Notes
Washington State House of Representatives Office of Program Research bill analysis for HB 2070, heard by the Environment & Energy Committee on January 16, 2024. Sponsored by Representatives Mena, Pollet, Fitzgibbon, and others, HB 2070 requires SEPA lead agencies to complete environmental justice impact statements (EJIS) as a supplement to State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) review for new, expanding, or permit-renewal projects located in pollution burdened communities. The bill specifies EJIS contents, public notification and input processes, and mandates lead agencies use substantive SEPA authority to deny or mitigate actions causing adverse environmental or public health stressors. Background references the 2021 Healthy Environment for All Act (SB 5141), the Washington Environmental Health Disparities Map (DOH), RCW, WAC, and federal tools including EPA EJScreen and the CEQ Justice40 mapping tool.