April 17, 2025
The Northwest Clean Air Agency will provide up to $3 million in funding for two local climate mitigation and resilience projects that offer clear, tangible, positive benefits to local communities.
The money comes from a 2023 settlement with Petrogas West LLC that resolved multiple air quality issues tied to the company’s Cherry Point facility in Whatcom County.
- The City of Bellingham will receive up to $1.7 million for a proposed community solar installation to reduce emissions and benefit vulnerable community members. It aims to generate $69,000 per year in cost savings for an innovative Climate Action Fund.
- The Opportunity Council will receive up to $1.303 million to improve energy efficiency, electrification, and climate resilience by installing efficient ductless heat pumps at Mercy Housing’s Sterling Meadows complex in Bellingham that houses farm workers and their families.
“We are pleased to be able to support local projects that will have meaningful results in communities we serve,” said NWCAA Executive Director Mark Buford.
“Community members have called on the City to lead on climate action,” Bellingham Mayor Kim Lund said. “Through this funding partnership with NWCAA, we are not only making progress toward our renewable energy goals, but we are also reinvesting our gains toward other projects that help us build a more sustainable and resilient climate future for Bellingham.”
“Ductless heat pumps are a win-win for climate mitigation and resilience. They are much more efficient than traditional heating equipment, which means reduced energy consumption and carbon emissions. And they can increase home comfort and affordability in the face of climate extremes. Opportunity Council is excited to partner with the Northwest Clean Air Agency and Mercy Housing on this important project,” said Mark Schofield, the Opportunity Council’s Community Energy Challenge manager.
NWCAA released a Request for Proposals on Jan. 13. The agency received 15 project proposals by the Feb. 21 deadline. The proposals were reviewed by an evaluation panel that included members from NWCAA’s Board of Directors, Advisory Council, and staff.
The full Advisory Council approved the evaluation panel’s project recommendations and presented them to the full Board of Directors. The Board approved the recommended projects at its April 10 meeting.
The Northwest Clean Air Agency is responsible for enforcing federal, state, and local air quality regulations in Island, Skagit, and Whatcom counties. In addition to permitting and regulating industrial sources of air pollution, the agency provides services and information related to asbestos, outdoor burning, wood smoke and wildfire smoke, and air quality data. More information about the agency is available at https://nwcleanairwa.gov/.