Department of Ecology

RCW 43.21A

The Department of Ecology was created by the Legislature in 1970. As the state's primary agency for environmental protection, Ecology administers laws and rules relating to air quality, water quality, water resources, oil spill prevention, preparedness and response, hazardous waste and toxics reduction, solid waste management, nuclear waste, toxic site cleanups, and shoreline and wetlands management. Ecology also provides services in the areas of financial assistance, permitting, environmental compliance, technical assistance, environmental education, watershed planning, and environmental monitoring and assessment. Ecology’s goals are to: protect and restore land, air and water, prevent pollution, promote healthy communities and natural resources, and deliver efficient and effective services.

Agency Mission

The mission of the Department of Ecology is to protect, preserve and enhance Washington’s environment for current and future generations.
Request 599,751,000
Net change from current biennium 94,640,000 Increase
Percent change from current biennium 18.7% Increase

Operating Budget: Summary

Appropriated Funds

2017-19 Appropriations Appropriated Funds Expenditures
Amount Estimated Balance   2015-17 Actual 2017-19 Estimated 2019-21 Proposed
106,467,000 General Fund - Basic Account - Federal 70,049,318 106,467,000 110,181,000
Water Pollution Control Revolving - Federal 2,216,959
23,008,000 General Fund - Basic Account - Private/Local 15,403,563 23,008,000 23,414,000
499,000 State Toxics Control Account - Private/Local 87,173 499,000 499,000
42,240,000 General Fund - Basic Account - State 48,892,163 42,240,000 82,249,000
4,101,000 Reclamation Account - State 2,591,790 4,101,000 5,010,000
4,173,000 Flood Control Assistance Account - State 1,690,188 4,173,000 4,234,000
40,000 St Emergency Water Projects Revolv - State 40,000 40,000
14,787,000 Waste Reduct/Recycle/Litter Control - State 12,759,646 14,787,000 26,231,000
204,000 State Drought Preparedness Account - State 204,000 204,000
164,000 St/Loc Impr Rev Acct Water Sup Fac - State 38,037 164,000 183,000
30,000 30,000 Motor Vehicle Account - State 131,000
522,000 Aquatic Algae Control Account - State 434,217 522,000 528,000
47,000 Water Rights Tracking System Acct - State 47,000 48,000
582,000 Site Closure Account - State 248,801 582,000 582,000
560,000 Wood Stove Education/Enforcement - State 463,788 560,000 769,000
1,869,000 Worker/Community Right to Know Acct - State 1,756,105 1,869,000 2,054,000
39,000 Water Rights Processing Account - State 22,889 39,000 39,000
149,327,000 State Toxics Control Account - State 120,765,638 149,327,000 164,587,000
4,864,000 Local Toxics Control Account - State 3,995,277 4,864,000 8,328,000
44,403,000 Water Quality Permit Account - State 41,712,640 44,403,000 49,695,000
3,661,000 Underground Storage Tank Account - State 2,912,974 3,661,000 4,125,000
2,203,000 Biosolids Permit Account - State 1,768,024 2,203,000 2,795,000
41,421,000 Environ Legacy Stewardship Account - State 34,707,615 41,421,000 46,263,000
6,593,000 Hazardous Waste Assistance Account - State 5,899,438 6,593,000 7,424,000
18,425,000 Radioactive Mixed Waste Acct - State 14,360,941 18,425,000 20,319,000
3,477,000 Air Pollution Control Account - State 2,984,438 3,477,000 4,698,000
9,744,000 Oil Spill Prevention Account - State 8,211,307 9,744,000 11,563,000
3,816,000 Air Operating Permit Account - State 2,693,174 3,816,000 4,815,000
1,459,000 Freshwater Aquatic Weeds Account - State 1,183,157 1,459,000 1,497,000
7,076,000 Oil Spill Response Account - State 888,578 7,076,000 7,076,000
98,000 98,000 Dedicated Marijuana Acct - State
2,924,000 Pension Funding Stabilization Acct - State 2,924,000 2,920,000
3,595,000 Water Pollution Control Revol Admin - State 282,655 3,595,000 3,994,000
Water Pollution Control Revolving - State 444,614
502,418,000 128,000 Total Appropriated Funds 399,596,108 502,290,000 596,364,000

Non-Appropriated Funds

2017-19 Non-Appropriated Funds Expenditures
Amount Balance Non-Apropriated Funds 2015-17 Actual 2017-19 Estimated 2019-21 Proposed
Industrial Insurance Premium Refund - Nonappropriated 10,229
(170,000) Basic Data Account - Nonappropriated 170,000 170,000 170,000
(787,000) Electronic Products Recycling Acct - Nonappropriated 494,898 787,000 829,000
(232,000) Product Stewardship Programs Acct - Nonappropriated 184,431 232,000 248,000
(76,000) Photovoltaic Module Recycling Acct - Nonappropriated 76,000 76,000
Watershed Restoration Enhance Acct - Nonappropriated 1,000,000
State Agency Parking Account - Nonappropriated 67,217
(1,556,000) Coastal Protection Account - Nonappropriated 791,065 1,556,000 1,064,000
Info Tech Invest Rev Acct - Nonappropriated 542,888
(2,821,000) Total Non-Appropriated Funds 2,260,730 2,821,000 3,387,000

Capital Budget: Summary

  Appropriated Funds Expenditures
Amount Estimated Balance   Actual Estimated Proposed
(295,000) St/Loc Impr Rev Acct Water Sup Fac - Bonds 295,000 295,000
(25,889,000) Columbia River Basin Water Supply - Bonds 25,889,000 17,005,000
(2,194,000) Col River Basin Tax Bond Wtr Sup - Bonds 2,194,000 45,000
(19,660,000) State Tax Bld Construction Account - Bonds 19,660,000 14,633,000
32,459,711 (1,315,289) General Fund - Basic Account - Federal 7,332,419 33,775,000 26,898,000
104,032,000 Water Pollution Control Revolving - Federal 90,533,407 104,032,000 136,898,000
112,700,000 General Fund - Basic Account - Private/Local 112,700,000 112,661,000
St/Loc Improvements Revolving Acct - State
St/Loc Impr Rev Acct Waste Disp Fac - State
436,948,245 (13,559,755) State Building Construction Account - State 92,960,751 450,508,000 605,714,000
1,696,040 (60,960) State Drought Preparedness Account - State 5,026,960 1,757,000 2,228,000
294,784 294,784 St/Loc Impr Rev Acct Water Sup Fac - State 93,351
1,300,236 (195,764) Waste Tire Removal Account - State 878,670 1,496,000 2,092,000
22,515,303 22,515,303 Columbia River Basin Water Supply - State 24,302,959
Water Quality Capital Account - State
8,550,000 Site Closure Account - State 606,536 8,550,000 8,519,000
43,833,063 (5,886,937) Cleanup Settlement Account - State 26,267,245 49,720,000 41,994,000
46,596,381 (3,119,619) State Toxics Control Account - State 20,821,381 49,716,000 68,618,000
118,950,900 (6,427,100) Local Toxics Control Account - State 52,836,143 125,378,000 174,210,000
1,016,162 1,016,162 Col River Basin Tax Bond Wtr Sup - State 23,100,011
16,903,877 (11,341,123) Environ Legacy Stewardship Account - State 38,432,441 28,245,000 9,416,000
28,400,000 Air Pollution Control Account - State 28,400,000 28,400,000
4,081,929 (107,071) Columbia River Basin Water Supply R - State 118,071 4,189,000 6,482,000
14,526,038 14,526,038 State Tax Bld Construction Account - State 15,673,962
13,600,000 13,600,000 Watershed Restor Enhance Bond Acct - State 53,588,000
396,068,565 (57,882,435) Water Pollution Control Revolving - State 224,066,025 453,951,000 439,536,000
1,404,473,234 (95,981,766) Total Appropriated Funds 623,050,333 1,500,455,000 1,749,232,000

Operating Budget: Program Summary

Program Title Actual Estimated Proposed
Actual Estimated Estimated Proposed Proposed
Annual Total 212,969,603 205,340,067 79,874,147 293,064,000 306,687,000

Operating Budget: Change from Preceding Biennium

Actual Estimated Proposed
Amount Percent Amount Percent Amount Percent
3,450,845 0.87% (116,642,624) (29.0%) 314,536,786 110.3%

Employment Summary

  Actual Estimated Proposed
  2016-17 Actual 2017-18 Estimated 2018-19 Estimated 2019-20 Proposed 2020-21 Proposed
FTE Staff Years 1,491.6 1,517.1 1,503.2 1,765.7 1,739.2