Washington Geothermal Energy Potential Community Workshops

Detected February 27th, 2026

Summary

The Washington State Department of Ecology is hosting community workshops to gather public input on the potential development of geothermal energy resources in the state. These workshops are part of a collaborative process to explore opportunities and risks associated with clean energy development.

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What changed

The Washington State Department of Ecology, in collaboration with the Department of Natural Resources, is initiating a geothermal collaborative process and hosting a series of community workshops. These workshops aim to gather public input on local priorities, environmental and cultural considerations, and the opportunities and risks associated with developing geothermal energy in areas identified as having potential, such as Mount Baker, Mount St. Helens, and the Wind River valley.

While no geothermal projects are currently proposed, the process is intended for early discussions about this clean energy source. The public is invited to attend in-person or virtual workshops throughout February and March 2026 to share their feedback. This initiative is part of Washington's transition to clean energy and seeks to understand community values to inform future decisions.

What to do next

Review information on geothermal energy potential in Washington.
Attend upcoming community workshops or the virtual statewide event to provide input.
Submit feedback on local priorities, environmental considerations, and potential risks/opportunities related to geothermal energy development.

Source document (simplified)

Blog > What You Can Do

Community workshops focus on geothermal energy in Washington

Public invited to share input through a collaborative process

Mountain valley in the Mount Baker wilderness. Mount Baker has been identified as having geothermal energy potential.

We are leading a geothermal collaborative process to support Washington’s transition to clean energy. This effort is bringing together the public, local governments, Tribes, state agencies, utilities and industry to explore opportunities and risks associated with developing geothermal energy in Washington.

This type of clean energy comes from the natural heat inside the earth that can be used to generate electricity.

While there are no geothermal energy projects currently proposed for development in Washington, the process provides an opportunity for early discussions about this potential clean energy source.

We look forward to sharing information and gathering feedback through a new series of in-person community workshops. The events will be held in areas identified by the Washington Geological Survey, housed within the Department of Natural Resources, as having geothermal energy potential:

Mount Baker
Mount St. Helens
Wind River valley south of Mount St. Helens
Public feedback will help us understand:
Local priorities, needs and values
Environmental and cultural considerations
Opportunities and risks related to clean energy development

Learn more and share input at an upcoming workshop

Please join us at any of the upcoming workshops:

Mount Baker area community Thursday, Feb. 26, 2026, 5:30-7:30 p.m.
Mount St. Helens area community Wednesday, March 4, 2026, 5:30-7:30 p.m.
Wind River valley area community Thursday, March 5, 2026, 5:30-7:30 p.m. We will provide light food and drinks and families are welcome to attend. Spanish language interpretation services will also be available.

In addition to the three community in-person workshops, we are also conducting a virtual statewide event: Tuesday, March 17, 2026, 1:30-3:30 p.m.

For questions about the state’s collaborative geothermal process, please email us at cleanenergy@ecy.wa.gov or call 360-407-6600.

Climate change share: Email Submit feedback Feb 9, 2026

Clean energy team

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