(1) A local government global warming mitigation and adaptation program is established. The program must be administered by the *department of community, trade, and economic development and must conclude by June 30, 2010. The department must, through a competitive process, select three or fewer counties and six or fewer cities for the program. Counties selected must reflect a range of opportunities to address climate change in urbanizing, resource, or agricultural areas. Cities selected must reflect a range of sizes, geographic locations, and variations between those that are highly urbanized and those that are less so that have more residential dwellings than employment positions.

     (2) The program is established to assist the selected counties and cities that: (a) Are addressing climate change through their land use and transportation planning processes; and (b) aspire to address climate change through their land use and transportation planning processes, but lack necessary resources to do so. The *department of community, trade, and economic development may fund proposals to inventory and mitigate global warming emissions, or adapt to the adverse impacts of global warming, using criteria it develops to accomplish the objectives of this section and RCW 36.70A.580 and section 4, chapter 289, Laws of 2008.

     (3) The *department of community, trade, and economic development must provide grants and technical assistance to aid the selected counties and cities in their efforts to anticipate, mitigate, and adapt to global warming and its associated problems. The department, in providing grants and technical assistance, must ensure that grants and assistance are awarded to counties and cities meeting the criteria established in subsection (2)(a) and (b) of this section.

     (4) The *department of community, trade, and economic development must provide a report of program findings and recommendations to the governor and the appropriate committees of the house of representatives and the senate by January 1, 2011. The report must also consider the positive and negative impacts to affordable housing, employment, transportation costs, and economic development that result from addressing the impacts of climate change at the local level.

     (5) This section expires January 1, 2011.

[2008 c 289 § 3.]

NOTES:

     *Reviser's note: The "department of community, trade, and economic development" was renamed the "department of commerce" by 2009 c 565.

     Findings -- Application -- 2008 c 289: See notes following RCW 36.70A.580.