Lacey gets green honor

By Christian Hill | The Olympian • Published August 27, 2007

The city of Lacey is one of a handful of U.S. cities recognized by the federal government for its commitment to using "green power."

Last week, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency named Lacey to its Green Power Leadership Club as the 11th city to use green power for its electrical energy needs.

"EPA commends the city of Lacey for making a long-term commitment to protecting the environment by purchasing green power," Marcus Peacock, the agency's deputy administrator, according to a news release.

Lacey is the first city in Thurston County to use green power for all its operations that require electricity.

That means using renewable energy sources such as wind and solar for needs that include lighting City Hall, Lacey Timberland Regional Library, all its water and wastewater facilities and more than 3,000 street and traffic lights.

City officials say their use of green power will remove 6,000 tons of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere each year, which scientists say contributes to global warming. The additional annual cost for Lacey to go completely green: an estimated $61,000.

Several other public agencies in the county use green power. The Evergreen State College and LOTT Alliance, the area's wastewater treatment provider, use green power for all their operations.

Lacey's designation comes several months after Puget Sound Energy made green power more affordable for residential and business customers by lowering rates about 40 percent. The city already was evaluating increasing its initial commitment to green power when new rates took effect April 1.

Mayor Virgil Clarkson said the EPA's designation reflects the leadership the city has shown in being a good steward of the environment and working toward becoming energy independent.

"It costs of little bit more, but it saves the environment," he said.

So far, the rate reduction has prompted nearly 2,000 residential customers to go 100 percent green within PSE's 11-county service area, said Heather Mulligan, the utility's green power market manager.