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SEPA and Climate Change

Welcome to the "SEPA and Climate Change" page. Here you can get information about the State Environmental Policy Act and its role in addressing climate change in our state.

This site provides the following information:

• What is Ecology doing to ensure that climate change is considered in the SEPA environmental review?

  • Letter from Ecology's Director: Environmental Review of Proposals (PDF)

• How are other states and local agencies using SEPA or SEPA-like statutes to address climate change?
• The basics about climate change.

SEPA and Climate Change

We are facing a new, global problem. Scientists from around the globe have concluded, based on facts, not conjecture, that lifestyles and livelihoods here in Washington and around the world are at risk because of greenhouse gases and changing climate patterns. We need to approach the problem from both directions – reducing our contribution to climate change and preparing for the effects we cannot prevent. We need to work together – business, government, citizen groups, individuals, tribes, neighboring states and trading partners – to be effective and to get people involved. Each day in our state, projects are proposed that could either add to the emissions of greenhouse gases, or locate development in areas that in the future could well be underwater, or subject to flooding not seen before.

All state agencies, city and county planning departments, and other public entities use SEPA to evaluate the environmental impacts of a proposal. Many states and local governments are already developing policies, regulations, and guidance on how, where and when to address climate change in their environmental review processes. Some are doing so because their failure to address climate change was challenged in court as contrary to those states' SEPA-like statutes.

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What is Ecology doing to clarify how considerations of climate change are incorporated into environmental review and decision making under SEPA?

Ecology feels it is in our best interest to act now to clarify our SEPA rules, and prepare guidance regarding climate, in order to avoid a similar "policy by litigation" scenario here in Washington. Director Manning, on April 30, 2008, notified SEPA Responsible Officials and Administrators that Ecology will soon begin a stakeholder process to develop recommendations to ensure that climate change is considered in the SEPA processes and documents. (Letter from Director Manning). As part of the Climate Advisory Team’s work in 2008, a SEPA working group will be established to help clarify the SEPA rules and prepare important guidance information. In addition to Climate Advisory Team members, the workgroup will include other government, business, and environmental representatives.

The purpose of the working group is to:

1. clarify how, where, and when to incorporate climate change considerations into the environmental review of a proposal;
2. recommend changes to the SEPA rules and/or the environmental checklists, threshold determinations, and/or Environmental Impact Statements (EIS); and
3. provide instructions or guidance to local and state governments on how to determine possible mitigation strategies, and whether or not the impacts of climate change may affect the project over its lifetime.

Learn more about the SEPA working group and stay in touch with its work.

The Basics of Climate Change

To learn about climate change and why it is important to us, please visit these web sites:

• Ecology's Climate Change website
• Climate Change Resources (Ecology)
• Climate Change 101 (Center for Climate and Energy Solutions, formerly the Pew Center on Global Climate Change)

How are other states and local agencies using SEPA or SEPA-like statutes to address climate change?

Washington State

• King County has developed a GHG emissions worksheet that can assist applicants in answering the SEPA checklist question relating to GHG emissions.

Other states

• California - In January 2008, the California Air Pollution Control Officers Association (CAPCOA) prepared a resource document for reviewing GHG emissions from projects under CEQA. CAPCOA website.
• Massachusetts developed a greenhouse gas emissions policy and protocol. It requires certain projects undergoing review by the MEPA office to quantity the project’s GHG emissions and identify measures to avoid, minimize, or mitigate such emissions. In addition to quantifying project-related GHG emissions, the policy also requires proponents to quantify the impact of proposed mitigation in terms of emissions and energy savings.
  • "MEPA Greenhouse Gas Emissions Policy and Protocol" (PDF)

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For questions or comments concerning SEPA, please email the SEPA Unit or call (360) 407-6922.