(1) The agency adopting an existing environmental document must independently review the content of the document and determine that it meets the adopting agency's environmental review standards and needs for the proposal. However a document is not required to meet the adopting agency's own procedures for the preparation of environmental documents (such as circulation, commenting, and hearing requirements) to be adopted.

(2) An agency shall adopt an environmental document by identifying the document and stating why it is being adopted, using the adoption form substantially as in WAC 197-11-965. The adopting agency shall ensure that the adopted document is readily available to agencies and the public by:

(a) Sending a copy to agencies with jurisdiction that have not received the document, as shown by the distribution list for the adopted document; and

(b) Placing copies in libraries and other public offices, or by distributing copies to those who request one.

(3) When an existing EIS is adopted and:

(a) A supplemental environmental impact statement or addendum is not being prepared, the agency shall circulate its statement of adoption as follows:

(i) The agency shall send copies of the adoption notice to the department of ecology, to agencies with jurisdiction, to cities/counties in which the proposal will be implemented, and to local agencies or political subdivisions whose public services would be changed as a result of implementation of the proposal.

(ii) The agency is encouraged to send the adoption notice to persons or organizations that have expressed an interest in the proposal or are known by the agency to have an interest in the type of proposal being considered, or the lead agency should announce the adoption in agency newsletters or through other means.

(iii) No action shall be taken on the proposal until seven days after the statement of adoption has been issued. The date of issuance shall be the date the statement of adoption has been sent to the department of ecology and other agencies and is publicly available.

(b) A SEIS is being prepared, the agency shall include the statement of adoption in the SEIS; or

(c) An addendum is being prepared, the agency shall include the statement of adoption with the addendum and circulate both as in subsection (3)(a) of this section.

(4) A copy of the adopted document must accompany the current proposal to the decision maker; the statement of adoption may be included.

(5) If known, the adopting agency shall disclose in its adoption notice when the adopted document or proposal it addresses is the subject of a pending appeal or has been found inadequate on appeal.