Adaptation Phase
Assessment
Planning
Sector Addressed
Development (socioeconomic)
Land Use Planning
Tourism / Recreation
Transportation / Infrastructure
City of Olympia, WA
Overview
The City of Olympia serves as the state capitol for Washington with a total city area of roughly 18.5 square miles and a population of 42,514 (2000 census) and provides community, business, and government services that support healthy, thriving communities.
Adaptation Work:The City has a long history of being committed to doing our part to limit climate change. While we have taken some important steps over the years to reduce our municipal greenhouse gas emissions, overall emissions continue to rise in Olympia.
Here's what we are working on:
- Energize Olympia: Energize Olympia is a ductless heat pumps (DHP) group purchase campaign designed and supported by a partnership between the City of Olympia, South Puget Sound Habitat for Humanity, and Spark Northwest. Energize Olympia will launch in Spring 2023.
- Regional Climate Mitigation Planning: Olympia is currently working with Thurston County, the cities of Lacey and Tumwater and the Thurston Regional Planning Council to develop the Thurston Climate Mitigation Plan. Our regional emissions reduction goal is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 45 percent below 2015 levels by 2030, and then 85 percent below 2015 levels by 2050.
- Olympia's Early Climate Actions: The Thurston Climate Mitigation Plan (above) is expected to be completed in late 2020. To build a foundation for climate action across City operations and prepare for implementation of the Plan, Olympia will take “early action” to address climate change concurrent with the mitigation planning effort.
- Sea Level Rise Adaptation Planning: The City of Olympia (City), LOTT Clean Water Alliance (LOTT) and the Port of Olympia, under the guidance of the consulting firm AECOM Technical Services, completed the Olympia Sea Level Rise Response Plan in March 2019.
- Solar: The City of Olympia is committed to going solar. Thanks to a streamlined permitting process, Olympia residents can quickly have solar panels installed on homes and businesses and begin seeing the benefits of clean, renewable energy.