Seven projects in five mostly rural counties, including Thurston County and one tribal community, will receive a total of $13,804,000 to help build, repair and upgrade systems that capture methane from dairy manure and other organic waste, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and improving wastewater management.
The funding is from the Washington state Department of Commerce’s Dairy Digester Program.
James Road Dairy in Thurston County was awarded $854,325 for construction of a cover-and-flare digester to lower emissions and odors while improving nutrient sustainability from the dairy’s operations.
There are almost 250,000 cow and goat milk animals in the state, and dairy waste is a significant environmental challenge. Anaerobic digesters, a system that turns manure and food waste into usable energy, help address this issue by capturing methane from manure and other organic waste before it enters the atmosphere. These systems reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve wastewater management, and create valuable byproducts like renewable energy and nutrient-rich fertilizer, according to a news release from the Department of Commerce. By turning waste into resources, digesters provide environmental benefits and economic opportunities for dairy farms and the rural communities where they are usually located.
“These dairy projects cut emissions and boost the resiliency of rural communities,” Sarah Clifthorne, interim director of the Department of Commerce, said in the release. “They’re a smart, practical way to deliver cleaner air and water, while creating new economic opportunities for Washington farmers.”
Projects are expected to improve air and water quality near participating farms, and at least two will create economic opportunities for tribal members. Over the next 10 years, these projects are expected to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by more than 1 million metric tons of carbon dioxide and capture more than 7,400 tons of waste runoff, helping improve local environmental conditions. Systems that capture methane will also catch harmful waste gases, reducing odors and turning waste into renewable energy.
Other counties awarded grants include Franklin, Snohomish, Whatcom and Yakima.
The Legislature appropriated $13.2 million in Climate Commitment Act (CCA) capital funding for anaerobic digester projects. Commerce launched a competitive solicitation in October 2025 and received 10 applications requesting more than $18 million. Additional award funding was provided through remaining Clean Energy Fund resources for rural clean energy development.
There is an additional $9.7 million in funding for dairy digester projects allocated in the 2026 supplemental budget. Commerce will hold another solicitation for digester projects later this year, the release stated.
The program included a $500,00 appropriation to the Washington State University Energy Program. The WSU Energy Program, which is part of the WSU Extension, will provide technical expertise to grantees and others interested in developing dairy digesters in Washington, and will complete work to improve digester performance, advance nutrient recovery so valuable materials can be reused, and strengthen the long-term economic sustainability of on-farm digesters.
“These projects can represent a win-win, turning organic wastes into renewable energy that powers our state, while supporting agricultural viability and benefitting rural communities,” WSU Energy Program Director Georgine Yorgey said in the release.
