Announcements

Update on Council’s 2025-2027 Budget Recommendations & State Budget Outlook

On December 17, 2024, Governor Jay Inslee released a proposed budget. The Council's January 30, 2025 meeting packet included a document created by Council staff which outlined how Governor Inslee’s Proposed Operating, Capital, and Transportation Budgets incorporate the Environmental Justice Council’s recommendations. You can find that document here. Since December 2, 2024, agencies have been directed to freeze hiring, services contracts, goods and equipment purchases, and travel due to a projected budget shortfall of more than $12 billion over the next four years. Throughout the legislative session, the Council will be working with the Legislature and the Governor to advocate for its recommendations. The state budgets will be finalized between April and June 2025. To request translations of the English documents linked in this announcement email envjustice@ejc.wa.gov.

Environmental Justice Council elects Executive Committee members and Co-Chairs

On January 30, 2025, the Council elected its five-member Executive Committee for a 2-year term. Out of these five seats, two members lead the committee and Council as Co-Chairs. The Council elected Councilmembers Cristina González, David Mendoza, Chairman Jarred-Michael Erickson, Maria Batayola, and Tatiana Brown to serve on the Executive committee. Chairman Jarred-Michael Erickson and Councilmember Tatiana Brown were selected to lead the Executive committee and Council as Co-Chairs.

Environmental Justice Council Welcomes New Councilmember & Ex Officios

In December 2024, Governor Jay Inslee appointed Cristina González to serve as a community representative on the Environmental Justice Council. The Council is also joined by new Ex Officios Emilie Litsinger with Puget Sound Partnership and Jennifer Grove with the Department of Commerce. You can find the full list of Council Members here.

Department of Ecology published Distribution of Funds from CCA Accounts: Fiscal Year 2024.

On November 27, 2024, The Department of Ecology published the report “Distribution of Funds from CCA Accounts: Fiscal Year 2024” which shows how Climate Commitment Act funds were spent in 2024. You can read the full report here. To request translations of the English documents linked in this announcement email envjustice@ejc.wa.gov.

Council Adopts 2025 Legislative Session Policy Statement

At its November 21, 2024 meeting the Council adopted their 2025 Legislative Session Policy Statement.

Council Adopts 2025-2027 Biennial Budget Recommendations

The Council has authority under RCW 70A.65.040 of the Climate Commitment Act (CCA) to provide recommendations to the Legislature, agencies, and the Governor on the programs funded by the CCA accounts. The Council adopted 2025-2027 Biennial Budget Recommendations at their September 26, 2024 meeting. The Council adopted an additional recommendation at their November 21, 2024 meeting. You can find the full list of 2025-2027 budget recommendations here. The Council also endorsed state agency decisions packages (budget requests) at their October 24, 2024 meeting. The list of Council endorsed decision packages is available here.

Congratulations HEAL Capacity Grantees!

We want to congratulate the recipients of the HEAL Capacity Grants. The Department of Health awarded $14 million of Climate Commitment Act funds through the HEAL Capacity Grants to 6 Tribes and 27 community & Tribal-based organizations. These grants were made possible by funding recommendations from the Environmental Justice Council.

The HEAL Capacity Grant program focuses on building the capacity of Tribes, tribal organizations, and overburdened communities and vulnerable populations to provide guidance and input to the Environmental Justice Council and the agencies covered by the HEAL Act on the implementation of the HEAL Act. Funds can also be used provide guidance and input to the Department of Health on the environmental health disparities map. This funding equips communities most impacted by environmental hazards with necessary resources needed to collaborate with state agencies on environmental health decisions.

HEAL Agencies update to the EJC to be delayed until October 15, 2024

The Environmental Justice Council’s Executive Committee and Council staff recommended that the due date for the HEAL agencies annual update to the Council, which is due on September 1st, be delayed to October 15th for the following reasons:

The budget and funding data will not be posted on the HEAL dashboard until October 15 because the closure of the state fiscal year occurs on September 6 and agencies are given until September 18 to submit their budget and funding data to the Office of Financial Management (OFM).
The HEAL dashboard will go live on September 1st to meet what was stated in the HEAL Act. It will have information on agencies' strategic plans and environmental justice assessments but will be incomplete until the posting of the budget and funding data on October 15th.
It will be more efficient for both the Interagency Work Group and the Council to align the due date of the agencies' annual update for when the budget and funding data is posted on October 15th. Otherwise the Council will receive two updates: one on September 1st focusing on strategic plans and the environmental justice assessments and another on October 15th focusing on budget and funding.

Environmental Justice Council Takes Action at July 2, 2024 Special Meeting

On July 2, 2024, at its special meeting, the Council adopted a statement uplifting Tribal Sovereignty; Self Determination; and Free, Prior, and Informed Consent.

The Council also took actions in response to requests from two Tribes related to proposed energy development projects that would cause negative and irreparable damage to Traditional Cultural Properties and traditional foods and medicines.

The Council adopted a position on the proposed Badger Mountain Solar Project, standing with and supporting The Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation in their opposition to this proposed project.
The Council also adopted a position on the proposed Goldendale Pump Storage Project, standing with and supporting The Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation in their opposition to this project.

Eco Fair (June 27, 2024)

Latino Community Fund & the Environmental Justice Council would like to invite you to an Eco Fair on June 27th from 4:00pm to 7:00pm at the Henry Beauchamp Center (1211 S. 7th. St. Yakima, WA).

We will have:

FREE TACOS FOR FIRST 200 PEOPLE (WITH DRINK)
LIVE MUSIC PERFORMANCE
RESOURCE BOOTHS
ENVIRONMENTAL DISCUSSIONS
RAFFLES, GAMES AND MORE

Upcoming Environmental Justice Council Community Meetings (May 2nd) and Council Meeting (May 3rd)

We would like to invite you to attend the public Environmental Justice Council meeting on Friday May 3, 2024 from 1:00pm-5:10pm at the Yakima Convention Center. There will also be an option to join on Zoom. For those joining in person, please feel free to join at 12:15pm for lunch. For those joining on Zoom, please join us at 12:50pm for a presentation on how to turn on closed captions and join the Spanish interpretation channel.

You can find information about the Council, the meeting agenda, and meeting materials online.

The in-person meeting location is Yakima Convention Center, 10 N 8th St, Yakima, WA 98901, Room F, Lobby 4.

For those joining virtually, please click the link below to join the webinar:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81747864781

Webinar ID: 817 4786 4781

Or Join by Phone: +1 253 215 8782

Webinar ID: 817 4786 4781

International numbers available: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kd6MqgTvTL

Every Council meeting will have time for you to share your environmental justice concerns and ideas. You can sign-up to provide comments at the meeting by emailing envjustice@ejc.wa.gov. You can also email your comments to envjustice@ejc.wa.gov. To get emails about future meetings and other updates from the Council, please subscribe to our email updates.

The Council will also be sharing meals and connecting with community members at Heritage University (Arts and Sciences Center, Smith Family Hall, 3240 Fort Road Toppenish, WA 98948) on Thursday May 2, 2024. A more detailed agenda is available here.

If you need a language interpreter (other than Spanish or ASL which are already provided) or other accommodations for these Council meetings, please email us in any language at envjustice@ejc.wa.gov. You can also call us at 360-584-4398 (telephone interpretation available). You can also call or email us if you need meeting materials translated, if you have questions, or if you just want to connect with Council staff. We hope to see you there!

Governor Appoints One New Member to the Environmental Justice Council

On April 9, 2024 the Governor appointed one new Member to the Council. The Honorable Monica Tonasket, Spokane Tribal Council Secretary, was appointed as a Member representing Tribal communities. You can find the full list of Council Members here.

Council Adopts Bylaws

At its March 28, 2024 meeting the Council adopted a full set of bylaws.

Governor Appoints Two New Members to the Environmental Justice Council

On March 14, 2024 the Governor appointed two new Members to the Council. The Honorable JJ Wilbur, Swinomish Tribal Senate, was appointed as the Member representing Tribal communities from Western Washington. Tatiana Brown was appointed to the Youth Community Representative seat. You can find the full list of Council Members here.

Council Adopts 2024 Workload Planning and Management Principles, a 2024 Interim Council Work Plan, and a Framework for "Making Policy Guidance and Recommendations and Responding to Requests for Non-Guidance/Recommendations Input

At its January 25, 2024 meeting, the Council adopted 2024 Workload Planning and Management Principles, a 2024 Interim Council Work Plan, and a framework for Making Policy Guidance and Recommendations and Responding to Requests for Non-Guidance/Recommendations Input.

Council Adopts 2024 Climate Commitment Act Funding Recommendations

Council Adopts 2023 Report to the Community, Legislature, and Governor

Under the HEAL Act, the Council has two reporting requirements:

November 30, 2023: Submit a report to the Governor and Legislature outlining the Council’s recommendations and guidance and summarizing agency progress reports to the Council.
December 1, 2023: Communicate to the public, Governor, and Legislature an evaluation of agency progress in applying Council guidance and a summary of the Council’s progress on its statutory duties under the HEAL Act.

The Council fulfilled both reporting requirements by adopting their 2023 report on November 16, 2023.

Council Adopts Position Not to Link Washington’s Cap and Invest Program with California and Québec's at this Time, and Submits Letter to Department of Ecology

RCW 70A.65.040 gives the Council the responsibility to provide recommendations to the Legislature, agencies, and the Governor in the development and implementation of the Cap and Invest Program established in RCW 70A.65.060 through 70A.65.210, including linkage with other jurisdictions. The Council adopted a letter on linkage and submitted the letter to the Department of Ecology on October 26, 2023. Laura Watson, Director of the Department of Ecology, responded to the Environmental Justice Council's letter on November 2, 2023. You can find Director Watson's response here.

HEAL Act Agencies Annual Update to the Council

HEAL Act Agencies are required under RCW 70A.02.090 to annually update the Council on their progress in implementing the HEAL Act. The HEAL Act Agencies' 2023 updates are available here.

Council Adopts Community Engagement Values and Guidance

At its August 25, 2023 meeting, the Council adopted Community Engagement Values and Guidance to guide state agencies' community engagement.

Council Adopts Additional 2023 Budget Recommendations and Statement on the Environmental Health Disparities Map

At its February 28, 2023 meeting, the Council adopted additional budget recommendations to the Legislature. At this meeting the Council also adopted a statement on use of the Environmental Health Disparities Map.

Council Adopts 2023 Climate Commitment Act Funding Recommendations

Special Environmental Justice Council Meeting - Friday November 18, 2022

The Council held a special meeting on November 15th to discuss its Climate Commitment Act funding recommendations for the Governor. The Council did not adopt the proposed recommendations at that meeting. The Council will meet again on Friday November 18, 2022 from 2:45pm-4:00pm to continue this discussion and potentially adopt recommendations. You can find the meeting materials and link here: Environmental Justice Council Meetings | WaPortal.org. The public comment period will be from 2:50pm-3:00pm.

Council Prioritization of Work

The Council is beginning to prioritize its work. In order to support the Council Members in this process staff have created a presentation and some briefing documents for the Council. Those have been posted here.

Staff presentation:

My Meeting - Zoom
(Passcode: $9grGg@p)

Briefing documents:

Department of Ecology's Improving Air Quality in Overburdened Communities Initiative (Section 3 of the Climate Commitment Act)

The Department of Ecology and the Environmental Justice Council are beginning conversations about how the Council can be engaged in providing feedback on this initiative. Ecology has shared the following draft documents with the Council to begin this dialogue:

Environmental Justice Council Special Meetings on the Climate Commitment Act

The Environmental Justice Council (Council) convened two special meetings on the Council’s role in the Climate Commitment Act. The meetings are:

Friday, May 13, 3:30pm-6:00pm
Monday, May 16, 8:00am-10:30am

We would like to invite you to attend these public meetings. The meetings will be on Zoom. You can find information about the Council and the link to the Zoom webinar online. The agenda for these meetings will be available here by Thursday May 12th at 3:30pm. Both meetings will include the same agenda items and presentations. The Council is holding two meetings on the same content to increase the number of Council and community members who can attend.

Both meetings will have time for you to share your environmental justice concerns and ideas. You can sign-up to provide comments by emailing envjustice@ejc.wa.gov. You can also email your comments to envjustice@ejc.wa.gov to have them included in the meeting materials.

For information about future Council meetings and other updates, please subscribe to our email updates. If you need accommodations for this meeting, please email us in any language at envjustice@ejc.wa.gov. You can also call us at 360-584-4398 (telephone interpretation available). We are working to provide Spanish and ASL interpreters, and closed captioning for these meetings, but with such short notice, it may not be possible.

Please call or email if you need meeting materials translated, have questions, or if you want to connect with Council staff. We hope to see you there!

Webinar: Public Input on Federal Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool

Washington State Environmental Justice Council staff hosted an instructional webinar for community members on April 21, 2022. You can watch the webinar here. The webinar covers how to access and comment on the beta version of the Council on Environmental Quality's Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool (CEJST), including how to look up a neighborhood and provide neighborhood-specific feedback. The federal deadline for public comments was originally April 25th, 2022 but the Council of Environmental Quality has indicated that it plans to extend the deadline to May 25, 2022.

The Biden administration is working to keep its “Justice40” campaign promise to ensure that at least 40% of federal climate investments go directly to communities most affected by poverty and pollution. Part of that process is the use of a Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool (CEJST) to define and identify “disadvantaged communities” that will receive Justice40 benefits. The CEJST is meant to: “…identify communities that are economically disadvantaged and overburdened by pollution and underinvestment in housing, transportation, water and wastewater infrastructure, and health care.” The Tool uses 8 categories to identify “disadvantaged communities” (including income and education); but does not include race or ethnicity.

Environmental Justice Council staff are working to post the video with closed captioning and to get the webinar video posted in several other languages including ASL.