January 25, 2019 Dena Jensen

A couple of weeks ago, one of the members of the City of Bellingham’s Climate Action Plan Task Force let me know that there was a place online where people could make comments/give input to the Task Force regarding related issues and the work that they are doing.

Here are some of the directives that the Task Force is working on:

• “Adopt a triple bottom line, plus technology philosophy
• Determine feasibility, costs and impacts of the 100% renewable energy ambitions
• Develop 100% renewable energy targets
• Identify funding mechanisms and develop a plan to achieve the Task Force’s recommended 100% renewable targets
• Develop accelerated greenhouse gas emissions targets for the Council to consider for adoption
• Identify policy considerations to attain accelerated targets”

Meanwhile, when I went to the page for that Task Force earlier in the month, the write-up about making comments was specific only to a particular thing on which the Task Force had been working months ago. Plus, the comment form did not work when I used it to attempt to find out if it was the form to use to make other types of comments to the Task Force. I then sent an email to Renee LaCroix, whose name is given as the contact for that Task Force.

Since then, COB’s Mark Gardner, who is on the staff for the Bellingham City Council, has repaired the problem with the comment form and someone has done a new write-up about public comments on the Climate Action Plan Task Force webpage, and here’s what it says:

“Send us your ideas

The Task Force will develop recommendations to the City Council to achieve 100% renewable energy targets. Individuals with interest or expertise in this topic are encouraged to provide ideas and suggestions here. Public input will be compiled regularly and sent to all Task Force members.”

Mark let me know that people can also email comments to the Task Force. So far, he’s missed sending me an address, but I suspect it would be the email address given as contact info on the Task Force page for Renee LaCroix: rlacroix@cob.org​​. There’s a street address and phone number given on the page, as well.

Additionally, it’s my understanding that people who attend the monthly meetings can give oral comments at those meetings. I was told that industry/utility representatives have been showing up regularly, the last few months!

So go check out the page at this link and be sure to reach out to other folks and let them know about joining in with their bright ideas on how to quickly accomplish goals of achieving 100% renewable energy for the City of Bellingham!
https://www.cob.org/gov/public/bc/climate