About Us > Budget & Strategic Planning > Ecology Budget Reductions (2007-2013)

Ecology Budget Reductions (2007-2013)

Like all agencies, Ecology has made large cuts in its operations since 2009

• Since the start of the 2007-09 biennium to the start of the 2011-13 biennium (July 1, 2012), Ecology’s General Fund-State (GF-S) has been reduced by $35.6 million, or nearly 27 percent. The total of directed cuts, agencywide cuts, fund shifts, and fund transfers to the state General Fund is $342 million since 2009.
• The highest percentage of agency General Fund-State budget reductions since the start of the 2007-09 biennium to the start of the 2011-13 biennium are:
• 46% - Shorelands and Environmental Assistance
• 23% - Agency Administration
• 14% - Water Resources
• The highest percentage of environmental program total operating budget reductions since the start of the 2007-09 biennium to the start of the 2011-13 biennium are:
• 21% - Shorelands and Environmental Assistance
• 21% - Water Resources
• 17% - Air Quality
• 16% - Waste2Resources

Ecology is implementing more cuts mid-biennium

The December 2011 Early Action Supplemental Budget and the 2012 Supplemental Operating Budget, as passed the Legislature, included more reductions to Ecology.

• $3.7 million reduced from Ecology’s budget in the December 2011 special session — $2.9 million of that from “near GF-S.”

There were more changes to the budget during the regular session concluding in April 2012:

• $11.6 million reduced in all funds:
• $2.9 million near GF-S
• $8.7 million dedicated environmental funds
• $26.1 million increase to support federal grant funding, environmental work supported by dedicated funds, and initiatives passed by the Legislature.
• The Legislature passed limited spending authority increases for new federal funding secured for Puget Sound protection and restoration; a hydrogeology study for Johns Creek; and for fee-supported workload increases at the Hanford Nuclear Reservation and Ecology’s Water Quality Program.
• $1.3 million ($265,000 GF-S; $1 million State Toxics Control Account) was provided to support legislation with fiscal impacts to Ecology for low-impact development training, anaerobic digester emissions, and SEPA rulemaking.
• $0 million (net); $20.6 million GF-S cuts with one-time, offsetting shifts to dedicated environmental funds.
• These shifts and legislative budget decisions made to support them result in appropriations that are higher than the projected available fund balances. The Local and State Toxics Control Accounts are nearly $58 million over-appropriated and will require close monitoring and management to avoid negative cash balances.

The Legislature acted on a portion of these cuts, reducing $3.7 million from Ecology’s budget in Substitute House Bill 2058 — $2.9 million of that from “near GF-S.”

The near GF-S cut equaled about 37 percent of the GF-S budget reductions made to all natural resource agencies.

Approximately $2.6 million of the Legislature’s cut was included in the Governor’s original proposal. The remainder of her proposed reductions will still be under consideration during the 2012 regular session.

Here is a summary of the Legislature’s 2011 and 2012 budget changes to Ecology:

• 17.4 FTE reduction
• $26.2 million near GF-S cuts
• $37.0 million other appropriation increases, supported in-part by an over appropriation of nearly $58 million in the Local and State Toxics Control Accounts.
• $10.8 million overall appropriation increase, supported in-part by an over appropriation of nearly $58 million in the Local and State Toxics Control Accounts.

In addition, the Legislature transferred $4.7 million in dedicated environmental funds managed by Ecology to the GF-S. This brings the total in direct transfers to the GF-S to $260 million since the economic downturn.