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Climate coordinator Marita Davison previews state program to help electrify Lake Forest Park’s municipal fleet
Summary
At a June 11 workshop, Marita Davison, the city’s climate coordinator, gave an informational briefing on the Washington Zero Emission Incentive Program (WASIP), describing technical assistance, point-of-sale vehicle discounts (including a reported 15% enhanced discount for public agencies) and facility-readiness constraints; no action was requested.
Marita Davison, Lake Forest Park’s newly hired climate coordinator, told the council at its June 11 workshop that the Washington Zero Emission Incentive Program (WASIP) could be a tool for the city to evaluate and eventually replace medium- and heavy-duty vehicles with zero-emission alternatives.
Davison said the program, funded through the Climate Commitment Act and administered by the Washington State Department of Transportation, offers a mix of vehicle discounts at the point of sale, technical assistance for fleet planning and charging-infrastructure assessment, and potential opportunities to stack state incentives with federal grants and utility programs. "This is just an informational overview at this point," she said, adding the program provides both planning support and financial incentives.
The briefing was framed against the city’s recently adopted Climate Action Plan, which found that transportation is the largest source of local greenhouse gas emissions and identified fleet electrification and infrastructure readiness as priorities. Davison told the council that the statewide funding pool for WASIP was originally about $112 million, though demand has already reduced available funds.
Councilmembers focused on operational limits and timing. Davison emphasized that WASIP is aimed at medium- and heavy-duty vehicles used in public works — for example, maintenance trucks and dump trucks — not routine patrol cars or typical SUVs. "It doesn't make sense to replace a fully operational vehicle," she said, noting fleet transitions need to align with replacement schedules and availability.
Members asked practical questions about charging locations and resiliency. Several councilmembers said the public works facility, not City Hall, is the likeliest first site for vehicle charging; staff flagged transformer capacity and other facility constraints as issues that require further study. Davison said the program’s technical-assistance component could help size chargers and, potentially, backup systems to ensure vehicles remain usable during power outages.
Davison also relayed practical ideas from neighboring jurisdictions: a King County contact suggested that, given Lake Forest Park’s small geographic footprint, some vehicles could use 240-volt plugs or modest infrastructure pilots instead of large fast-charging setups.
The presentation was informational only; Davison said staff will monitor funding availability and continue coordinating with Public Works. If participation appears cost-effective and operationally feasible, she said staff would return to the council with specific recommendations and implementation options.
The workshop did not include a motion or vote on WASIP; councilmembers asked staff to continue evaluation and to bring back more detailed recommendations if and when appropriate.
