AN ACT Relating to increasing environmental justice by improving 1 government decisions; amending RCW 70A.15.2210; adding new sections 2 to chapter 43.21C RCW; and creating a new section.3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:4 NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The purpose of this act is to reduce the 5 disparities in cumulative environmental and health impacts in 6 Washington and improve the health of all Washington residents.7 NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. A new section is added to chapter 43.21C 8 RCW to read as follows:9 (1)(a) The department of ecology shall add environmental justice 10 as an element of the environment within WAC 197-11-444 and as a 11 component of the environmental checklist within WAC 197-11-960, as 12 those sections existed on the effective date of this section.13 (b) Upon the adoption of rules by the department of ecology, a 14 lead agency must, in implementing the requirements of this chapter, 15 consider environmental justice in a manner consistent with its 16 consideration of other elements of the environment within WAC 17 197-11-444.18 (2) For purposes of this section "environmental justice" has the 19 same meaning as in RCW 70A.02.010.20 H-0468.2 HOUSE BILL 1303 State of Washington 69th Legislature 2025 Regular Session By Representatives Mena, Berry, Reeves, Reed, Ormsby, Salahuddin, Ramel, Pollet, Nance, Doglio, and Scott Read first time 01/15/25. Referred to Committee on Environment & Energy. p. 1 HB 1303 NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. A new section is added to chapter 43.21C 1 RCW to…Open full document
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The purpose of this act is to reduce the disparities in cumulative environmental and health impacts in
Washington and improve the health of all Washington residents. To evaluate probable adverse environmental impacts on environmental justice under this chapter for a potentially impactful project located or proposed to be located in whole or in part in a pollution burdened community, a lead agency must complete an environmental justice impact statement consistent with the requirements of this section