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Re: Comments on the Kittitas County 2026 Comprehensive Plan update <br /> March 2, 2026 <br /> Page 12 <br /> Decreasing supplies are being driven by climate change.34 <br /> The climate and resiliency element needs to include specific goals, policies, and <br /> programs to protect water supplies for agricultural industry and to provide water <br /> for other uses to protect and enhance community resiliency to climate change <br /> impacts including social, economic, and built environment factors as RCW <br /> 36.7oA.070(g)(e)(i) requires. Unfortunately, 10.7.1 Drought on pages 169 to 170 <br /> does not comply with these requirements. It needs to be strengthened to comply <br /> with RCW 36.7oA.070(g)(e)(i). We recognize that this is a significant problem <br /> that will require help from the state and federal governments. But the chapter <br /> needs to include policies and programs to address these problems and call on the <br /> needed assistance. <br /> These recommendations will help address the agricultural stakeholders concern <br /> that that water availability and security are the most significant long-term <br /> barriers for the agricultural industry, exacerbated by prolonged drought, reduced <br /> snowpack, and uncertainty around water rights.35 <br /> Adopt policies and programs, and regulations to achieve Environmental <br /> Justice. Please see pages 164 - 165 and 168. <br /> We appreciate and support the environmental justice narrative on pages 164 - 165 <br /> and 168. However, RCW 36.7oA.070(1) requires that "[t]he land use element must <br /> give special consideration to achieving environmental justice in its goals and <br /> policies, including efforts to avoid creating or worsening environmental health <br /> disparities." RCW 36.7oA.070(9)(e)(i) requires that the resiliency subelement <br /> "must" "[i]dentify, protect, and enhance community resiliency to climate change <br /> impacts, including social, economic, and built environment factors, that support <br /> adaptation to climate impacts consistent with environmental justice[.]" However, <br /> the narrative does not provide for how environmental justice will be achieved and <br /> the elements do not include policies and programs to achieve environmental <br /> justice. We suggest adding policies and programs to achieve the following <br /> principles: <br /> • When planning for and siting uses with adverse environmental impacts direct <br /> those uses away from areas with significant health disparities and adversely <br /> impacting uses and equitably distribute the new uses. <br /> 34Id. p. ES-3. <br /> 35 Chapter 1 Introduction p. 12. <br /> L <br />