About Us > Budget & Strategic Planning

Budget and Strategic Planning

What we do

The Department of Ecology is Washington State’s primary agency for environmental protection — for air, land, and water.

Throughout the state, Ecology works to fulfill our mission in a variety of ways; from the permits and inspections that are part of administering and enforcing the state’s environmental laws and regulations, to field monitoring, sampling and analysis, to providing grants, technical assistance, workshops, public meetings, a Web site, walk-in services and several toll-free numbers.

Ecology’s budget reflects the extent and complexity of our work, as well as the environmental issues and opportunities that Washington state faces.

Ecology budget information

• 2013-15 Operating & Capital Budget Documents
• 2013-15 Strategic Plan - describes our strategic priorities, program missions, activities, results, and performance measures. Also describes Ecology's financial, organization and personnel capacity, and information technology strategies for July 1, 2013 through June 30, 2015. (Also see 2011-2013 Plan and 2009-2011 Plan)
• Ecology Budget Reductions (2007-2013)
• 2011-13 Operating & Capital Budget Documents - summaries and comparisons of budgets requested and introduced for the 2011-13 biennium.
• Introduction to Cut and Add Summaries

  • Summary of Major Ecology Budget Adds: 2009-11 Through 2011-13

  • Summary of Major Ecology Budget Cuts: 2009-11 Through 2011-13

  • Summary of Ecology Administrative Budget Cuts since 2009

• Budget and Program Overview 2011-13 - publication providing an overview of Ecology's 2011 to 2013 biennial budget and where the money comes from, how it will be used, and what we hope to see happen as a result of our work.
• Budget Archives & Snapshots - links to past budget information.

State budget information

• Office of Financial Management (OFM) Budget Information - state budget and strategic planning information, instructions to state agencies and other related budget information.
• Legislative Budget Notes, Publications, & Enacted Budget Bills - Legislative documents providing detail for enacted budgets.

Related information

• Hazardous Substance Tax
• Economy and the Environment

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Contact Information:

Erik Fairchild,
Chief Financial Officer
(360) 407-7005
erik.fairchild@ecy.wa.gov

Erik Fairchild has been with the Washington State Department of Ecology since January 2002 and has served as the Chief Financial Officer since May 2011. The Department of Ecology is responsible for a $430 million operating and $782 million capital biennial budget and administration of forty separate financial accounts. Most of the money Ecology manages (68%) is “passed-through” to local governments and communities to do environmental work. This money is awarded as grants or loans for things such as
watershed planning, building water pollution control facilities, cleaning up publicly-owned contaminated sites, and supporting community awareness and involvement in hazardous waste management and pollution prevention.

Prior to Ecology, Fairchild worked as a Budget Assistant to the Governor on Natural Resources issues at the Office of Financial Management. He has also worked at the State Department of Health in the Drinking Water Program and as Planning Director in Mason County. He has a Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Science and minor in Earth Science from Willamette University in Salem, Oregon.

Erik has two daughters that keep him busy with basketball, music, and other activities in his free time. He lives in Olympia and enjoys fishing, hunting, sports, the outdoors, and live music.