Senate Bill 5990: Integrating Environmental Justice Considerations into Certain Project Decisions

Washington Senate Bill 5990, introduced in the 2024 legislative session, aims to reduce environmental health disparities by requiring detailed impact assessments before approving projects in communities already burdened by pollution. The bill defines key terms such as 'disproportionate impact' and 'environmental justice impact statement,' and establishes a framework for evaluating whether new or expanded projects would worsen cumulative health and environmental stressors in overburdened communities. Note: this bill addresses broad environmental justice policy statewide and does not specifically address Sea-Tac Airport noise or aviation-related impacts.

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Washington State Senate Bill 5990 (68th Legislature, 2024 Regular Session), sponsored by Senators Lovelett, Saldaña, Dhingra, Frame, Hasegawa, Keiser, Kuderer, Nobles, Salomon, Stanford, Trudeau, Valdez, and C. Wilson. The bill amends chapter 43.21C RCW to integrate environmental justice considerations into project decisions affecting pollution burdened communities. Defines key terms including ‘adverse cumulative stressors,’ ‘disproportionate impact,’ ‘environmental justice impact statement,’ ‘compelling public interest,’ ‘environmental or public health stressors,’ and ‘change in use.’ Aims to reduce disparities in cumulative environmental and health impacts in Washington State by requiring analysis of stressors such as asthma, cancer, cardiovascular disease, elevated blood lead levels, and low birth weight in overburdened communities.

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