Environmental justice assessment notices

This project will replace the State Route 542 bridge over Glacier Creek in Whatcom County, in the Community of Glacier. The new bridge will connect to the existing Gallop Creek Bridge, and together, these new structures will reduce flood risk, restore salmon habitat, and improve safety for all travelers by including active transportation connections. This project will follow a Complete Streets approach and will require an environmental justice assessment.

TBD; Agency, Tribal and Community engagement will be conducted throughout the project. Specific engagement opportunities will be updated as the project advances. Find more information on the project page linked in the notice title.

Changes to an existing grant program that has environmental impacts.

Virtual listening sessions from May – July 2025. Please sign up for email updates to learn more opportunities to get involved! To schedule a private meeting outside of the virtual listening sessions, or to provide written feedback outside of the survey please email sourcewaterprotection@doh.wa.gov. The draft guidelines will be published to our website in August 2025. There will be a public comment period from August to September. Visit https://doh.wa.gov/community-and-environment/drinking-water/source-water/localassistance-grant-program for information about the Source Water Protection Local Assistance Grant Program, and to stay up to date with grant activities, including public comment opportunities. For questions about the Source Water Protection Local Assistance Grant or the environmental justice assessment, please contact Chelsea Cannard at chelsea.cannard@doh.wa.gov.

The Washington State Department of Health (DOH) is conducting an Environmental Justice Assessment on the Safe Drinking Water Initiative. The Washington State Legislature provided funding in the 2023-2025 biennium to extend outreach and provide education and groundwater testing for nitrate in the Lower Yakima Valley Ground Water Management Area (LYV-GWMA) in Yakima County.

For questions about this environmental justice assessment and current and future opportunities for engagement, please contact Anchee Nitschke Durben at anchee.nitschkedurben@doh.wa.gov

RCW 71.40 Office of Behavioral Health Consumer Advocacy requires Commerce to conduct rulemaking activities for this chapter, including:
(a) Establishing standards for the contracting advocacy organization to use when certifying behavioral health consumer advocates;
(b) Establishing procedures consistent with chapter 202, Laws of 2021 for appropriate access by behavioral health consumer advocates to behavioral health providers or facilities; and
(c) Establishing procedures consistent with RCW 71.40.140 to protect the confidentiality of the records of patients, residents, clients, providers, and complainants.

Rulemaking includes public meetings and hearings. Advisory groups; email comments; GovDelivery emails; Web-based comment form

The Washington State Department of Health (DOH) is conducting an Environmental Justice Assessment on agency-proposed legislation that would change the definition of a “public water system” in RCW 70A.125.010(12) and WAC 246-290-020(1) and 246-291-010(51).

The current definitions of a public drinking water system state that systems “with four or fewer connections all of which serve residences on the same farm” are not subject to regulation, but do not clarify if the exemption applies to Group A or Group B systems . The definitions in our state laws and rules need to be as strict as the federal Safe Drinking Water Act to ensure all water systems that meet the Group A threshold are regulated as Group A public water systems, without exception.

We need a change in legislation (RCW) to allow clarification in state rules (WAC). This rule revision will:
• Align state and federal definitions of a “public water system”,
• Further clarify the difference between a Group A public water system and a Group B public water system, and
• Clarify exclusions only from a Group B public water system for four or fewer connections to single-family residences on the same farm.

Community members will have an opportunity to engage with this EJA through public comment periods, surveys, and direct outreach/listening sessions. Community members will be notified of opportunities to engage through the distribution of One-pagers, Radio Announcements, Newsletters and other outreach methods.

The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) was directed by the legislature to create a statewide e-bike lending library grant program for various government entities and tribes who administer or plan to administer an e-bike lending library or ownership program for their employees as part of their commute trip reduction goals. The department can also grant nonprofits and tribes who serve low-income communities and people living in overburdened communities. Grantees must agree to work with University of Washington to provide research data on mode shifts and vehicle miles travelled at a minimum.

The public will learn about comment opportunities through blog posts, press releases, WSDOT webpage and newsletter articles (existing Walk and Roll publication that has provided regular active transportation information since 2018) and community outreach. One to one outreach will be conducted with organizations and government entities across the state to learn what this opportunity means to them and how it could benefit their communities. Two virtual sessions are planned for potential grantees to bring their comments, suggestions and ideas on the grant process. Feedback from these will help inform the application process and program design. Additional comment or engagement opportunities will be updated as the project advances. Grant application will require grantees to conduct community engagement to guide their project design. The public will be able to provide comment throughout the project period via telephone, email, surveys, and opportunities to take part in research. Public comments for this EJA can be submitted to Adele Peers. If future funding is available for this project, the community feedback that was received will inform both the ways the public learns about comment opportunities and the methods for receiving comment. Public comments for this EJA can be submitted to Adele.peers@wsdot.wa.gov with the subject: “EJA – E-bike Lending Libraries”

Last year, the Washington Department of Ecology initiated a rulemaking process to consider amendments to Chapter 173-446 WAC and Chapter 173-441 WAC that would facilitate the option of linking Washington’s carbon market with the California-Québec carbon market. We are announcing a new rulemaking today that replaces the previous rulemaking and expands the scope to include other necessary updates to the Cap-and-Invest program rules.

In this new rulemaking, as required by the Climate Commitment Act (CCA) RCW 70A.65, the Department of Ecology is still exploring the option of linking Washington’s Cap-and-Invest carbon market with the California-Québec carbon market. This linkage would create a unified carbon market across the three jurisdictions so allowances issued by California and Québec could be used by Washington businesses for compliance, and vice versa. Linkage would also allow for joint allowance auctions, a common allowance price, and the free trading of allowances between jurisdictions.

This rulemaking is needed to update Chapter 173-446 WAC and Chapter 173-441 WAC in line with these legislative changes and make other updates to ensure the rules are consistent with a potential linked market. The rule changes will not in themselves automatically establish linkage but will set the stage for future actions, such as signing a formal linkage agreement.

Additionally, The Climate Commitment Act Program Rule requires the adoption of allowance budgets for the second compliance period (2027–2030), ensuring that emissions reductions align with Washington’s 2030, 2040, and 2050 greenhouse gas emissions limits. This rule will also add one additional sector —waste to energy—to coverage under cap-and-invest as required by statute.

Pursuant to the Climate Commitment Act Program Rule, Ecology will also modify and adopt rules to continue to address topics associated with imported electricity and centralized electricity markets. Ecology will consider rules relevant to allowance allocation to electric utilities.

Through this rulemaking, Ecology will make updates as necessary to improve implementation of the Cap-and-Invest Program and to ensure the rule aligns with statute.

Ecology is initiating this environmental justice assessment and the rulemaking process and will provide engagement opportunities that include public meetings and comment periods. Ecology plans to conduct public engagement, with outreach focused on people from overburdened communities and vulnerable populations for the purpose of developing the environmental justice assessment for this rule. Ecology will also hold Tribal forums and invite government-to-government consultation with Tribes. Ecology conducted engagement for the Linkage rulemaking and the comments gathered during that process will also be used to inform this Environmental Justice Assessment. Ecology is also available to meet with individual organizations and groups at their request during the rulemaking process. As we schedule opportunities for feedback and participation, we will share them through our website and distribution list. Please visit the rulemaking’s webpage for updates. Please contact Surabhi Subedi, Climate Pollution Reduction Program Rulemaking Planner, at CPRRulemaking@ecy.wa.gov

Commerce and tribal leaders are developing the Tribal Electric Boats Program (TEBP) to fund the purchase of new electric boats as well as electrification and hybridization projects. Eligible applicants are tribal governments, tribal enterprises, and tribal citizens with tribal government support. The intent of the proviso is to decarbonize tribal marine vessels for fishing and related purposes (enforcement, patrol, research, etc.).

Email comments; GovDelivery emails; Stakeholder Interviews; Web-based comment form; Other

Commerce was tasked with implement the provisions of RCW 36.70B.241. The Legislature allocated $1.5 million for this purpose. Approximately $330,000 was available in unused funds to supplement this grant. This grant is intended to facilitate the conversion of city and county permit systems from paper based to fully digital systems. For example, some jurisdictions currently require paper applications with physical blueprints and internal paper routing and filing systems. These grants will help jurisdictions move to digital intake and processing allowing for remote applications and corrections and well as streamlined internal approval. This will help reduce the amount of time needed to approve permits and facilitate new residential construction.

Submit to allan.johnson@commerce.wa.gov

Proviso funding will help establish a circular economy market development initiative and expand industrial symbiosis projects across Washington. By combining these funds ($390k) with the existing Industrial Symbiosis Grant Program administered for Fiscal Year 2025, two additional circular market projects are supported. The awarded funds help divert industrial waste for reuse through innovation into valuable new products. A strong circular market reduces environmental impacts, builds a resilient supply chain, and creates jobs

Public comments period on the draft EJA has opened 4/29/25: https://deptofcommerce.box.com/s/ra3ya1aram86p19q7qtnb9yugj7r3nc2. Past opportunities included the Community Involvement Listening Session on March 18 and March 20 as well as the Tribal Briefing in April 2025.

WSDOT has been directed by the legislature to create a statewide rebate program for purchase of class 1, 2 or 3 e-bike purchases (excluding mountain e-bikes). The program is open to all Washington residents and will allocate 60% of vouchers to those who identify as income verified (meaning they live in a tax household at or below 80% of the median county income level). Additionally, minimum 35% of vouchers will go to those living in overburdened communities. Income verified participants will be required to provide supporting documentation as part of their application. Bike shop owners will be required to validate the applicants’ voucher and eligible ID when redeeming vouchers.

The public will learn about comment opportunities through blog posts, press releases, WSDOT webpage and newsletter articles (existing Walk and Roll publication that has provided regular active transportation information since 2018) and community outreach. Specific comment or engagement opportunities will be updated as the project advances. The public will be able to provide comment throughout the project period via telephone, email, surveys, and opportunities to take part in research. Public comments for this environmental justice assessment (EJA) can be submitted to Adele Peers. If future funding is available for this project, the community feedback that was received will inform both the ways the public learns about comment opportunities and the methods for receiving comment. Public comments for this EJA can be submitted to Adele.peers@wsdot.wa.gov with the subject: “EJA – E-bike Rebate”