With expansive farmland across the state, Washington is home to one of the most productive agricultural industries in America. The industry brings vital employment and economic benefit to communities - and serves as a key partner in protecting clean water …
Earlier this year, Washington, the state of California, and the Canadian province of Québec issued a joint statement declaring their intent to explore the formation of a shared carbon market — also known as “linkage.” Though a linkage decision isn’t final, …
An atmospheric river in early June raised the hopes for relief of dry conditions across the state. Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough to make much of a difference. Because of our low winter snowpack and our already disappointing soil moisture, instream flows …
I & J Waterway on Bellingham Waterfront, May 2019 Starting in July, you may see workers, vehicles, sampling equipment, dredging machinery, construction materials, cranes, boats and barges along the shoreline and in the water at the I & J Waterway …
The state’s most populated cities and counties now have updated municipal stormwater permits in place. The permits include new requirements to address specific pollutants and ensure that as communities develop, change, and grow, work is being done to …
OLYMPIA – The Department of Ecology has proposed rule changes to ensure that greenhouse gas emissions associated with electricity imported into Washington through centralized electricity markets are accounted for under the Climate Commitment Act (CCA). …
OLYMPIA – New clean water projects and ongoing infrastructure investments are at the heart of the Department of Ecology’s latest round of grants and loans. This year, $309 million will support 136 projects, including everything from stream restoration on …
OLYMPIA – The Washington Department of Ecology issued a $1.6 million penalty to The Home Depot for selling prohibited hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) products, after roughly two years of attempts to bring the company into compliance. HFCs are powerful greenhouse …
SEATTLE – In August 2022, a 58-foot fishing boat sank off the western shore of San Juan Island, kicking off a complex, lengthy response to prevent additional diesel from spilling out of the sunken vessel, and to eventually raise the boat back to the …
The 1.1 mile long North Cove beach is located along the north entrance to Willapa Bay in Pacific County and was once the fastest eroding ocean beach on the U.S. West Coast. Starting in 2018, we worked arm in arm with the local community to reverse chronic …
OLYMPIA – Despite some wet weather in parts of the state in recent weeks, much of Washington remains under a drought declaration, with low snowpack and insufficient reservoir storage to meet water supply needs in the hot months ahead. Droughts are …
The Yakima Basin has lots to offer in the summer – warm weather, abundant sunshine, fresh produce, and plenty to do outdoors. If you own one of the hundreds of cabins in the area, you probably agree. However, summer can also mean dry conditions and less …
SOUTH BEND – Seafood company South Bend Products will pay $16,000 to resolve violations of its water quality permit as part of a settlement agreement with the Washington Department of Ecology. Under the company’s water quality permit, South Bend Products …
LEAVENWORTH – Today, the Washington Department of Ecology issued the final environmental impact statement (EIS) for the rebuild and restoration of Eightmile Dam, a 95-year-old dam located in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness Area west of Leavenworth. Eightmile …
The Port Gamble Bay Natural Resource Trustee Council has reached a proposed settlement, now available for public comment, that would require building two habitat restoration projects worth nearly $10 million. The two projects will restore 20 acres of …
WALLA WALLA – To continue protecting people and nearby businesses from the aftermath of a gas spill that began last September, the Washington Department of Ecology has issued an enforcement order to the owner of a Walla Walla gas station. The order …
OLYMPIA – The Washington Department of Ecology reached a settlement agreement with Coastal Transportation Inc. (Coastal) over a February 2023 spill of diesel into Seattle’s Lake Washington Ship Canal that occurred during a fuel transfer. The original …
OLYMPIA – The Washington Department of Ecology issued a $222,000 penalty to the Pacific Seafood-Westport facility for repeatedly sending polluted wastewater into Half Moon Bay in Westport. Over the past two years, the facility violated its water quality …
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has awarded $122 million to coastal states and territories and National Estuarine Research Reserves using funding provided by the federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, Inflation Reduction Act and …
OLYMPIA – Climate change is already increasing the severity of wildfires, heatwaves, droughts, and floods in Washington. Slower, less visible impacts caused by climate change, like sea level rise and ocean acidification, are also putting added stress on …
