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The Chehalis School District will receive $2.1 million from the Washington state Department of Commerce to fund a solar project of W.F. West High School, part of more than $72.6 million in grants to fund climate projects across the state.
On Tuesday, Gov. Jay Inslee announced that 71 clean energy projects in 24 counties would receive money through Washington’s Climate Commitment Act (CCA). The announcement included several projects in Southwest Washington, including the smallest award of $77,000 for the City of Toledo to explore municipal solar projects.
To mark the occasion, Inslee toured the Georgetown Wet Weather Treatment Station in Seattle, which helps to control, treat and disinfect up to 70 million gallons per day of combined stormwater and sewage that previously flowed into the Duwamish River.
“This CCA funding is putting people to work on projects in communities most harmed by climate change and ultimately helping us provide cleaner air to all our children,” Inslee said during the event. “The response to these grant programs is an exciting sign of how eager businesses and organizations are to design and build clean energy and climate resilient assets for their communities.”
Additional recipients in Southwest Washington include $1.5 million for the City of Olympia to install solar panels with storage at the Olympia Armory, $400,000 for The United Churches of Olympia to fund a solar project, $2.75 million for Lewis County Transit hydrogen fueling station contingency planning and $560,000 for the City of Tenino to install solar panels at the TSCS Food Warehouse.
“These awards get money into the hands of people who can immediately put it to use fighting climate change,” Commerce Director Mike Fong said in a statement. “These communities were empowered to use their own discretion to create projects that meet their needs, which will improve outcomes for everyone in Washington.”
According to the Commerce Department, additional awards for general clean energy projects will be announced later this summer.
In May, the Commerce Department announced the agency would contribute nearly $40 million to projects and programs that promote high-efficiency electric equipment across the state, including more than $2.3 million for Southwest Washington.
The Commerce Department also announced five tribes would receive $7.5 million in grant funding, part of $16 million earmarked for tribal clean energy projects. In that funding announcement, the Department of Commerce said tribes in Southwest Washington would receive more than $4.5 million.
The three waves of grant money are funded through the CCA, legislation voters will decide the fate of during the November election. Passed in 2021, the wide-ranging climate legislation aims to reduce pollution and create revenue for climate-related projects.
