FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 22, 2020
MEDIA CONTACTS
Tanisha Jumper, Media and Communications, tjumper@cityoftacoma.org, (253) 591-5152
Stacy Ellifritt, Media and Communications, stacy.ellifritt@cityoftacoma.org, (253) 591-2005
Sustainability Office Celebrates Earth Day with Release of 2019 Environmental Action Plan Progress Report
--Virtual Community Conversation Being Held on April 23--
Just in time for Earth Day, the City of Tacoma’s Office of Environmental Policy and Sustainability (OEPS) has released the 2019 Environmental Action Plan (EAP) Progress Report, providing the latest updates on the City’s environmental goals and initiatives. Progress was made in each of the six categories of sustainability: natural systems, air, and local food, buildings and energy, transportation, materials management, and climate resiliency.
Among other success stories from 2019, Tacoma Public Utilities (TPU) developed new programs to serve low-income customers, including a new deferred loan program that provides families with financing to make their homes more energy-efficient. The Tacoma Police Department is updating their vehicle fleet with the purchase of 32 hybrid patrol vehicles, which will save taxpayers money and leave a smaller carbon footprint. Tacoma also became the first city in the state of Washington to declare a Climate Emergency Resolution, which lays the groundwork for future climate adaptation and environmental justice programs.
OEPS is now working to develop an updated EAP that outlines actions the City, TPU, and the community will take between 2021 and 2025 to address equity, improve health, and mitigate environmental impacts posed by climate change. As approved by Tacoma City Council in Resolution No. 40509, the updated EAP is set to be released in 2021.
OEPS will host a virtual community conversation on Thursday, April 23, from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. via Zoom video conference to discuss the 2019 EAP Progress Report, provide more detail on the 2021 EAP update, and receive community input on the City’s sustainability and resiliency initiatives. Click here to view the Facebook event.
To access the 2019 EAP Progress Report and for information and instructions for joining the community conversation on April 23, visit cityoftacoma.org/eap, email sustainability@cityoftacoma.org, or call (253) 591-5172.
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