CLALLAM COUNTY – Clallam County Commissioners met Monday morning to discuss implementing some first steps of the Climate Change Resolution they adopted in June of last year. The resolution noted specific local impacts of climate change, including increased likelihood of storm surge and coastal flooding, low snowpack resulting in drought and water shortage, major fires, advance of invasive species, and ocean acidification.

Commissioner Mark Ozias says they’ll start by scheduling a week-long series of meetings on a broad spectrum of topics.

Another element he’s proposing would get the public involved using a model developed in the mid-west called Citizens Juries, which seats a diverse group around a table, presents them with a range of climate topics and then asks that they settle on some priorities.

Ozias says they also talked about Action Plan that was developed about ten years ago to create policies that would reduce the County’s carbon footprint. He says interim Administrator Rich Sill will be forming a team to put together a report.

The Commissioners haven’t yet set dates for a Climate Change Week, but they scheduled a follow-up discussion on the topic at their meeting in the first week of February.