Letter applauds plan aspirations, welcomes continued community dialogue on specifics

The Seattle Metro Chamber, in a letter sent Wednesday, offered its feedback on recommendations made by Seattle’s Green Ribbon Commission on a new Seattle Climate Action Plan.

In the letter, the Chamber thanked the Office of Sustainability and Environment and the Green Ribbon Commission for drafting a thoughtful, comprehensive and aggressive plan to address carbon emissions. Climate change is a challenging and pressing issue, and the Chamber has an extensive history of addressing this challenge by supporting sustainable policies and business practices. The letter also remarks on the many positive proposals in the SCAP that would help to improve mobility and intermodal efforts across the city, incent energy efficiency measures, encourage the construction of green buildings, and support low-carbon fuel programs.

The Chamber explained that while it concurs with the Plan’s aspirations, its particulars merit a deeper discussion, particularly on their effects on the triple bottom line. Ensuring that policies and actions equally address social, environmental and economic benefits is essential, especially around suggestions that concern the built environment and the overall transportation system. The Chamber also noted its willingness to participate and help convene a stakeholder discussion around plan specifics.

For more information, please contact George Allen, the Chamber’s senior vice president of government relations.