Skagit County forms 12-member panel to draft clean energy code
The group will meet every three weeks starting in June 2026 to propose siting criteria and streamline the permitting process for energy projects.
By Bianca Shevchenko ·
Twelve residents and officials have been appointed to a new advisory panel in Skagit County. The group will spend the coming months drafting a recommended clean energy code for the Planning and Development Services department.
The panel includes MaryLee Chamberlain from the Town of La Conner Council, James Karlsgodt who owns Tulip Electrical, and Craig Hansen, a retired senior energy executive. Other members represent local land trusts, agricultural boards, and the Port of Skagit. Stewards of Skagit, a non-profit focused on battery storage siting, is represented by Matthew Phillips.
The advisory group aims to establish clear siting criteria and create a more efficient permitting process. The effort will assess project impacts and identify suitable areas for development. The goal is to provide predictable outcomes for both the community and clean energy developers.
The group will operate under a modified consensus model to make its recommendations. It is an ad hoc body that will be disbanded once it delivers its final proposal to county staff. Jeanne Aungst, an Associate Planner, serves as the primary contact for questions regarding the process.
The group is scheduled to hold eight meetings, each lasting three hours. Sessions will take place every three weeks starting in June 2026. All meetings will be held from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM at the Skagit PUD Aqua Room in Mount Vernon.
Small Group Interviews will also be conducted as part of the process. These sessions are scheduled for the same days as the main advisory meetings, running from 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM. The initiative is funded through Washington's Climate Commitment Act, which allocates cap-and-invest dollars to reduce pollution and improve public health.
The funding supports the county's effort to reduce climate pollution while creating jobs. Information about the Climate Commitment Act is available through the state website. The advisory group's work will inform the specific code amendments proposed to the county.
