AN ACT Relating to environmental action appeals; and amending RCW 43.21C.075.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

Sec. 1. Section 4, chapter 117, Laws of 1983 and RCW 43.21C.075 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) Because a major purpose of this chapter is to combine environmental considerations with public decisions, any appeal brought under this chapter shall be linked to a specific governmental action. The State Environmental Policy Act provides a basis for challenging whether governmental action is in compliance with the substantive and procedural provisions of this chapter. The State Environmental Policy Act is not intended to create a cause of action unrelated to a specific governmental action.

(2) Unless otherwise provided by this section:

(a) Appeals under this chapter shall be of the governmental action together with its accompanying environmental determinations.

(b) Appeals of environmental determinations made (or lacking) under this chapter shall be commenced within the time required to appeal the governmental action which is subject to environmental review.

(3) If an agency has a procedure for appeals of agency environmental determinations made under this chapter, such procedure:

(a) Shall not allow more than one agency appeal proceeding on a procedural determination (the adequacy of a determination of significance/nonsignificance or of a final environmental impact statement), consistent with any state statutory requirements for appeals to local legislative bodies. The appeal proceeding on a determination of significance/nonsignificance may occur before the agency's final decision on a proposed action. Such an appeal shall also be allowed for a determination of significance/nonsignificance which may be issued by the agency after supplemental review;

(b) Shall consolidate appeal of procedural issues and of substantive determinations made under this chapter (such as a decision to require particular mitigation measures or to deny a proposal) by providing for simultaneous appeal of an agency decision on a proposal and any environmental determinations made under this chapter, with the exception of the threshold determination appeal as provided in (a) of this subsection or an appeal to the local legislative authority under RCW 43.21C.060 or other applicable state statutes;

(c) Shall provide for the preparation of a record for use in any subsequent appeal proceedings, and shall provide for any subsequent appeal proceedings to be conducted on the record, consistent with other applicable law. An adequate record consists of findings and conclusions, testimony under oath, and taped or written transcript. An electronically recorded transcript will suffice for purposes of review under this paragraph; and

(d) Shall provide that procedural determinations made by the responsible official shall be entitled to substantial weight.

(4) If a person aggrieved by an agency action has the right to judicial appeal ((~~and if an~~)) such person shall first exhaust any available agency ((~~has an~~)) appeal procedure((~~, such person shall,~~)) and then appeal to the pollution control hearings board prior to seeking any judicial review, ((~~use such procedure if any such procedure is available,~~)) unless expressly provided otherwise by state statute.

(5) RCW 43.21C.080 establishes an optional "notice of action" procedure which, if used, imposes a time period for appealing decisions under this chapter. Some statutes and ordinances contain time periods for challenging governmental actions which are subject to review under this chapter, such as various local land use approvals (the "underlying governmental action"). This section does not modify any such time periods. This section governs when a judicial appeal must be brought under this chapter where a "notice of action" is used, and/or where there is another time period which is required by statute or ordinance for challenging the underlying governmental action. In this subsection, the term "appeal" refers to a judicial appeal only.

(a) If there is a time period for appealing the underlying governmental action, appeals under this chapter shall be commenced within thirty days. The agency shall give official notice stating the date and place for commencing an appeal. If there is an agency proceeding under subsection (3) of this section, the appellant shall, prior to commencing a judicial appeal, submit to the responsible official a notice of intent to commence a judicial appeal. This notice of intent shall be given within the time period for commencing a judicial appeal on the underlying governmental action.

(b) A notice of action under RCW 43.21C.080 may be used. If a notice of action is used, judicial appeals shall be commenced within the time period specified by RCW 43.21C.080, unless there is a time period for appealing the underlying governmental action in which case (a) of this subsection shall apply.

(c) Notwithstanding RCW 43.21C.080(1), if there is a time period for appealing the underlying governmental action, a notice of action may be published within such time period.

(6)(a) Judicial review of an appeal decision made by an agency under RCW 43.21C.075(5) shall be on the record, consistent with other applicable law.

(b) A taped or written transcript may be used. If a taped transcript is to be reviewed, a record shall identify the location on the taped transcript of testimony and evidence to be reviewed. Parties are encouraged to designate only those portions of the testimony necessary to present the issues raised on review, but if a party alleges that a finding of fact is not supported by evidence, the party should include in the record all evidence relevant to the disputed finding. Any other party may designate additional portions of the taped transcript relating to issues raised on review. A party may provide a written transcript of portions of the testimony at the party's own expense or apply to that court for an order requiring the party seeking review to pay for additional portions of the written transcript.

(c) Judicial review under this chapter shall without exception be of the governmental action together with its accompanying environmental determinations.

(7) Jurisdiction over the review of determinations under this chapter in an appeal before an agency or superior court shall upon consent of the parties be transferred in whole or part to the shorelines hearings board. The shorelines hearings board shall hear the matter and sign the final order expeditiously. The superior court shall certify the final order of the shorelines hearings board and said certified final order may only be appealed to an appellate court.

(8) For purposes of this section and RCW 43.21C.080, the words "action", "decision", and "determination" mean substantive agency action including any accompanying procedural determinations under this chapter (except where the word "action" means "appeal" in RCW 43.21C.080(2) and (3)). The word "action" in this section and RCW 43.21C.080 does not mean a procedural determination by itself made under this chapter. The word "determination" includes any environmental document required by this chapter and state or local implementing rules. The word "agency" refers to any state or local unit of government. The word "appeal" refers to administrative, legislative, or judicial appeals.

(9) The court in its discretion may award reasonable attorney's fees of up to one thousand dollars in the aggregate to the prevailing party, including a governmental agency, on issues arising out of this chapter if the court makes specific findings that the legal position of a party is frivolous and without reasonable basis.