PREPROPOSAL STATEMENT OF INQUIRY
Subject of Possible Rule Making: Amendments to the Department of Ecology's State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) rules, chapter 197-11 WAC, providing that proposed actions statutorily exempt from SEPA review under chapter 43.21C RCW are not subject to the provisions of WAC 197-11-305.
Statutes Authorizing the Agency to Adopt Rules on this Subject: RCW 43.21C.110.
Reasons Why Rules on this Subject may be Needed and What They Might Accomplish: The proposed amendments are necessary to make the Department of Ecology's SEPA rules consistent with legislation set forth in chapter 43.21C RCW exempting specific proposed actions from SEPA review.
Other Federal and State Agencies that Regulate this Subject and the Process Coordinating the Rule with These Agencies: State agencies must comply with ecology's SEPA rules as required by chapter 197-11 WAC. Ecology will provide state agencies with a copy of this notice and inform them of any rules proposed or final rules adopted by ecology amending chapter 197-11 WAC.
Process for Developing New Rule: Department of Ecology staff will draft proposed amendments to ecology's SEPA rules.
Interested parties can participate in the decision to adopt the new rule and formulation of the proposed rule before publication. The Department of Ecology invites the public to review and provide input on the draft proposed amendments to ecology's SEPA rules. A copy of the proposed amendments can be obtained by contacting Barbara Ritchie, Department of Ecology, P.O. Box 47703, Olympia, WA 98504-7600, (360) 407-6922, fax 407-6904, e-mail sepaunit@ecy.wa.gov.
September 30, 2002
Gordon White, Program Manager
Shorelands and Environmental
Assistance Program