Environmental justice assessment notices

Ecology is beginning a rulemaking to amend Chapter 173-166 WAC to streamline administration of emergency drought funding when a drought is declared. As droughts become more common with a changing climate, an updated drought rule will provide increased efficiency and transparency of emergency drought relief when a drought is declared. With the establishment of a permanent source of funding, an update to the rule will help streamline the process to distribute funding upon a drought declaration.

This statewide rule amendment is also intended to consider options to integrate equity strategies into emergency drought funding distribution procedures, including considerations identified under the Healthy Environment for All Act.

Eligible entities for emergency drought funding are (according to law, RCW 43.83B).
• Federally recognized Tribes
• Counties, cities, and towns
• Water and sewer districts
• Public utility districts
• Port districts
• Conservation districts
• Irrigation districts
• Watershed management partnerships

Ecology plans to conduct engagement for this assessment in late winter and early spring 2024 that focuses on assessing impacts to overburdened communities and vulnerable populations, alongside the rulemaking engagement. This will likely include virtual meetings, online public comments, and outreach with community-based organizations, including agricultural related. As Ecology plans out engagement opportunities for this assessment, they will be posted at the link below at the water resources program email list (https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/WAECY/subscriber/new?topic_id=WAECY_154).

The Department of Ecology is considering proposing legislation that would modify the Cap-and-Invest Program to allow linking the Washington’s carbon market with the joint California-Quebec market, creating a single shared market. A legislative proposal will only be put forward for consideration if Ecology’s Director decides to pursue linkage. Parts of the law that might be proposed to be amended include, but are not limited to, changes to purchase limits, auction application timelines, and other provisions

The public may comment at any time by visiting the agency webpage below. The Department will also host two public listening sessions on this agency request legislation on Wednesday, Oct. 25, at 5 p.m and Thursday, Oct. 26, at 9 a.m. More information on the listening session is located on the agency webpage.

Given the mission is simple: to reduce emissions, improve air quality and promote equitable access to electric vehicle charging infrastructure. The program offers $64 million in awards for organizations installing EV chargers at certain sites, with a focus on multifamily housing, publicly available charging and tribal locations.

The Washington Electric Vehicle Charging Program helps fund infrastructure that supports clean transportation in communities across Washington. We’re reducing transportation emissions, improving air quality, and ensuring EV charging access for all.

This new grant program includes program design, project initiation, outreach and technical assistance to the community, award selection, and project implementation to reach the goal of facilitating the installation of at least 200 direct current fast charging (DCFC) ports and 2,000 Level 2 (L2) charging ports across Washington.

Throughout the community engagement, outreach, and technical assistance process, public comment and feedback is being collected with a focus on assessing opportunities, barriers, and mitigation suggestions by participants and the community. EJA OPEN FOR PUBLIC COMMENT AT LINK BELOW Zoom webinar about the program and the EJA: When: Sep 12, 2024 04:00 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada) Topic: WAEVCP EJA Public Comment Webinar Register in advance for this webinar: https://wastatecommerce.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_77dWs2foTc-e5yB9BawHJg

Ecology is developing a new pilot grant initiative focused on local water security preparedness and planning in the context of drought. In 2024, Ecology will make $1.8 million available statewide via competitive grants for Tribes and local applicants to plan for future water security. These plans will identify the specific actions, and associated costs and timeframes, a local community intends to take to increase its water supply security as it faces the burden of intensifying severity and expanding drought conditions as our climate continues to change.

While designed to benefit all members of a given local community, this water security grant program will prioritize the water security for Federally recognized Tribal governments, overburdened communities, and vulnerable populations.

Ecology invites comments and questions from people in overburdened communities and vulnerable populations, including water systems that include overburdened and vulnerable members of that community. Information about the EJ Assessment and the grant program are available on the program website. Members of the public can direct their comments to Caroline Mellor, Water Resources HEAL ACT lead at Caroline.Mellor@ecy.wa.gov.

This bill repeals a statute enacted in 2019 that requires that electric utilities submit to Commerce a calculation of the greenhouse gas content of the electricity they supply to their customers. This report is unnecessary because more complete and stringent reporting requirements were enacted by the Legislature in 2021.

This bill would not result in any positive or negative environmental or health outcomes for communities in Washington and is therefore found to not be SAA. The public may provide comments during committee public hearings in the legislative session, but Commerce does not plan to conduct additional outreach.

Ecology is proposing legislation that would direct the agency to establish a permit program and grant authorization to consider a fee for a “dredge-and-fill” permit that is being developed in response to the recent Supreme Court decision in Sackett v. Environmental Protection Agency

The public may comment at any time by visiting the agency webpage below. The Department will also host two public listening sessions on this agency request legislation on October 5, 2023, at 3:00 pm and 5:30 pm. More information on the listening session is located on the agency webpage.

Ecology is considering amendments to Chapter 173-446 WAC to address new and revised cap and invest offset protocols. Offsets are projects or programs designed to reduce the amount of greenhouse gases (GHGs) in the atmosphere. In Washington’s cap-and-invest program, offset projects must also provide direct environmental benefits to our state. Offsets allow businesses to balance out the negative impacts of their emissions by funding a project that benefits the environment such as capturing methane on dairy farms or planting trees in urban areas. The scope of this rulemaking will include consideration of protocol updates or addition of new protocols to increase the potential variety of offset projects that can be developed within the cap-and-invest program, as directed by RCW 70A.65.170(4)(b). This statute directs Ecology to conduct rulemaking that ensures that any updates or additions to the offset program are both based in the best available science, and support the needs of landowners and communities in Washington state.

Ecology is initiating this environmental justice assessment and the rulemaking process and will provide engagement opportunities that include public meetings and comment periods. As we schedule opportunities for feedback and participation, we will share them through our website and distribution list. Please visit the rulemaking’s webpage or sign up for email updates here: https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/WAECY/subscriber/new?topic_id=WAECY_301. Please contact Nikki Harris at nikki.harris@ecy.wa.gov for comments or questions.

Ecology is considering amendments to chapter 173-446 WAC to address new and revised Cap-and-Invest offset protocols. Offsets are projects or programs designed to reduce the amount of greenhouse gases (GHGs) in the atmosphere. In Washington’s Cap-and-Invest Program, offset projects must also provide direct environmental benefits to our state. Offsets allow businesses to balance out the negative impacts of their emissions by funding a project that benefits the environment. The scope of this rulemaking will include consideration of updates to the US Forest protocol to increase the potential variety of offset projects that can be developed within the Cap-and-Invest Program, as directed by RCW 70A.65.170(4)(b). This statute directs Ecology to conduct rulemaking that ensures that any updates or additions to the offset program are both based in the best available science and support the needs of
landowners and communities in Washington state.

The methods for the public to comment on this rulemaking include one public meeting hosted online via Zoom, two online public comment periods, and an online community forum.

This bill would address embodied carbon by requiring reporting on environmental and workforce impacts associated with the production of building materials used in state building construction projects. The key provisions in this bill include reporting on three categories of building materials (concrete, steel, and wood) used in covered projects, development of a database to track data, manage compliance, and promote transparency, and convening a technical work group to provide recommendations on future policy and program development.

Public comments for Buy Clean and Buy Fair can be directed to seep@commerce.wa.gov. The State Efficiency and Environmental Performance Office (SEEP) will work with the Community Engagement and Tribal Relations teams at Commerce to schedule virtual and in-person outreach and engagement opportunities. Additional details on outreach strategies are included in the environmental justice assessment for Buy Clean and Buy Fair.

This significant agency action establishes permanent funding to prepare for, prevent, detect, contain, and eradicate identified agricultural pest and disease threats before they become established and authorizes funding for WSDA to take immediate actions to build capacity, execute rapid response, and maintain trade resiliency.

Members of the public can direct their comments on this significant agency action to envjustice@agr.wa.gov. Community engagement, particularly in communities identified as overburdened for this significant agency action, will also occur as part of the development of the environmental justice assessment.

This significant agency action moves the authority to conduct lab accreditation of private cannabis laboratories from the Dept. of Ecology to WSDA.

Members of the public can direct their comments on this significant agency action to envjustice@agr.wa.gov. Community engagement, particularly in any communities identified as overburdened for this significant agency action, will also occur as part of the development of the environmental justice assessment.