Anacortes planners present greenhouse‑gas inventory and vulnerability analysis for climate element

Anacortes Planning Commission members on March 26 heard a detailed presentation of the comprehensive plan’s new climate element, including a greenhouse‑gas inventory for calendar year 2022 and a combined vulnerability index intended to guide resilience planning.

The commission, led by John Coleman, director of the City’s Planning, Community and Economic Development Department, heard consultants Katie Saunders of Makers and Beth Miller of Parametrics explain the methods and key findings. The inventory totaled about 486,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) in 2022; roughly half of that total is categorized as local emissions (scope 1 and 2). Building energy accounted for about 61% of local emissions, the consultants said.

The inventory and vulnerability work provide the technical baseline state law requires, the presenters said. The Washington State Department of Commerce interim guidance and a state bill cited in the presentation (referenced in the meeting as “HB 11 81”) require jurisdictions to plan for greenhouse‑gas reductions and for resilience to climate‑exacerbated hazards.

Local implications and what the city can control

Makers and Parametrics emphasized that state actions—such as the Clean Energy Transformation Act—are expected to reduce a large share of future emissions, and that city…