(The Center Square) – Climate change is becoming an increasingly hot topic, and soon, Spokane could have a board specifically devoted to informing the mayor and city council’s policy decisions.
Spokane’s elected officials are scheduled to vote on the legislation Monday night. If approved, the decision would replace the city’s Sustainability Action Committee with a new Climate Resilience and Sustainability Board, or CRSB, after the SAS was left unutilized by the last two administrations.
Mayor Lisa Brown’s transition team recommended creating the CRSB earlier this year as part of “Building a Resilient Future.” As designed, the board would recommend funding opportunities and policy changes that will help make up a new “Climate Element” in the city’s Comprehensive Plan.
“It’ll be made up of 15 members with a very broad representation from the community with a focus on disproportioned environmental disparities,” said Kelly Thomas, manager of operations for the Office of the Mayor, when briefing a council committee last month.