Central Region

Ecology has four regional offices. The Central region includes Benton, Chelan, Douglas, Kittitas, Klickitat, Okanogan, and Yakima counties.
Ecology has four regional offices. The Central region includes Benton, Chelan, Douglas, Kittitas, Klickitat, Okanogan, and Yakima counties.

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Environmental restoration grants reach across state
For 2020, we are awarding local partners $257,000 in Terry Husseman Account grants to fund seven projects across the state designed to improve water quality to benefit Washington residents.
Get prepared now for dust storms
Central and Eastern Washington should take these steps to prepare for dust storms every spring through fall.
Learn what’s coming up for the Legacy Pesticides Working Group
We convened the Legacy Pesticides Working Group to help us identify potential approaches to address lead and arsenic contamination of former orchard lands. Learn what the group will be working on.
Feb. 23, 1970 - A step closer to Ecology's creation
On Feb. 23, 1970, Gov. Dan Evans signed into law a bill creating Washington's new Department of Ecology, set to open July 1 of that year.
Legacies of lead & arsenic (part 3)
Lead and arsenic still remain in the soils of former orchard lands, and exposure can create health risks. Learn how to keep you and your family safe.
Feb. 12, 1970 – a landmark day for environmental protection
On Feb. 12, we're marking the 50th anniversary of the Legislature passing the bill that created the Department of Ecology.
Legacies of lead & arsenic (part 2)
As Central Washington grows, former orchard lands with potential lead and arsenic contamination are being developed into housing. We’ve convened a working group to help us find solutions.
Legacies of lead & arsenic
Romans added lead to many products, ranging from makeup and contraception to cookware and in the early 1900s, lead arsenate was the most widely used pesticide in the U.S.
Tackling nitrate contamination
Among our top priorities in Governor Jay Inslee’s 2020 supplemental budget is a request for $378,000 to expand monitoring for nitrates in Lower Yakima Valley private drinking water wells.
Partnering on safe well water in the Lower Yakima Valley
Recently, an independent advocacy group shared with us a study identifying several chemicals in groundwater that caught our attention.