UTC and Commerce collaborate to adopt new rules for electric utilities related to energy storage systems, standards and more LACEY, Wash. – The Utilities and Transportation Commission (UTC) and Washington State Department of Commerce recently adopted new rules for electric utilities, reaching a major milestone in Washington’s transition to clean energy. The rules provide guidance on several key requirements in the Clean Energy Transformation Act (CETA) of 2019, which requires…
Projects will develop vulnerability assessments and identify measures for reducing vehicle miles traveled and greenhouse gas emissions OLYMPIA, WA — The Washington State Department of Commerce has awarded $2.1 million in growth management planning grants to help King, Kitsap, Pierce and Snohomish counties, and multiple cities within each county, plan for local impacts of climate change. Proposals from the 27 communities awarded funding, reveal a wide range of creative approaches…
Smart Climate Change Strategies Award: For plans, policies, programs and/or actions addressing community climate impacts. People have discovered Olympia, in a big way. Washington’s capital city is growing quickly, with about 1,000 new residents moving in every year. They come for work, life and to play outside, leaning into the city’s values and quirky culture. The shifts in where people work since the pandemic also means that small cities like…
By car, bus, Amtrak train, ferry and airplane they came. Young people with lived experience of homelessness gathered in SeaTac from all over the state to participate in a weekend-long summit and evaluate dozens of applications for grants from the state’s Office of Homeless Youth.
Olympia, July 19, 2022 – Eli King, energy emergency management director for the Washington State Department of Commerce, was appointed to the national Wildland Fire Mitigation and Management Commission earlier this month. The U.S. departments of Agriculture, Homeland Security and the Interior, along with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), announced the 11 federal and 36 non-federal commission members on July 7. More than 500 applications were submitted for the…
Reliable high-speed internet coming to businesses in Port Townsend OLYMPIA, Wash. — The Washington State Public Works Board announced over $1.8 million in loan funding to the Jefferson County Public Utility District at its July meeting. Funds will be used to complete the Port Townsend Business Fiber Project, which is expected to connect up to 225 local businesses. Access to the high-speed internet service is critical to the success of…
COMMERCE is initiating this RFQQ to secure a statewide roster of qualified web/e-commerce design firms to provide e-commerce related services to small business owners awarded through the Go Global Grant Program. The successful firms who respond to this RFQQ will be placed on a service provider roster of Contractors to be selected by the awarded small business owners to provide consulting, design and technical support required to develop and integrate…
Linda Womack to lead small business and community support; Shannon Halberstadt appointed to creative economy industry sector post OLYMPIA, WA — Washington State Department of Commerce Director Lisa Brown recently announced two new appointments to key leadership roles in the growing agency’s Office of Economic Development and Competitiveness. In a new industry sector lead position, Shannon Halberstadt came on board June 1 as Director of Creative Economy sector development. Expanding and…
Request for Information Pacific NW Hydrogen Association seeking potential projects for regional hubs proposal Pacific Northwest Hydrogen Association (PNWH2) is a public-private partnership, non-profit organization registered with the State of Washington to coordinate regional efforts toward clean hydrogen deployment. PNWH2 is requesting information (View RFI) on potential projects to support a bid for U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Hydrogen Hubs (H2Hubs) funding. The DOE H2Hubs funding opportunity aims to build several…
“Washington demonstrated a deep commitment to meaningful community engagement and centering equity concerns.” Washington is a leader on energy and climate policy with a goal to provide an equitable clean energy economy to benefit everyone in the state — including urban and rural communities, overburdened and low-income households, and Indigenous communities. The Washington State Department of Commerce’s Energy Division received a 2022 State Leadership in Clean Energy Award from the Clean…