TagEcology(787)

This document outlines the Washington State Department of Ecology's 2023-25 Biennium Enacted Operating Budget, totaling approximately $862.6 million with 2,136.5 full-time employees. It details funding changes across priority areas including climate impact reduction, toxic threat prevention, and water protection, with notable investments in Clean Energy Permitting, Climate Commitment Act implementation, and water quality programs. The budget reflects a net increase of roughly $157.8 million over the carryforward base budget through a combination of maintenance level adjustments and new policy-level initiatives.

Washington State's Department of Ecology has identified 16 overburdened communities across the state that are highly impacted by criteria air pollution, collectively representing over 1.2 million residents. Using air quality data and environmental justice tools, the agency is working under the Climate Commitment Act to reduce six key pollutants — including particle pollution, ozone, and nitrogen dioxide — in areas ranging from South Seattle and South King County to rural communities like Mattawa and the Lower Yakima Valley. Next steps include expanding air monitoring, engaging affected communities, and working with Tribal governments to address pollution impacts over multiple years.

This March 2023 technical support document from the Washington State Department of Ecology's Air Quality Program outlines methods for identifying communities that are disproportionately burdened by air pollution across Washington State. It provides regional office contact information and maps showing the four Ecology regions covering all 39 Washington counties. Note: this document focuses on statewide air quality and environmental justice topics and does not contain information specific to Sea-Tac Airport noise policy.

This document is an NPDES (National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System) permit fact sheet for Sea-Tac International Airport, issued by the Washington State Department of Ecology. It details the locations of numerous water discharge outfalls across the airport property, covering industrial wastewater, stormwater from industrial activities, and stormwater from construction activities. The discharges flow into several local waterways including Des Moines Creek, Miller Creek, Walker Creek, Gilliam Creek, and Puget Sound.

This document explains the regulatory approval process required for filling wetlands as part of Sea-Tac Airport's third runway expansion, which requires both a federal permit under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act and a state certificate under Section 401. The Port of Seattle filed its third application in October 2000 after two previous attempts failed, facing significant environmental obstacles including contaminated fill material, threats to stream flow and salmon habitat, destruction of nearly 20 acres of wetlands, flooding risks, embankment stability concerns in an earthquake-prone area, and existing pollution levels that already exceed allowable limits. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers must also weigh the public need for the project against these environmental harms, raising broader questions about whether the expansion is justified at all.

This document explains the Washington State Department of Ecology's review process for Sea-Tac Airport's applications to fill wetlands as part of its third runway project. Sea-Tac submitted three separate applications between 1996 and 2000, with the third ultimately receiving a Section 401 water-quality certificate that was later put on hold after the Airport Communities Coalition appealed. The Pollution Control Hearings Board identified three key concerns driving the stay: contaminated fill material, insufficient water rights for dry-season stream flow, and inadequate wetlands mitigation plans.