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, climate impacts, 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 waste, 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 | 1,109,822,000 |
|---|---|
| Net change from current biennium | 159,637,000 Increase |
| Percent change from current biennium | 16.8% Increase |
Operating Budget: Summary
Appropriated Funds
| 2023-25 Appropriations | Appropriated Funds | Expenditures | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amount | Estimated Balance | 2021-23 Actual | 2023-25 Estimated | 2025-27 Proposed | |
| 145,441,000 | General Fund - Federal | 63,627,611 | 145,441,000 | 245,742,000 | |
| 29,544,000 | General Fund - Private/Local | 17,379,729 | 29,544,000 | 39,691,000 | |
| 1,000,000 | Model Toxics Control Operating Acct - Private/Local | 1,000,000 | 499,000 | ||
| (170,000) | Basic Data Account - Nonappropriated | 7,709 | 170,000 | 170,000 | |
| (898,000) | Electronic Products Recycling Acct - Nonappropriated | 448,878 | 898,000 | 916,000 | |
| (252,000) | Product Stewardship Programs Acct - Nonappropriated | 42,099 | 252,000 | 254,000 | |
| State Agency Ofc Relocat Pool Acct - Nonappropriated | |||||
| Photovoltaic Module Recycling Acct - Nonappropriated | |||||
| Watershed Restoration Enhance Acct - Nonappropriated | |||||
| (1,125,000) | Recycled Content Account - Nonappropriated | 462,076 | 1,125,000 | 1,151,000 | |
| State Agency Parking Account - Nonappropriated | (4) | ||||
| Responsible Battery Management Acc - Nonappropriated | 673,000 | ||||
| (1,064,000) | Coastal Protection Account - Nonappropriated | 745,061 | 1,064,000 | 1,064,000 | |
| Info Tech Invest Rev Acct - Nonappropriated | |||||
| 78,781,000 | General Fund - State | 82,426,084 | 78,781,000 | 82,301,000 | |
| 4,785,000 | Reclamation Account - State | 2,667,287 | 4,785,000 | 4,966,000 | |
| 5,252,000 | Flood Control Assistance Account - State | 3,746,581 | 5,252,000 | 5,176,000 | |
| 150,000 | Aquatic Lands Enhancement Account - State | 145,500 | 150,000 | 692,000 | |
| 40,000 | St Emergency Water Projects Revolv - State | 40,000 | 40,000 | ||
| 33,999,000 | Waste Reduct/Recycle/Litter Control - State | 28,561,520 | 33,999,000 | 42,269,000 | |
| 2,219,000 | State Drought Preparedness Account - State | 2,219,000 | 224,000 | ||
| 186,000 | St/Loc Impr Rev Acct Water Sup Fac - State | 63,295 | 186,000 | 186,000 | |
| Aquatic Algae Control Account - State | |||||
| 48,000 | Water Rights Tracking System Acct - State | 48,000 | 48,000 | ||
| 582,000 | Site Closure Account - State | 169,471 | 582,000 | 582,000 | |
| 605,000 | Wood Stove Education/Enforcement - State | 469,237 | 605,000 | 739,000 | |
| 2,222,000 | Worker/Community Right to Know Acct - State | 1,425,547 | 2,222,000 | 2,283,000 | |
| 39,000 | Water Rights Processing Account - State | 39,000 | 39,000 | ||
| 67,216,000 | Water Quality Permit Account - State | 44,790,566 | 67,216,000 | 75,696,000 | |
| 5,032,000 | Underground Storage Tank Account - State | 1,974,125 | 5,032,000 | 5,209,000 | |
| 3,068,000 | 195,000 | Biosolids Permit Account - State | 2,200,561 | 2,873,000 | 3,165,000 |
| 9,476,000 | Hazardous Waste Assistance Account - State | 6,440,193 | 9,476,000 | 11,751,000 | |
| 24,455,000 | Radioactive Mixed Waste Acct - State | 21,424,325 | 24,455,000 | 28,088,000 | |
| 4,926,000 | 372,000 | Air Pollution Control Account - State | 3,058,994 | 4,554,000 | 6,017,000 |
| 9,132,000 | Oil Spill Prevention Account - State | 5,489,547 | 9,132,000 | 11,249,000 | |
| 5,593,000 | Air Operating Permit Account - State | 3,201,285 | 5,593,000 | 6,093,000 | |
| 804,000 | 100,000 | Wastewater Treatmt Plant Oper Cert - State | 444,094 | 704,000 | 840,000 |
| Freshwater Aquatic Weeds Account - State | |||||
| 7,076,000 | 4,380,000 | Oil Spill Response Account - State | 1,230,125 | 2,696,000 | 7,076,000 |
| 15,715,000 | Model Toxics Control Capital Accoun - State | 15,715,000 | 15,715,000 | ||
| 350,730,000 | Model Toxics Control Operating Acct - State | 257,259,915 | 350,730,000 | 362,339,000 | |
| 16,992,000 | Model Toxics Control Stormwater Acc - State | 7,891,105 | 16,992,000 | 17,459,000 | |
| 344,000 | Voluntary Cleanup Account - State | 149,516 | 344,000 | 381,000 | |
| 151,000 | 82,000 | Paint Product Stewardship Account - State | 31,583 | 69,000 | 155,000 |
| 5,003,000 | Clean Fuels Program Account - State | 217,360 | 5,003,000 | 5,815,000 | |
| 3,121,000 | RefrigerantEmissionManagementAcct - State | 3,121,000 | 4,411,000 | ||
| 4,000,000 | Carbon Emissions Reduction Account - State | 4,000,000 | 4,000,000 | ||
| 60,877,000 | Climate Investment Account - State | 1,685,309 | 60,877,000 | 68,987,000 | |
| 25,152,000 | Climate Commitment Account - State | 25,152,000 | 17,539,000 | ||
| 16,408,000 | Natural Climate Solutions Account - State | 16,408,000 | 15,490,000 | ||
| 6,000,000 | 3,000,000 | Emergency Drought Response Account - State | 3,000,000 | 3,000,000 | |
| Dedicated Cannabis Account - State | 349,667 | ||||
| 471,000 | 471,000 | SW Info Tech Sys Dev Rev Acct - State | 400,063 | ||
| Pension Funding Stabilization Acct - State | |||||
| 8,641,000 | Water Pollution Control Revol Admin - State | 4,303,149 | 8,641,000 | 9,642,000 | |
| Salary/Insurance Contrib Increase R - State | 90,074 | ||||
| 955,276,000 | 5,091,000 | Total Appropriated Funds | 565,019,240 | 950,185,000 | 1,109,822,000 |
Non-Appropriated Funds
Capital Budget: Summary
| Appropriated Funds | Expenditures | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amount | Estimated Balance | Actual | Estimated | Proposed | |
| (4,203,000) | Columbia River Basin Water Supply - | 4,203,000 | 3,833,000 | ||
| (10,654,000) | State Tax Bld Construction Account - | 10,654,000 | 10,284,000 | ||
| 44,306,829 | (171) | General Fund - Federal | 7,069,322 | 44,307,000 | 45,208,000 |
| 207,864,520 | (480) | Water Pollution Control Revolving - Federal | 78,704,000 | 207,865,000 | 369,257,000 |
| 83,575,005 | 5 | General Fund - Private/Local | 16,160,665 | 83,575,000 | 73,602,000 |
| 588,485,363 | 1,363 | State Building Construction Account - State | 237,804,720 | 588,484,000 | 779,070,000 |
| Public Works Assistance Account - State | 41,000,000 | ||||
| 10,858,241 | 241 | State Drought Preparedness Account - State | 20,709 | 10,858,000 | 10,105,000 |
| 295,000 | 295,000 | St/Loc Impr Rev Acct Water Sup Fac - State | |||
| 1,122,140 | 140 | Waste Tire Removal Account - State | 1,072,170 | 1,122,000 | 1,346,000 |
| 1,120,607 | (393) | Aquatic Algae Control Account - State | 319,393 | 1,121,000 | 1,052,000 |
| 4,203,127 | 4,203,127 | Columbia River Basin Water Supply - State | 3,654,615 | ||
| 1,644,167 | 167 | Site Closure Account - State | 281,404 | 1,644,000 | 1,527,000 |
| 26,541,900 | (100) | Cleanup Settlement Account - State | 9,241,939 | 26,542,000 | 20,300,000 |
| 8,610,798 | 798 | Air Pollution Control Account - State | 7,229,272 | 8,610,000 | 2,808,000 |
| 2,479,327 | 327 | Freshwater Aquatic Weeds Account - State | 920,673 | 2,479,000 | 2,445,000 |
| 509,836,938 | 2,938 | Model Toxics Control Capital Accoun - State | 80,302,479 | 509,834,000 | 536,434,000 |
| 163,510,127 | 127 | Model Toxics Control Stormwater Acc - State | 44,384,104 | 163,510,000 | 193,520,000 |
| 15,000,000 | Climate Commitment Account - State | 15,000,000 | 14,647,000 | ||
| 17,592,000 | Natural Climate Solutions Account - State | 17,592,000 | 17,234,000 | ||
| 21,800,000 | Air Qual Health Disparities Imprv A - State | 21,800,000 | 21,007,000 | ||
| 6,238,456 | (544) | Columbia River Basin Water Supply R - State | 1,882,724 | 6,239,000 | 6,478,000 |
| 10,654,000 | 10,654,000 | State Tax Bld Construction Account - State | 151,657 | ||
| 104,592,905 | (95) | Watershed Restor Enhance Bond Acct - State | 8,818,630 | 104,593,000 | 130,384,000 |
| 958,940,766 | (234) | Water Pollution Control Revolving - State | 249,483,314 | 958,941,000 | 1,034,910,000 |
| 2,789,272,216 | 299,216 | Total Appropriated Funds | 747,501,791 | 2,788,973,000 | 3,316,451,000 |
Operating Budget: Program Summary
| Program Title | Actual | Estimated | Proposed | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Actual | Estimated | Estimated | Proposed | Proposed | |
| Annual Total | 326,293,586 | 334,415,148 | 140,000,505 | 557,389,000 | 555,433,000 |
Operating Budget: Change from Preceding Biennium
| Actual | Estimated | Proposed | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amount | Percent | Amount | Percent | Amount | Percent |
| 82,116,898 | 17.0% | (90,603,586) | (16.0%) | 638,406,346 | 134.6% |
Employment Summary
| Actual | Estimated | Proposed | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022-23 Actual | 2023-24 Estimated | 2024-25 Estimated | 2025-26 Proposed | 2026-27 Proposed | |
| FTE Staff Years | 1,683.7 | 1,838.3 | 1,943.5 | 2,300.8 | 2,274.3 |
