Planning and Development Services

Clean Energy Advisory Group

Skagit County has formed a Clean Energy Advisory Group to provide policy guidance to Planning and Development Services staff in drafting a recommended clean energy code. Code amendments will include siting criteria and create a more efficient permitting process for clean-energy projects. The effort will assess impacts, mitigation, identify suitable areas for development, and result in predictable permitting for the community and clean energy developers alike.

The Clean Energy Advisory Group will be facilitated. The advisory group will make all recommendations using a modified consensus model.

Membership Information

The Clean Energy Advisory Group consists of the following twelve members and will include the following representation:

Western County (District 1) - MaryLee Chamberlain.
MaryLee Chamberlain is a board member with the Skagit Valley Clean Energy Alliance and a Council Member of the Town of La Conner.
Central County (District 2) - James Karlsgodt.
James Karlsgodt is the owner of Tulip Electrical which in part installs solar energy projects for customers in Skagit County.
Eastern County (District 3) - Craig Hansen.
Craig Hansen is a retired senior energy executive and served as a leader in the energy industry working for both the government and private sectors.
Non-Profit Land Use Group - Stewards of Skagit (Matthew Phillips).
Stewards of Skagit is a non-profit focused on land use issues in Skagit County with a primary focus on the proper siting of Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS).
Non-Profit Environment Group - Skagit Land Trust (Denby Lloyd).
Skagit Land Trust is a non-profit focused on environmental and land use issues throughout the Skagit County.
Non-Profit Vulnerable Communities - United Way Skagit (Chuck Messinger)
Agricultural Advisory Board - Steve Wright
Forest Advisory Board - *TBD
Climate Impact Advisory Committee - Betty Carteret
Economic Development Alliance of Skagit County - Ken Huste
Port of Skagit - Sara Young
Puget Sound Energy

Schedule

The purpose of this advisory group is to provide a recommendation on clean energy code concepts within eight meetings which will be held every three weeks starting in June 2026. Each meeting will be approximately three hours. The Clean Energy Advisory Group is an ad hoc advisory group which will be disbanded once the group has provided a recommendation.

Each meeting will be held from 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM. All meetings will take place at the Skagit PUD Aqua Room, 1415 Freeway Drive, Mount Vernon in the new building at the back of the PUD parking lot. Please see the table below for more information:

Date	Meeting Materials	Video (Uploaded After Meeting)
June 26	CANCELLED
July 17	Meeting Agenda Clean Energy Advisory Group Meeting Norms Meeting Notes	Video
August 7
August 28
September 11
October 9
October 30
November 20

If you have any questions, please contact, Robby Eckroth, Senior Planner, at reckroth@co.skagit.wa.us or at (360) 416-1328.

The Clean Energy Siting and Permitting Grant is supported with funding from Washington's Climate Commitment Act. The CCA supports Washington's climate action efforts by putting cap-and-invest dollars to work reducing climate pollution, creating jobs, and improving public health. Information about the CCA is available at www.climate.wa.gov.