Publication Summary

In the state of Washington, approximately one half of the 5.5 million citizens live in small towns, unincorporated suburbs, rural communities, reservations, and agricultural areas. In the past 20 years, small town populations and per capita income have generally declined or grown very slowly. Washington′s small rural communities are being isolated due to changes in economics, technology, agriculture, and industry.

In the state of Washington, approximately one half of the 5.5 million citizens live in small towns, unincorporated suburbs, rural communities, reservations, and agricultural areas. In the past 20 years, small town populations and per capita income have generally declined or grown very slowly. Washington′s small rural communities are being isolated due to changes in economics, technology, agriculture, and industry.

There are approximately 400 communities in Washington State with a population under 2,500. Many of these small communities are facing multiple state and federal requirements in the areas of wastewater treatment, safe drinking water, underground storage tanks, solid and hazardous waste disposal, and air quality. Unfortunately, many of these public health and environmental requirements come with no financial assistance programs. Noncompliance with state and federal requirements can result in costly fines and sanctions, as well as risks to public health, the environment, and the community′s ability to sustain and expand local economies.

The Washington State Legislature has recognized the economic hardships of rural distressed areas throughout the state and their need for environmental and public health infrastructure. In 1991 legislation was passed to promote economic development and job creation though worker training, planning services, and infrastructure assistance. The Legislature has also provided state grant funds for small and financially distressed communities for wastewater treatment facilities. In addition, the State Revolving Fund Program managed by Ecology has provided low interest loans to small communities to address water pollution control needs. While these programs have helped some communities and individuals, rural distressed areas still face serious economic problems with above average unemployment, loss of jobs, low rate of business start-ups, and persistent loss of resource-driven industries.

The Washington State Department of Ecology (Ecology) and the Washington State Department of Health (DOH) have made a concerted effort to direct their attention to protecting the environment and public health of these small communities. Ecology continues to find ways to assist communities with planning, financial assistance with state and federal grants and loans, regulatory relief, technical assistance, and self-help initiatives.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) provided a grant (Appendix A) to Ecology in 1998 to evaluate the feasibility of establishing and implementing an Environmental Partnership with Washington Communities (EPWC) program for Washington State. Additionally, the grant was intended to help Ecology develop and enhance the required skills for its staff and investment for facilitation, leadership, and community organization. This grant project would explore opportunities for Ecology to work cooperatively with small local governments in contrast to its traditional role of a regulatory agency. Ecology and the EPA Region 10 acknowledged at the beginning of the grant project that it would be a learning process. Innovative approaches to regulatory compliance and assistance are challenging, and this was evident in Ecology′s efforts to successfully develop and implement an environmental partnership with small communities at the agency, program and staff level and within selected small communities.

The overall goals and objectives of the grant scope of work were to provide Ecology the opportunity to work with small communities with populations under 2,500 to address environmental and public health problems and comply with state and federal requirements. This would be accomplished by the following: