City of Tacoma Sustainability Accomplishments for 2011  (posted March 2012)

Tacoma receives national Award of Excellence for Sustainable Community Development 
 
Sustainable Tacoma Commission:  The Sustainable Tacoma Commission on Climate Change was created by the Tacoma City Council to oversee the implementation of Tacoma's Climate Action Plan. This plan, developed by the Green Ribbon Climate Action Task Force, contains a series of strategies to guide the City and community in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and curbing global warming.

The commission works with the City's Office of Sustainability, which is responsible for implementing the strategies in the Climate Action Plan and measuring Tacoma's progress as it reduces greenhouse gas emissions. The commission is intended to bring citizen accountability, transparency and vigilance to the long-term implementation of the Climate Action Plan. (See a list of duties below.)     

Commission membership: The 11-member commission is intended to have a balanced representation of various stakeholders, including the environmental community, small business, labor, housing, industry and port, transportation, education, the building industry and residents.

Meeting schedule: 2nd Tuesday of each month,  Tacoma Municipal Building North, 733 Market Street, Room 16,  3:30 p.m. to  5:30 pm. Meetings are open to the public. Agendas & Meeting Notes/Minutes are posted on a separate web page.

Terms: Commission members serve staggered three-year terms.

Commission members:
(Terms expire in April of the years indicated.)

Duties of the Sustainable Tacoma Commission on Climate Change include:

• Oversee implementation of climate action plan strategies.
• Coordinate with the Office of Sustainability to obtain greenhouse gas emissions reduction reports.
• Obtain updates from the Office of Sustainability on climate action plan strategy implementation efforts and periodic result reports.
• Provide annual progress reports to the public.
• Communicate barriers to and incentives for implementation to the City Council.
• Create a forum for regular public comment and community involvement.
• Research and make recommendations on sustainability policies and programs.

Resolution: The Sustainable Tacoma Commission on Climate Change and the Office of Sustainability were created by Resolution 37631, adopted by the Tacoma City Council on October 31, 2008. The first commission members were appointed April 7, 2009.

Tacoma's Climate Action Plan: The Climate Action Plan was developed by the Green Ribbon Climate Action Task Force in 2008. Other documents pertaining to the task force are posted on the task force section of the City's Web site.

Staff Liaison:
Kristi Lynett
Sustainability Manager
Office of Sustainability
kristin.lynett@cityoftacoma.org
(253) 591-5571