SEPA Rules

PART ONE – PURPOSE/AUTHORITY

197–11–010 Authority.
197–11–020 Purpose.
197–11–030 Policy.

WAC 197–11–010 Authority.

These rules are promulgated under the State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA), chapter 43.21C RCW. RCW 43.21C.110 specifies the content of these rules and grants authority for promulgation. As required in RCW 43.21C.095, these rules shall be given substantial deference in the interpretation of SEPA.

[Statutory Authority: RCW 43.21C.110. 84–05–020 (Order DE 83–39), § 197–11–010, filed 2/10/84, effective 4/4/84. Formerly chapter 197–10 WAC.]

WAC 197–11–020 Purpose.

(1) The purpose of these rules is to establish uniform requirements for compliance with SEPA. Each agency must have its own SEPA procedures consistent with these state–wide rules. The effective date of these rules is stated in WAC 197–11–955.

(2) These rules replace the previous guidelines in chapter 197–10 WAC.

(3) The provisions of these rules and the act must be read together as a whole in order to comply with the spirit and letter of the law.
[Statutory Authority: RCW 43.21C.110. 84–05–020 (Order DE 83–39), § 197–11–020, filed 2/10/84, effective 4/4/84.]

WAC 197–11–030 Policy.

(1) The policies and goals set forth in SEPA are supplementary to existing agency authority.

(2) Agencies shall to the fullest extent possible:

(a) Interpret and administer the policies, regulations, and laws of the state of Washington in accordance with the policies set forth in SEPA and these rules.

(b) Find ways to make the SEPA process more useful to decisionmakers and the public; promote certainty regarding the requirements of the act; reduce paperwork and the accumulation of extraneous background data; and emphasize important environmental impacts and alternatives.

(c) Prepare environmental documents that are concise, clear, and to the point, and are supported by evidence that the necessary environmental analyses have been made.

(d) Initiate the SEPA process early in conjunction with other agency operations to avoid delay and duplication.

(e) Integrate the requirements of SEPA with existing agency planning and licensing procedures and practices, so that such procedures run concurrently rather than consecutively.

(f) Encourage public involvement in decisions that significantly affect environmental quality.

(g) Identify, evaluate, and require or implement, where required by the act and these rules, reasonable alternatives that would mitigate adverse effects of proposed actions on the environment.

[Statutory Authority: RCW 43.21C.110. 84–05–020 (Order DE 83–39), § 197–11–030, filed 2/10/84, effective 4/4/84.]