Ecology's budget
Our work is incredibly complex and diverse, and that is reflected in our budget. We use up to 75 separate accounts and are the administrator of 65 of those accounts. Every even-numbered year, we submit a request to the Governor for our capital and operating budgets. These requests support our two-year strategic plan, and each individual budget request is tied to our strategic priorities and statewide performance goals. This ensures our resources support carefully planned and vetted activities and items. In odd-numbered years, we submit supplemental budget requests to address changing needs.
Before a budget is finalized and approved, it goes through several drafts and versions. Below are links to publications and documents relating to our budget for the current and previous budget cycles.
2023-25 biennial budget
As the state’s lead environmental agency, Ecology’s mission is to protect, preserve, and enhance the environment for current and future generations, while valuing and supporting Washington’s economic success. We’re tackling challenges that are unique to our times and require us to take a broad and holistic approach to our work that focuses on not only what we do, but also how we do it. Ecology’s budget for the 2023-25 Biennium supports each of our four strategic goals to:
- Support and engage our communities, customers, and employees.
- Reduce and prepare for climate change impacts.
- Prevent and reduce toxic threats and pollution.
- Protect and manage our state’s waters.
Our deep commitment to environmental justice is tied to each of these goals and guides the ways we work to accomplish them. Read more about our 2023-25 budget.
Putting money to work in communities
The majority of the money we manage is passed through to communities across the state to be used on environmental projects. Most of this money is provided directly to local governments and communities through grants, loans, and contracts to help them make environmental improvements. Pass-through funds directly create jobs, improve economic development, and protect environmental and public health.
The Maddux pilot project - cleaning up for affordable housing
We're excited to share our new video about The Maddux affordable-housing pilot project in Seattle's Mount Baker neighborhood. We chat with Bob Warren and Sandra Matthews from our Toxics Cleanup Program about the transformation of contaminated cleanup sites into 200-plus units of affordable housing.
The Maddux is the Mt. Baker Housing organization's newest development. It’s the first project to come out of our Toxics Cleanup Program's innovative approach of combining environmental cleanup with the development of affordable housing. The Washington Legislature provided funding for our early efforts, and, in 2022 it established a permanent program to provide grants for planning and cleanup of contaminated sites intended for affordable-housing development.
Budget and program overview
The budget and program overview book is a comprehensive overview of our biennial budget that includes where the money comes from, how it will be used, and the goals we have for our work in that biennium. We are currently working on the 2023-25 version of the overview book and will add a link when it's published later in 2023. Read the 2021-23 budget and program overview book.
Contact information
Diane Schenk
Financial Services Mgmt. Analyst
diane.schenk@ecy.wa.gov
360-970-2688
Erik Fairchild
Chief Financial Officer
erik.fairchild@ecy.wa.gov
360-407-7005