Washington State Department of Ecology

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Updated SEPA Register Document
Submittal Procedures
 

Pursuant to the SEPA rules, (WAC 197-11-508), Ecology is responsible for maintaining procedures for how agencies provide documents to be entered in our database and published daily on the statewide SEPA Register. Lead agencies are responsible for submitting the documents “promptly” and in accordance to our established procedures.

Ecology now requires that all SEPA document submittals for the Register are received in an electronic format. Currently we are only able to accept these documents via e-mail or computer disc. Unfortunately SEPA Register submittals cannot contain only a notification with a weblink to the documents because of the distribution requirements in the SEPA rules and the transitory nature of websites (but we’re happy to include the website location in the database record).
 

What documents must be submitted?

  1. Any SEPA document that has a comment period (DNS, MDNS, DEIS, Scoping Notices, etc.)
    Note: All DNSs must include the checklist
  2. Final EISs
    Note: All EIS documents (Draft, Final, and Supplemental) must include one hardcopy and one electronic copy
  3. Optional DNSs (Notice of Decision), DS/Adoption Notices, Notices of Action Taken
     

What documents may be submitted?

  1. NEPA documents (Notice of Intent/Scoping, EAs, FONSIs, EISs, RODs)
  2. DNSs without a comment period (please include checklist)
  3. Interagency Pre-threshold Consultations
     

What documents should not be submitted?

Any document that is not a SEPA or NEPA document or notice – please do not send the “SEPA Unit” any non-SEPA permit or program-related notices.
 

When should documents be submitted to Ecology?

Prior to the official day of document issuance –please anticipate the time it will take for Ecology to receive the SEPA documents.

Ecology does not provide notification to the lead agency that a document has been posted on the Register. The SEPA Register gets updated every midnight and lead agencies can check the SEPA Register at https://fortress.wa.gov/ecy/separ/Register/ShowRegisterTable.aspx to ensure the document was correctly listed on the Register.
 

How should they be submitted?

  1. Electronic version (plus one hardcopy of EIS documents) either in MS Word (read only) or PDF is preferred.  Note: Sending Ecology a scanned copy (when the original is available) with the signature is not necessary and produces an excessively large file (just include the name of person signing and the date instead of scanning a signed copy).
  2. E-mail to sepaunit@ecy.wa.gov and use up to 30mb for each e-mail message. Please include the type of SEPA document, (DNS, MDNS, Consultation etc.) a description of the proposal, date of issuance and the lead agency contact information in the text of the e-mail.
  3. Please provide a webpage link (at your agency’s website) to download additional information such as maps, site plans, reports, and other information needed to review the DNS.
  4. A CD is also acceptable in lieu of an electronic submission.
     

Mailing Address:

    Washington State Department of Ecology
    SEPA Unit
    PO Box 47703
    Olympia WA 98504-7703

Questions

Questions on document submittal or technical assistance may be submitted to the SEPA Unit at sepahelp@ecy.wa.gov  or call (360) 407-6922.