Environmental justice assessment notices
The Healthy Environment for All Act (HEAL Act) requires specific state agencies to conduct an environmental justice assessment for significant agency actions.
- The development and adoption of significant legislative rules as defined in RCW 34.05.328.
- The development and adoption of any new grant or loan program that the agency is explicitly authorized or required by statute to implement.
- A capital project, grant, or loan award costing at least $12,000,000.
- A transportation project, grant, or loan costing at least $15,000,000.
- The submission of agency request legislation to the Office of the Governor or OFM for approval.
An environmental justice assessment is a process to:
- identify and assess the impacts of a significant agency action on overburdened communities, vulnerable populations, and Tribes;
- solicit community and tribal input in the development of the action and on options to mitigate, reduce or eliminate harms and equitably distribute benefits associated with the action;
- report on how the agency did or did not modify the action based upon community and tribal input.
The goal of an EJ assessment is to help a state agency make decisions and to assist with:
- equitably distributing environmental benefits;
- reducing environmental harms;
- identifying and reducing environmental and health disparities through the implementation of the action.
Agencies covered by the HEAL Act or who have opted in to the HEAL Act requirements include these departments:
- Agriculture (WSDA)
- Commerce
- Ecology
- Health (DOH)
- Natural Resources (DNR)
- Transportation (WSDOT)
- Office of the Attorney General
- Puget Sound Partnership (PSP)
Under RCW 70A.02.090 each covered agency must file a notice with us of significant agency actions for which the agency is initiating an environmental justice assessment. We prepare a list of all filings received from covered agencies each week to post here every Friday.
Below is list of state agency environmental justice assessments that you can filter by agency or type of action or use the search bar to find certain terms. Select the “+” symbol for descriptions of the action, how the public can provide input, and a link to the EJ assessment when completed. For a dashboard summarizing the assessments received to date, see the HEAL Act dashboards.
EJA Notices Table
This section of State Route 7 between SR 507 and 99th Street South is part of a WSDOT preservation project. The Preservation Program helps keep roads safe and in good condition. This part of SR 7 needs to be repaved. Repaving helps protect the roadway and helps reduce the potential for more expensive repairs later. This pre-design will identify transportation improvements to go along with the paving. These may include Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accessibility upgrades and changes to support people who walk, roll, take transit and drive.
- Review project updates and reach out to contacts on the webpage linked above
- SR 7 Partner Group meetings
- Community-based organization interviews and listening sessions
- Community pop-up events
- Online engagement webpage and in-person open houses with embedded questionnaire
Transportation is Washington’s largest source of greenhouse gas emissions and decarbonizing this sector is critical to meeting our climate targets, as well as improving air quality. Given the uncertainty caused by federal actions to end federal and state vehicle emission standards, Washington is positioned to further incentivize zero-emissions vehicle adoption. This proposal would amend chapter 70A.30 RCW and related statutes to advance zero-emissions vehicle adoption, thereby furthering the state’s progress on transportation decarbonization, transportation affordability, and improving air quality. This proposal is a draft and is not considered agency request legislation until approved by the Governor’s Office.
Ecology plans to conduct robust public engagement and outreach in the summer of 2026. We will conduct outreach specifically to members of Tribes, overburdened communities and vulnerable populations for the purpose of developing an environmental justice assessment and informing development of our proposals. We will offer government-to-government consultation with Tribes and hold a Tribal Forum to discuss our proposals. We intend to provide individual and small group meetings for stakeholder groups and other interested parties.
Washington’s Safer Products for Washington program authorizes Ecology to adopt rules restricting dangerous chemicals in consumer products when safer alternatives are available. The agency is considering a proposal that would strengthen this program. Our proposal considers expanding Ecology’s authority under Chapter 70A.350 RCW to order manufacturers to provide data about ingredients in their products and potential safer alternatives, which will help inform decisions about product restrictions. The proposal also includes provisions to create a fast-track to quickly restrict certain chemicals in consumer products when there is an urgent need for restrictions, and to create a pathway, under certain criteria, for restricting certain chemical-product combinations even when safer alternatives are not proven to be feasible or available. This proposal is a draft and is not considered agency request legislation until approved by the Governor’s Office.
Ecology plans to conduct robust public engagement and outreach in the summer of 2026. We will conduct outreach specifically to members of Tribes, overburdened communities and vulnerable populations for the purpose of developing an environmental justice assessment and informing development of our proposals. We will offer government-to-government consultation with Tribes and hold a Tribal Forum to discuss our proposals. We intend to provide individual and small group meetings for stakeholder groups and other interested parties.
To ensure that hazardous waste is safely managed, Ecology charges fees to Washington businesses that generate dangerous waste. These fees have not been meaningfully updated since 1990. The fees are inequitably distributed amongst businesses, don’t incentivize waste reduction, and are insufficient to adequately fund Ecology’s pollution prevention work. Ecology is proposing a substantial revision to how hazardous waste fees are assessed. The proposal would update Chapter 70A.350 RCW to remove the fee structure from statute and direct Ecology to develop a new, more equitable fee system through rulemaking with interested parties. This proposal is a draft and is not considered agency request legislation until approved by the Governor’s Office.
Ecology plans to conduct robust public engagement and outreach in the summer of 2026. We will conduct outreach specifically to members of Tribes, overburdened communities and vulnerable populations for the purpose of developing an environmental justice assessment and informing development of our proposals. We will offer government-to-government consultation with Tribes and hold a Tribal Forum to discuss our proposals. We intend to provide individual and small group meetings for stakeholder groups and other interested parties.
Ecology’s Water Resources Program is proposing an update to chapter 18.104 RCW related to well construction and well driller licensing. This proposal will make process improvements for well driller licensing renewals, well tagging and reporting requirements, and Notice of Intent forms which are submitted to Ecology at least 72 hours prior to drilling. The proposal will also update the fees Ecology levies for well construction for the first time since 2005 to recover program implementation costs, thereby ensuring a high level of customer service. This proposal is a draft and is not considered agency request legislation until approved by the Governor’s Office.
Ecology plans to conduct robust public engagement and outreach in the summer of 2026. We will conduct outreach specifically to members of Tribes, overburdened communities and vulnerable populations for the purpose of developing an environmental justice assessment and informing development of our proposals. We will offer government-to-government consultation with Tribes and hold a Tribal Forum to discuss our proposals. We intend to provide individual and small group meetings for stakeholder groups and other interested parties.
The State of Washington designated Frontier One and Frontier Two counties of importance in ESHB 1835 – Session Law on June 6, 2024, and amended RCW 43.160.020 and included it in Commerce’s definitions in RCW 43.330.010 for special consideration for diversified economic development and job creation as areas impacted by cutbacks in old growth timber sales.
The latest proviso changes in the short session for Supplemental FY27 ESSB 5998 struck out underlying former proviso language around Associate Development Organization (ADO) base (up to $50k) and match funding (up to $1 for rural), reverting Commerce to the RCW 43.330.086 (BEDROCK) base and match funding amount ($40k, up to $.90 match).
As a result, while the Legislature cut $152,000 of funding to ADOs compared to FY26, due to the constraints of the RCW 43.330.086 as written, Commerce was forced to disproportionately take the vast bulk of those cuts from the least populous (aka Frontier One & Frontier Two) counties, resulting in those two areas absorbing over 90% of the cuts. The solution is simply to provide Commerce the option of considering all factors when allocating funds to each county.
We propose doing this by raising the per capita match rate for the Frontier One counties up to $5.00 per capita and up to $4.00 per capita for the Frontier Two counties, and up to $1.00 per capita for all other rural counties- as well as the frontier county base rate as up to $60,000. We need this bill to ensure a fair and equitable process so we can provide adequate funding to these less populated counties who are tasked with doing the exact same work including the same core deliverables, as their non-rural counterparts, while having less resources and fewer opportunities to raise additional funding.
Virtual Sessions
Topics within Local Government, Economic Development and Energy Divisions will be covered at the following times:
- Register for the July 28 11:30 a.m. virtual meeting (on Zoom)
- Register for the July 28 5:30 p.m. virtual meeting (on Zoom)
Topics within Community Services, Overall Agency, and Housing will be covered at the following times:
- Register for the July 30 11:30 a.m. virtual meeting (on Zoom)
- Register for the July 30 5:30 p.m. virtual meeting (on Zoom)
Audiences for these sessions include households, community leaders, elected officials, business owners, etc.
In-Person Sessions
- Spokane – Tuesday, July 21 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
- Kennewick – Wednesday, July 22 10:00 a.m. – 1 p.m.
- Vancouver – Thursday, July 23 10:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.
Attend any session to provide input on proposals. Input will be received in groups by Division in hourly blocks:
- Hour 1: Local Government/Capital Programs
- Hour 2: Economic Development, Energy
- Hour 3: Community Services, Overall Agency (Inc. Childcare), Housing
In-person session locations will be provided with registration confirmation and meeting materials.
Audiences for these in-person sessions include Tribes, local government, economic development, faith- and community-based organizations, education, social services, health care, business, law enforcement and all other sectors.
Additional details
- Community compensation is available to those who qualify.
- Community members can be compensated for one session per day.
- Spanish interpretation will be available at each session
The Equitable Access to Credit Program (2022 HB1015, RCW 43.390.020) tax preference expires July 1, 2027. The Equitable Access to Credit program expands access to capital for small businesses and underserved communities by leveraging private contributions to fund grant-making activities. This is a well-established program that builds on current state B&O tax credit funding instrument to support Community Development Financial Institutions make loans and provide technical assistance and small business training programs to support tribal, rural and underbanked communities with access to credit and capital.
- RCW 82.04.449 Credit – Equitable access to credit program (Expires July 1, 2027)
- RCW 43.390.020 Equitable access to credit program
Virtual Sessions
Topics within Local Government, Economic Development and Energy Divisions will be covered at the following times:
- Register for the July 28 11:30 a.m. virtual meeting (on Zoom)
- Register for the July 28 5:30 p.m. virtual meeting (on Zoom)
Topics within Community Services, Overall Agency, and Housing will be covered at the following times:
- Register for the July 30 11:30 a.m. virtual meeting (on Zoom)
- Register for the July 30 5:30 p.m. virtual meeting (on Zoom)
Audiences for these sessions include households, community leaders, elected officials, business owners, etc.
In-Person Sessions
- Spokane – Tuesday, July 21 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
- Kennewick – Wednesday, July 22 10:00 a.m. – 1 p.m.
- Vancouver – Thursday, July 23 10:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.
Attend any session to provide input on proposals. Input will be received in groups by Division in hourly blocks:
- Hour 1: Local Government/Capital Programs
- Hour 2: Economic Development, Energy
- Hour 3: Community Services, Overall Agency (Inc. Childcare), Housing
In-person session locations will be provided with registration confirmation and meeting materials.
Audiences for these in-person sessions include Tribes, local government, economic development, faith- and community-based organizations, education, social services, health care, business, law enforcement and all other sectors.
Additional details
- Community compensation is available to those who qualify.
- Community members can be compensated for one session per day.
- Spanish interpretation will be available at each session
The Small Business Resiliency Network (SBRN) is a community‑driven, trusted‑messenger network operating under an inclusive structure co-governance model where community-led organizations fill gaps where traditional systems have not been able to reach small businesses. These by-and-for organizations understand the cultural nuances, language access needs, and relationship-building required to provide culturally appropriate and trusted customer service that is person-focused to support underserved and underestimated entrepreneurs with government resources and business support. SBRN Partners do this work, often without stable funding or recognition as legitimate economic development partners. Codifying SBRN acknowledges the value of this existing community-led infrastructure and creates a long-term statewide system that supports both the nonprofit organizations providing this work and the small businesses relying on it. It ensures entrepreneurs across Washington have ongoing access to culturally responsive support that helps them build resilience, stability, and long-term economic growth.
Virtual Sessions
Topics within Local Government, Economic Development and Energy Divisions will be covered at the following times:
- Register for the July 28 11:30 a.m. virtual meeting (on Zoom)
- Register for the July 28 5:30 p.m. virtual meeting (on Zoom)
Topics within Community Services, Overall Agency, and Housing will be covered at the following times:
- Register for the July 30 11:30 a.m. virtual meeting (on Zoom)
- Register for the July 30 5:30 p.m. virtual meeting (on Zoom)
Audiences for these sessions include households, community leaders, elected officials, business owners, etc.
In-Person Sessions
- Spokane – Tuesday, July 21 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
- Kennewick – Wednesday, July 22 10:00 a.m. – 1 p.m.
- Vancouver – Thursday, July 23 10:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.
Attend any session to provide input on proposals. Input will be received in groups by Division in hourly blocks:
- Hour 1: Local Government/Capital Programs
- Hour 2: Economic Development, Energy
- Hour 3: Community Services, Overall Agency (Inc. Childcare), Housing
In-person session locations will be provided with registration confirmation and meeting materials.
Audiences for these in-person sessions include Tribes, local government, economic development, faith- and community-based organizations, education, social services, health care, business, law enforcement and all other sectors.
Additional details
- Community compensation is available to those who qualify.
- Community members can be compensated for one session per day.
- Spanish interpretation will be available at each session
Carbon capture, storage, and utilization (CCUS) is a technological approach for preventing climate-damaging carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from entering the atmosphere by trapping CO2 before it is emitted. For CCUS to be effective the trapped carbon dioxide must be prevented from being re-released back into the atmosphere shortly after capture (which occurs with using the gas in beverages, for example). This is done by permanently sequestering the captured carbon underground or utilizing it to make products like building materials that trap the carbon.
This concept would put in place methods by which electric utilities could count electrical generation for which the associated greenhouse gas emissions are addressed appropriately through CCUS technology as “non-emitting” generation for compliance purposes with the Clean Energy Transformation Act (CETA) and its clean electricity mandate, with the remainder remaining “emitting” generation. This proportional approach maintains the integrity of the “non-emitting” generation category in CETA with a minimum of changes to the CETA law. In short, generation for which the harmful greenhouse gas emissions are captured and eliminated from entering the atmosphere would be considered zero emissions, while any remaining generation which is not dealt with by the technology would remain as fossil-fuel generated electricity under CETA.
Virtual Sessions
Topics within Local Government, Economic Development and Energy Divisions will be covered at the following times:
- Register for the July 28 11:30 a.m. virtual meeting (on Zoom)
- Register for the July 28 5:30 p.m. virtual meeting (on Zoom)
Topics within Community Services, Overall Agency, and Housing will be covered at the following times:
- Register for the July 30 11:30 a.m. virtual meeting (on Zoom)
- Register for the July 30 5:30 p.m. virtual meeting (on Zoom)
Audiences for these sessions include households, community leaders, elected officials, business owners, etc.
In-Person Sessions
- Spokane – Tuesday, July 21 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
- Kennewick – Wednesday, July 22 10:00 a.m. – 1 p.m.
- Vancouver – Thursday, July 23 10:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.
Attend any session to provide input on proposals. Input will be received in groups by Division in hourly blocks:
- Hour 1: Local Government/Capital Programs
- Hour 2: Economic Development, Energy
- Hour 3: Community Services, Overall Agency (Inc. Childcare), Housing
In-person session locations will be provided with registration confirmation and meeting materials.
Audiences for these in-person sessions include Tribes, local government, economic development, faith- and community-based organizations, education, social services, health care, business, law enforcement and all other sectors.
Additional details
- Community compensation is available to those who qualify.
- Community members can be compensated for one session per day.
- Spanish interpretation will be available at each session
Amend RCW chapter 43.185C to:
- Ensure consistency in program language
- Broaden the participation of relevant interested parties in the statewide strategic plan
- Eliminate redundant reporting the years a new strategic plan is released
- Eliminate subsections that discuss programs that no longer exist
Virtual Sessions
Topics within Local Government, Economic Development and Energy Divisions will be covered at the following times:
- Register for the July 28 11:30 a.m. virtual meeting (on Zoom)
- Register for the July 28 5:30 p.m. virtual meeting (on Zoom)
Topics within Community Services, Overall Agency, and Housing will be covered at the following times:
- Register for the July 30 11:30 a.m. virtual meeting (on Zoom)
- Register for the July 30 5:30 p.m. virtual meeting (on Zoom)
Audiences for these sessions include households, community leaders, elected officials, business owners, etc.
In-Person Sessions
- Spokane – Tuesday, July 21 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
- Kennewick – Wednesday, July 22 10:00 a.m. – 1 p.m.
- Vancouver – Thursday, July 23 10:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.
Attend any session to provide input on proposals. Input will be received in groups by Division in hourly blocks:
- Hour 1: Local Government/Capital Programs
- Hour 2: Economic Development, Energy
- Hour 3: Community Services, Overall Agency (Inc. Childcare), Housing
In-person session locations will be provided with registration confirmation and meeting materials.
Audiences for these in-person sessions include Tribes, local government, economic development, faith- and community-based organizations, education, social services, health care, business, law enforcement and all other sectors.
Additional details
- Community compensation is available to those who qualify.
- Community members can be compensated for one session per day.
- Spanish interpretation will be available at each session
Amend RCW 43.03.220 (public records act) to:
- Identify participants on advisory boards as volunteers / class 1 work groups
- Exempt certain information about volunteers from public disclosure:
- Residential address
- Phone numbers
- Personal email addresses
- Social security numbers
- Drivers’ license / ID card numbers
- Emergency contact information
- All of the above information of dependents
Virtual Sessions
Topics within Local Government, Economic Development and Energy Divisions will be covered at the following times:
- Register for the July 28 11:30 a.m. virtual meeting (on Zoom)
- Register for the July 28 5:30 p.m. virtual meeting (on Zoom)
Topics within Community Services, Overall Agency, and Housing will be covered at the following times:
- Register for the July 30 11:30 a.m. virtual meeting (on Zoom)
- Register for the July 30 5:30 p.m. virtual meeting (on Zoom)
Audiences for these sessions include households, community leaders, elected officials, business owners, etc.
In-Person Sessions
- Spokane – Tuesday, July 21 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
- Kennewick – Wednesday, July 22 10:00 a.m. – 1 p.m.
- Vancouver – Thursday, July 23 10:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.
Attend any session to provide input on proposals. Input will be received in groups by Division in hourly blocks:
- Hour 1: Local Government/Capital Programs
- Hour 2: Economic Development, Energy
- Hour 3: Community Services, Overall Agency (Inc. Childcare), Housing
In-person session locations will be provided with registration confirmation and meeting materials.
Audiences for these in-person sessions include Tribes, local government, economic development, faith- and community-based organizations, education, social services, health care, business, law enforcement and all other sectors.
Additional details
- Community compensation is available to those who qualify.
- Community members can be compensated for one session per day.
- Spanish interpretation will be available at each session