Meet Shoreline’s Environmental Services Coordinator

Autumn Salamack, Environmental Services Coordinator
for the City of Shoreline

By Tracy Furutani

“We completed our first Climate Impacts and Resiliency Study this summer,” said Autumn Salamack, the Environmental Services Coordinator for the City of Shoreline.

“That study included recommendations for how we can make sure we’re prepared for climate change in our city plans and projects... 

"My job [in part] is to coordinate with staff in each department to review those recommendations, provide assistance using tools from the study, communicate the timeframe for next steps, and report back out to City Council on our progress.”

Salamack, who started her position in March 2019, describes herself as “a steward for the city’s environmental programs, creating, implementing and monitoring” work plans for those programs.

“I have to credit the City Council for their commitment to climate action and making it a priority,” including the creation of Salamack’s position, said Eric Bratton, Shoreline’s Communications Program Manager. 

He also credits the Leadership Team (which consists of the city manager and city department heads) for recognizing the need for the new position.

“We had an environmental services position within the Public Works department, which worked on environmental programs and the solid waste contract,” said Bratton, and there was a “Green Team” created in 2009 from volunteers in various city departments that worked on smaller projects around sustainability.

However, as the team worked on larger projects more focused on climate action, “it became apparent to the public works director and the city manager that we needed a single person to be responsible for the coordination of this work instead of relying on the volunteers on the Green Team,” he said.

Salamack, who has degrees in biology and environmental science and management, came to this job with extensive experience in environmental issues and sustainability with local governments and private businesses. “Everything from energy efficiency and building retrofits to electrification of public transport to stormwater pollution prevention,” she said.

Salamack plans in the next two years to update the 2016 greenhouse gas inventory update. 

“Are most of the greenhouse gases still coming from transportation and building energy use?” she said, adding that her goal is to document if the city’s environmental programs and policies had their desired effect in lowering greenhouse gas production.

Additionally, she will coordinate the update of the city’s 2013 Climate Action Plan, and have some “robust and impactful” community engagement and education in early 2021, with more online offerings.

Bratton appreciates her efforts. “Before, I was co-chairing the Green Team. Now, I can sit back and be part of an advisory group – it’s a lot more manageable with my other work,” he said. “She is the leader now.”