Clallam considers workers' commutes
By Jim Casey, Peninsula Daily News
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A committee also will look closer at how much more material the county can recycle, according to a report county commissioners received at their weekly work session Monday.
The Climate Action Group wants to reduce the greenhouse gases the county emits, not only from the county's own vehicles, but from employees' cars and trucks.
The committee will confer with officials at Clallam Transit System to explore options, said Sam Fox, an associate planner who is the group's coordinator.
A similar effort is under way at Olympic Medical Center, which has opened a bus pass outlet for hospital workers.
Greenhouse gas inventory
As for Clallam County government, Commissioner Mike Doherty, D-Port Angeles, said he foresaw a time when it may expand the process to include other jurisdictions, businesses and even residents.
The first step will be a baseline inventory of the county's greenhouse gas emissions using software the county bought last year from the International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives.
With hoped-for participation by all county departments, the Climate Action Group wants next to draft a plan setting targets for county operations.
Fox said the deadline for the plan is Dec. 1.
Other possible strategies include:
The county in April bought the building at 111 E. Third St., where it will relocate its public health clinic and, eventually, most offices of the Health and Human Services Department.
The county's Dec. 1 deadline matches one set for Washington state agencies and "should be feasible, I think," Fox said.
Reduce demand for fuel
"None of the things we are considering is easy to accomplish, but reducing demand [for petroleum products] is the first step."
Doherty said the county, by taking the lead, could win one of the three counties the state Department of Community, Trade and Economic Development will choose to receive grants. CTED also will select three cities.
In a related action, commissioners today will call for bids to replace the boiler of the 1914 part of the courthouse that is heated by steam.
The present oil-burning system will give way to one heated by electricity, said Craig Jacobs, county public works director.
Removing the old boiler and its outdoor fuel tank and installing the new unit will cost about $250,000, Jacobs said.
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Reporter Jim Casey can be reached at 360-417-3538 or at jim.casey@peninsuladailynews.com.
Last modified: June 09. 2008 9:00PM