropbox link on page 7 of this letter with the filename: “IPCC_AR6_SYR_SPM.pdf.”

Comments on the Sustainability Plan 2030 Update June 27, 2023 Page 2 livability of our world. 2 So we recommend the following addition to the Key Goal on page 11 with our addition double underlined below.

Key Goal: Reduce communitywide GHG emissions 45% by 2030 based on 2015 baseline. Achieve net zero GHG emissions in the early 2050s and net zero GHG emissions in the 2070s.

For the same reasons, while Futurewise supports the Key Goal: Reduce County municipal operation GHG emissions 45 percent by 2030 based on 2015 baseline, but we need to achieve net zero emissions.

For the same reasons, while we support the municipal operations Key Goal, the most recent IPCC report documents the need to reach net zero CO2 emissions in the early 2050s and net zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the 2070s. 3 So we recommend the following addition to the municipal operations Key Goal on page 18 with our addition double underlined below.

Key Goal: Reduce County municipal operation GHG emissions 45% by 2030 based on 2015 baseline. Achieve net zero GHG emissions in the early 2050s and net zero GHG emissions in the 2070s.

Futurewise supports the actions included in the Sustainability Plan 2030 Update.

Overall, we support the actions included in the Sustainability Plan 2030 Update.

We agree they provide the potential to mitigate greenhouse gas pollution and to adapt to the climate and other changes we are already seeing will continue to see as climate change unfolds. 4

2 Id. pp. 12 – 20.

3 Id. p. 21.

4 Matt Bucchin, AICP and Aaron Tuley, AICP, Planning for Climate Mitigation and Adaptation pp. 138

– 52 (American Planning Association PAS Report 601: July 2022). A copy of PAS Report 601 can be found at the Dropbox link on page 7 of this letter with the filename “PAS-Report-601-r2 Planning for Climate Mitigation & Adaption.pdf.”

Comments on the Sustainability Plan 2030 Update June 27, 2023 Page 3

Include focusing growth in existing cities and towns and the existing urban growth area and increasing urban densities where consistent with VISION 2050 as an Action Focus Area for Energy and Built Environment and Transportation. See page 10 of the update Urban growth area expansions will lead to more planet warming pollution and increase costs for taxpayers and ratepayers. 5 In an article published in a peerreviewed scientific journal, Goldstein et al. analyzed greenhouse emissions from housing and concluded that: If the electrical grid is decarbonized, then the residential housing sector can meet the 28% emission reduction target for 2025 under the Paris Agreement. However, grid decarbonization will be insufficient to meet the 80% emissions reduction target for 2050 due to a growing housing stock and continued use of fossil fuels (natural gas, propane, and fuel oil) in homes. Meeting this target will also require deep energy retrofits and transitioning to distributed lowcarbon energy sources, as well as reducing per capita floor space and zoning denser settlement patterns. 6 The denser settlement patterns were fairly modest and could be met by building a mix of small apartment buildings and modest single-family homes at eight to ten housing units per acre inside the urban growth area. 7 The 80 percent emissions reduction target for 2050 is greater than Washington’s 2040 greenhouse gas reduction requirement, but less than Washington’s 2050 greenhouse gas reduction requirement. 8 Goldstein et al. shows that a growing community can meet these 5 Matt Bucchin, AICP and Aaron Tuley, AICP, Planning for Climate Mitigation and Adaptation p. 7, p.

55, p. 140 (American Planning Association PAS Report 601: July 2022); John Carruthers and Gudmaundur Ulfarsson, Urban Sprawl and the Cost of Public Services 30 Environment and Planning B: Planning and Design 503, 518 (2003) enclosed in the Dropbox link on page 7 of this letter with the filename: “Urban sprawl and the cost of public services.pdf.” Environment and Planning B: Planning and Design is a peer reviewed journal. Environment and Planning B: Planning and Design webpage p. 3 of 10 enclosed in the Dropbox link on page 7 of this letter with the filename: “environment-and-planning-b-peer review policy Feb 11 2016.pdf.”

6 Goldstein et al., The carbon footprint of household energy use in the United States, 117 PNAS 19122, 19122 (July 20, 2020) last accessed on Jan. 30, 2023, at: https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.1922205117 and at the Dropbox link on page 7 of this letter with the filename: “pnas.1922205117.pdf.” PNAS is the peer reviewed journal of the National Academy of Sciences (NAS). PNAS Author Center webpage p. *1 at the Dropbox link on page 7 of this letter with the filename: “Instructions for Authors – PNAS.pdf.”

7 Goldstein et al., The carbon footprint of household energy use in the United States, 117 PNAS 19122, 19128 (July 20, 2020).

8 RCW 70A.45.020(1)(a).

Comments on the Sustainability Plan 2030 Update June 27, 2023 Page 4 limits with wise land use policies and regulations. So, we recommend that the County include focusing growth in existing cities and towns and the existing urban growth area and increasing urban densities where consistent with VISION 2050 as an Action Focus Area for Energy and Built Environment and Transportation areas.

Include conserving agricultural land as a Nature-Based Climate Solution. See page 10 of the update We agree with the Sustainability Plan 2030 Update that conserving mature forests, maintaining rotational forestland, and increasing tree canopy cover in urban areas have some of the greatest opportunities for Nature-Based Climate Solutions. 9 Conserving forests has a high potential for sequestering carbon dioxide emissions. 10 So does conserving agricultural land. “At both the regional and global levels, a growing body of scientific literature is identifying the potential that regenerative agricultural practices can play in sequestering carbon, helping to mitigate climate change while making croplands more productive and resilient as the planet warms.” 11 While we recognize that the objective of “[p]rotect[ing] and conserve[ing] lands for carbon sequestration and ecosystem services” 12 would include conserving agricultural land, it would be clearer to specifically call for conserving agricultural land to sequester carbon.

Include actions to address wildfire risk.

We appreciate that wildfire risk is identified as serious problem and that participants expressed concerns about the impacts of wildfires. 13 However, we did not see any actions to address wildfire risk. We recommend that growth be directed away from the Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI) and other areas of significant wildfire risk. 14

9 Sustainability Plan 2030 Update p. 10.

10 Matt Bucchin, AICP and Aaron Tuley, AICP, Planning for Climate Mitigation and Adaptation p. 35, p. 67 (American Planning Association PAS Report 601: July 2022).

11 Id. p. 48.

12 Sustainability Plan 2030 Update p. 10.

13 Sustainability Plan 2030 Update pp. 6 – 7.

14 Ashley Blazina and Kirk Davis, The Wildland-Urban Interface: Mapping Washington State's fastest-growing environment (Sept. 2, 2020) last accessed on June 26, 2023, at: https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/7016c437623a445997c072a05e26afbb; Matt Bucchin, AICP and Aaron Tuley, AICP, Planning for Climate Mitigation and Adaptation pp. 66 – 67 (American Planning Association PAS Report 601: July 2022).

Comments on the Sustainability Plan 2030 Update June 27, 2023 Page 5

Futurewise also recommends that sea level rise be addressed by including actions to address sea level rise.

We appreciate and support that sea level rise is identified as serious problem. 15 We also recommend that sea level rise be addressed by including actions to address sea level rise. A recent analysis of sea-level measurements for tide-gage stations, including the Seattle, Washington tide-gauge shows that sea level rise is accelerating. 16 As of 2022, Seattle’s sea level rise was 2.00 millimeters a year and it was accelerating at a rate of 0.04 millimeters per year2. 17 Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS) “emeritus professor John Boon, says ‘The year-to-year trends are becoming very informative. The 2020 report cards continue a clear trend toward acceleration in rates of sea-level rise at 27 of our 28 tide-gauge stations along the continental U.S. coastline.’” 18 “‘Acceleration can be a game changer in terms of impacts and planning, so we really need to pay heed to these patterns,’ says Boon.” 19 Projected sea level rise will substantially increase flooding. As the State Department of Ecology writes, “[s]ea level rise and storm surge[s] will increase the frequency and severity of flooding, erosion, and seawater intrusion—thus increasing risks to vulnerable communities, infrastructure, and coastal ecosystems.” 20 Unless wetlands and shoreline vegetation can migrate landward, their area and ecological functions will decline. 21 If development regulations are not updated to 15 Sustainability Plan 2030 Update p. 7, p. *36.

16 William and Mary Virginia Institute of Marine Science, U.S. West Coast Sea-Level Trends &

Processes Trend Values for 2022 last accessed on June 26, 2023, at: https://www.vims.edu/research/products/slrc/compare/west_coast/index.php and at the Dropbox link on page 7 of this letter with the filename: “U.S. West Coast Virginia Institute of Marine Science Trend Values 2022.pdf.”

17 Id. 18 David Malmquist, U.S. sea-level report cards: 2020 again trends toward acceleration Virginia Institute of Marine Science website (Jan. 24, 2021) last accessed on June 26, 2023, at: https://www.vims.edu/newsandevents/topstories/2021/slrc_2020.php.

19 Id. 20 State of Washington Department of Ecology, Preparing for a Changing Climate Washington State’s Integrated Climate Response Strategy p. 90 (Publication No. 12-01-004: April 2012) last accessed on June 26, 2023, at: https://fortress.wa.gov/ecy/publications/publications/1201004.pdf and at the Dropbox link on page 7 of this letter with the filename: “1201004.pdf.”

21 Christopher Craft, Jonathan Clough, Jeff Ehman, Samantha Joye, Richard Park, Steve Pennings, Hongyu Guo, and Megan Machmuller, Forecasting the effects of accelerated sea-level rise on tidal marsh ecosystem services FRONT ECOL ENVIRON 2009; 7, doi:10.1890/070219 p. *6 last accessed on Feb. 24, 2023, at:

Comments on the Sustainability Plan 2030 Update June 27, 2023 Page 6 address the need for vegetation to migrate landward in feasible locations, wetlands and shoreline vegetation will decline. This loss of shoreline vegetation will harm the environment. It will also deprive marine shorelines of the vegetation that protects property from erosion and storm damage by modifying soils and accreting sediment. 22 This will increase damage to upland properties.

We recommend that new lots and new buildings be located outside the area of likely sea level rise and the areas where aquatic vegetation will need to migrate as sea level rises. These requirements will provide better protection for buildings and people and will also allow wetlands and marine vegetation to migrate as the sea level rises.

In addition, we suggest that the County take a more comprehensive approach to adapting to sea level rise and its adverse impacts modeled on the process California’s coastal counties and cities use. The process includes six steps. 23 1. Determine the range of sea level rise projections relevant to Pierce County’s marine shorelines. The California Coastal Commission recommends analyzing intermediate and long-term projections because “development constructed today is likely to remain in place over the next 75-100 years, or longer.” 24 2. Identify potential physical sea level rise impacts in Pierce County’s unincorporated marine shorelines.

3. Assess potential risks from sea level rise to coastal resources and development.

https://www.ramsar.org/sites/default/files/forum/wi/Craft%20et%20al%202008.pdf and in the Dropbox link on page 7 of this letter with the filename: “Craft et al 2008.pdf.”

22 R. A. Feagin, S. M. Lozada-Bernard, T. M. Ravens, I. Möller, K. M. Yeagei, A. H. Baird and David H. Thomas, Does Vegetation Prevent Wave Erosion of Salt Marsh Edges? 106 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA pp. 10110-10111 (Jun. 23, 2009) last accessed on June 26, 2023, at: http://www.pnas.org/content/106/25/10109.full and at the Dropbox link on page 7 of this letter with the filename: “pnas.0901297106.” The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America is peer reviewed. PNAS Author Center webpage last accessed on March 1, 2023, at: https://www.pnas.org/author-center and in the Dropbox link on page 7 of this letter with the filename: “Instructions for Authors – PNAS.pdf.”

23 California Coastal Commission Sea Level Rise Policy Guidance: Interpretive Guidelines for Addressing Sea Level Rise in Local Coastal Programs and Coastal Development Permits pp. 69 – 95 (Nov. 7, 2018) last accessed on June 26, 2023, at: https://www.coastal.ca.gov/climate/slrguidance.html. and at the Dropbox link on page 7 of this letter with the filename: “0_Full_2018AdoptedSLRGuidanceUpdate.pdf.”

24 Id. at p. 74.

Comments on the Sustainability Plan 2030 Update June 27, 2023 Page 7 4. Identify adaptation strategies to minimize risks. The California Coastal Commission Sea Level Rise Policy Guidance includes recommended adaptation strategies to consider. 25 5. Adopt an updated comprehensive plan and development regulations incorporating the selected adaptation strategies.

6. Implement the updated comprehensive plan and development regulations and monitor and revise as needed. Because the scientific data on sea level rise is evolving, the California Coastal Commission recommends modifying “the current and future hazard areas on a five to ten year basis or as necessary to allow for the incorporation of new sea level rise science, monitoring results, and information on coastal conditions.” 26 Thank you for considering our comments. If you require additional information, please contact me at telephone 206-343-0681 Ext. 102 or email: tim@futurewise.org.

Very Truly Yours,

Tim Trohimovich, AICP Director of Planning and Law Enclosures via Dropbox at this link: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/griwxruh69cufhv/AADzHSm0YqYcWWmErpnyRtOx a?dl=0

25 Id. at pp. 121 – 162.

26 Id. at p. 94.