Low Carbon Energy Siting Study Advisory Board

Purpose and objectives

The advisory board will provide a collaborative forum for members to provide insights and feedback on improving low-carbon energy project permitting and siting processes. The board’s objectives are to identify and document concerns, perspectives, and recommendations for consideration in Ecology’s study. These include:

• Systemic issues related to:
  • Siting of projects
  • Environmental review and permitting processes
  • Tribal treaty rights and tribal and cultural resources processes
  • Consideration of highly impacted communities
• Opportunities as well as roadblocks in current processes.
• Potential options for resolving systemic issues and characterizing high-level implications, trade-offs, and opportunities associated with implementing proposed options.
• Developing guidance and tools for project applicants to improve siting processes.
• Additional studies or actions needed.

Advisory board members

The departments of Ecology and Commerce are co-leads for the advisory board.

Advisory board members include (alphabetically by organization):

• Association of Washington Business, Peter Godlewski
• Audubon Washington, Adam Maxwell
• City of Spokane, Breann Beggs
• Climate Solutions, Kelly Hall
• Front and Centered, Mariel Thuraisingham
• Invenergy, Laura Miner
• Klickitat County, Dave McClure
• Latino Community Fund, Giovanni Serverino
• Makah Tribe, Vice-Chairman Patrick DePoe
• NextEra Energy, Inc., Christopher Powers
• Port of Benton, Diahann Howard
• Port of Grays Harbor, Gary Nelson
• Puget Sound Energy, Cassie Bordelon
• Puyallup Tribe of Indians, Lisa Anderson
• Renewable Energy Group, Kent Hartwig
• Renewable Northwest, Max Greene
• Sierra Club, Stephanie Hillman
• Washington Environmental Council, Rebecca Ponzio
• Washington State Association of Counties, Paul Jewell
• Washington State Building and Construction Trades Council, Mark Riker
• Washington State Labor Council, Joe Kendo
• Whatcom County, Amy Keenan

Participation in meetings does not mean concurrence on issues. Board meetings are intended to provide a place to consider and discuss ideas.