Department of Ecology - Current Law

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: • Support and engage our communities, customers, and employees. • Reduce and prepare for climate impacts. • Prevent and reduce toxic threats and pollution. • Protect and manage our state’s waters.

Agency Mission

The mission of the Department of Ecology is to protect, preserve, and enhance Washington’s environment for current and future generations.
Request 3,815,313,000
Net change from current biennium 833,119,000 Increase
Percent change from current biennium 27.9% Increase

Operating Budget: Summary

Appropriated Funds

2021-23 Appropriations Appropriated Funds Expenditures
Amount Estimated Balance   2019-21 Actual 2021-23 Estimated 2023-25 Proposed
(295,000) St/Loc Impr Rev Acct Water Sup Fac - 295,000 295,000
(9,152,000) Columbia River Basin Water Supply - 9,152,000 6,069,000
(14,064,000) State Tax Bld Construction Account - 14,064,000 10,655,000
101,378,700 (22,874,300) General Fund - Federal 64,584,661 124,253,000 150,216,000
(161,837,000) Water Pollution Control Revolving - Federal 161,837,000 233,000,000
27,644,000 (109,563,000) General Fund - Private/Local 17,476,312 137,207,000 122,153,000
State Toxics Control Account - Private/Local
499,000 Model Toxics Control Operating Acct - Private/Local 499,000 499,000
Industrial Insurance Premium Refund - Nonappropriated
(170,000) Basic Data Account - Nonappropriated 100,000 170,000 170,000
(840,000) Electronic Products Recycling Acct - Nonappropriated 552,644 840,000 905,000
(248,000) Product Stewardship Programs Acct - Nonappropriated 82,826 248,000 252,000
State Agency Ofc Relocat Pool Acct - Nonappropriated 1,181,415
(76,000) Photovoltaic Module Recycling Acct - Nonappropriated 12,609 76,000 76,000
Watershed Restoration Enhance Acct - Nonappropriated 361,000
(482,000) Recycled Content Account - Nonappropriated 482,000 1,054,000
State Agency Parking Account - Nonappropriated 31,680
(1,064,000) Coastal Protection Account - Nonappropriated 522,080 1,064,000 1,064,000
Info Tech Invest Rev Acct - Nonappropriated 1,695,791
100,135,000 General Fund - State 51,507,620 100,135,000 84,749,000
4,438,000 Reclamation Account - State 2,291,191 4,438,000 4,792,000
4,185,000 Flood Control Assistance Account - State 3,481,048 4,185,000 5,073,000
150,000 Aquatic Lands Enhancement Account - State 150,000 150,000
40,000 St Emergency Water Projects Revolv - State 40,000 40,000
31,117,000 Waste Reduct/Recycle/Litter Control - State 19,739,767 31,117,000 33,739,000
(589,947,000) State Building Construction Account - State 589,947,000 643,556,000
Public Works Assistance Account - State 35,000,000
204,000 (10,884,000) State Drought Preparedness Response - State 11,088,000 13,579,000
186,000 St/Loc Impr Rev Acct Water Sup Fac - State 125,191 186,000 186,000
200,000 (1,416,000) Waste Tire Removal Account - State 1,616,000 1,451,000
Motor Vehicle Account - State
(730,000) Aquatic Algae Control Account - State 446,908 730,000 1,261,000
48,000 Water Rights Tracking System Acct - State 752,508 48,000 48,000
Basic Data Account - State (48,000)
582,000 (8,472,000) Site Closure Account - State 178,031 9,054,000 2,399,000
(35,837,000) Cleanup Settlement Account - State 35,837,000 28,400,000
580,000 Wood Stove Education/Enforcement - State 374,883 580,000 608,000
2,043,000 Worker/Community Right to Know Acct - State 1,371,510 2,043,000 2,238,000
Product Stewardship Programs Acct - State (134,000)
39,000 Water Rights Processing Account - State 39,000 39,000
State Toxics Control Account - State
Local Toxics Control Account - State
49,813,000 Water Quality Permit Account - State 42,711,802 49,813,000 66,337,000
4,204,000 Underground Storage Tank Account - State 1,839,023 4,204,000 5,000,000
2,718,000 Biosolids Permit Account - State 2,144,264 2,718,000 2,894,000
Environ Legacy Stewardship Account - State
7,714,000 Hazardous Waste Assistance Account - State 5,097,264 7,714,000 9,501,000
23,489,000 Radioactive Mixed Waste Acct - State 20,341,039 23,489,000 24,254,000
4,343,000 (17,357,000) Air Pollution Control Account - State 2,934,873 21,700,000 16,685,000
7,233,000 Oil Spill Prevention Account - State 9,221,350 7,233,000 8,567,000
4,994,000 Air Operating Permit Account - State 3,444,759 4,994,000 5,560,000
552,000 Wastewater Treatmt Plant Oper Cert - State 552,000 706,000
(1,700,000) Freshwater Aquatic Weeds Account - State 1,140,279 1,700,000 2,845,000
7,076,000 Oil Spill Response Account - State 5,912,611 7,076,000 2,696,000
(379,815,000) Model Toxics Control Capital Accoun - State 379,815,000 529,373,000
290,424,000 Model Toxics Control Operating Acct - State 222,387,415 290,424,000 335,045,000
8,500,000 (158,589,000) Model Toxics Control Stormwater Acc - State 167,089,000 195,566,000
344,000 Voluntary Cleanup Account - State 344,000 344,000
140,000 Paint Product Stewardship Account - State 36,776 140,000 58,000
382,000 Clean Fuels Program Account - State 382,000 3,434,000
RefrigerantEmissionManagementAcct - State 2,795,000
7,138,000 Climate Investment Account - State 7,138,000 47,513,000
Climate Commitment Account - State 25,458,000
Natural Climate Solutions Account - State 10,517,000
Air Qual Health Disparities Imprv A - State 11,400,000
(7,213,000) Columbia River Basin Water Supply R - State 7,213,000 6,762,000
574,000 Dedicated Cannabis Account - State 784,167 574,000 645,000
Watershed Restor Enhance Bond Acct - State 107,698,000
527,444 527,444 SW Info Tech Sys Dev Rev Acct - State
Pension Funding Stabilization Acct - State 2,797,318
5,462,000 Water Pollution Control Revol Admin - State 3,627,555 5,462,000 8,578,000
104,000 104,000 - State
(751,000,000) Water Pollution Control Revolving - State 751,000,000 998,548,000
Emergency Drought Response Account - State 3,000,000
699,200,144 (2,282,993,856) Total Appropriated Funds 491,290,171 2,982,194,000 3,815,313,000

Non-Appropriated Funds

Capital Budget: Summary

  Appropriated Funds Expenditures
Amount Estimated Balance   Actual Estimated Proposed
22,842,750 22,842,750 General Fund - Federal 10,665,564
161,568,520 161,568,520 Water Pollution Control Revolving - Federal 55,266,000
99,735,670 99,735,670 General Fund - Private/Local 12,774,766
563,951,373 563,951,373 State Building Construction Account - State 186,339,214
10,878,950 10,878,950 State Drought Preparedness Response - State 332,889
295,000 295,000 St/Loc Impr Rev Acct Water Sup Fac - State
1,194,310 1,194,310 Waste Tire Removal Account - State 1,277,322
730,000 730,000 Aquatic Algae Control Account - State
7,857,742 7,857,742 Columbia River Basin Water Supply - State 6,861,524
8,425,571 8,425,571 Site Closure Account - State 66,440
34,488,636 34,488,636 Cleanup Settlement Account - State 6,866,722
State Toxics Control Account - State
Local Toxics Control Account - State
Col River Basin Tax Bond Wtr Sup - State
Environ Legacy Stewardship Account - State
15,840,070 15,840,070 Air Pollution Control Account - State 11,466,081
1,700,000 1,700,000 Freshwater Aquatic Weeds Account - State
375,050,183 375,050,183 Model Toxics Control Capital Accoun - State 34,719,231
155,400,650 155,400,650 Model Toxics Control Stormwater Acc - State 12,744,355
6,621,380 6,621,380 Columbia River Basin Water Supply R - State 1,213,733
14,055,910 14,055,910 State Tax Bld Construction Account - State 492,509
73,411,535 73,411,535 Watershed Restor Enhance Bond Acct - State 20,121,250
743,778,380 743,778,380 Water Pollution Control Revolving - State 100,197,149
2,297,826,630 2,297,826,630 Total Appropriated Funds 461,404,749

Operating Budget: Program Summary

Program Title Actual Estimated Proposed
Actual Estimated Estimated Proposed Proposed
Annual Total 253,515,217 238,725,654 85,112,044 425,113,000 426,146,000

Operating Budget: Change from Preceding Biennium

Actual Estimated Proposed
Amount Percent Amount Percent Amount Percent
243,633,252 98.4% (167,452,473) (34.1%) 527,421,301 162.9%

Employment Summary

  Actual Estimated Proposed
  2020-21 Actual 2021-22 Estimated 2022-23 Estimated 2023-24 Proposed 2024-25 Proposed
FTE Staff Years 1,503.5 1,537.0 1,632.0 2,121.5 2,103.2