TagEcology(788)

Washington State's Engrossed Second Substitute Senate Bill 5141, signed into law in May 2021, aims to reduce environmental and health disparities by implementing recommendations from the state's Environmental Justice Task Force. The law requires covered state agencies—including the departments of ecology, health, transportation, and others—to address the disproportionate environmental burdens faced by low-income communities and communities of color. It establishes an Environmental Justice Council and directs state programs to prioritize benefits for communities with the greatest environmental and health burdens.

Washington State Senate Bill 5141 requires several state agencies, including the departments of Ecology, Health, Transportation, and others, to incorporate environmental justice principles into their planning and decision-making processes. The bill mandates that these agencies complete environmental justice assessments for significant actions, create community engagement plans for overburdened communities, and consult with Indian tribes on decisions affecting tribal lands. An environmental justice council would be established to oversee implementation, and the Department of Health would maintain an environmental health disparities map tracking conditions across Washington communities.

Washington State's E2SSB 5141, enacted in 2021, requires key state agencies including Transportation and Ecology to incorporate environmental justice principles into their planning and decision-making processes, with a focus on protecting overburdened communities from disproportionate environmental and health harms. Agencies must develop community engagement plans by 2022, environmental justice implementation plans by 2023, and conduct formal environmental justice assessments for significant actions such as new rules, grants, and capital investments. Note: this legislation addresses statewide environmental justice policy broadly and does not specifically address Sea-Tac Airport noise issues.

This January 2021 report from the Washington State Department of Ecology tracks greenhouse gas emissions across Washington State from 1990 to 2018. Published by the Air Quality Program, it provides a comprehensive inventory of the state's emissions data over nearly three decades. Note that this document focuses on statewide air quality and climate data and does not specifically address Sea-Tac Airport noise policy.

Port of Seattle memorandum requesting Commission authorization to execute a Model Toxics Control Act (MTCA) Consent Decree with Washington State Department of Ecology for environmental remediation of the Lora Lake Apartments Site contaminated with dioxin. The project includes design work and construction documents with an estimated total cost of $19.5 million.