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<br />Kittitas County Courthouse · 205 West 5th Avenue, STE 108 · Ellensburg, WA 98926 <br />(509) 962-7508 ·FAX (509) 962-7679 <br /> <br /> Kittitas County, Washington BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS District One Cory Wright District Two Laura Osiadacz District Three Brett Wachsmith <br /> <br />April 7, 2026 <br /> <br /> <br />Mr. Delano Palmer <br />Director of Capital Planning & Projects <br />Central Washington University <br />400 East University Way <br />Ellensburg, WA 98926 <br /> <br />Dear Mr. Palmer, <br /> <br />On behalf of Kittitas County, we wish to express our enthusiastic support for Central Washington <br />University’s (CWU) collaboration with the City of Ellensburg (City) and Kittitas Public Utility <br />District in pursuit of the Department of Energy’s Notice of Funding Opportunity for Geothermal <br />Resource Exploration, Characterization, and Confirmation (DE-FOA-0003472). This collaboration <br />matches Kittitas County’s pursuit for long-term rural resiliency, workforce development, and <br />economic growth in the energy sector. <br /> <br />CWU has shared their plans for continuing geothermal expansion on its campus for building heating <br />and cooling, with aspirations of pursuing electrical power generation via geothermal means. <br />Addressing the geological knowledge gap of natural resources below the unknown depth and <br />thickness of Columbia River Basalt in our region is a critical need for resource characterization and <br />analysis of energy potential. This project aligns with both the City’s and Kittitas County’s <br />Comprehensive Plan objectives towards resiliency and economic growth. <br /> <br />Kittitas County has a longstanding relationship with CWU as major source of employment and <br />producing new graduates contributing to the local workforce and economy. We are proud of our <br />aligned efforts with CWU in advancing these goals, and the proposed geothermal resource <br />exploration, characterization, and confirmation is large step towards fulfilling them. <br /> <br />Thank you for your efforts on this important project. <br /> <br />Sincerely, <br /> <br /> <br />Cory Wright Brett Wachsmith Laura Osiadacz <br />Chairman Vice Chair Commissioner