Rulemaking at Ecology

Rules listed below are sorted by topic and indicate Ecology's intentions for rulemaking. We invite you to participate in our rulemaking processes. Here you will find rules in various stages of the rulemaking process.

Rulemaking that has been officially filed with the Washington State Legislature’s Code Reviser’s Office (filed a CR-101 form) and are sorted by topic.
Recently closed rulemakings. (closed rulemaking web pages are kept here for 2 years after the date of adoption).
Programs that are undergoing an exploratory process for rulemaking.

Under each topic below, see rulemaking underway, more information, and the rulemaking status including documents, timelines, and contact information.

The Office of the Code Reviser publishes and maintains the list of Washington's laws — the Revised Code of Washington (RCW). To see a complete list of laws, please visit their website.

If you want to search all laws (RCWs) and rules, known formally as the Washington Administrative Code (WAC), you can use the search tool on their site.

The list of rules below are categorized by topical areas. These links will take you to the existing rule language on the Washington State Legislature's Code Reviser's web page.

Air & Climate

Chapter 173-400 WAC – General Regulation for Air Pollution Sources
Chapter 173-401 WAC – Operating Permit Regulation
Chapter 173-405 WAC – Kraft Pulping Mills
Chapter 173-406 WAC – Acid Rain Regulation
Chapter 173-407 WAC – Greenhouse Gas Mitigation Requirements and Emissions Performance Standard for Power Plants
Chapter 173-410 WAC – Sulfite Pulping Mills
Chapter 173-415 WAC – Primary Aluminum Plants
Chapter 173-420 WAC – Conformity of Transportation Activities to Air Quality Implementation Plans
Chapter 173-421 WAC – Motor Vehicle Emission Control Systems
Chapter 173-423 WAC – Clean Vehicles Program
Chapter 173-424 WAC – Clean Fuels Program Rule
Chapter 173-425 WAC – Outdoor Burning
Chapter 173-430 WAC – Agricultural Burning
Chapter 173-433 WAC – Solid Fuel Burning Devices
Chapter 173-434 WAC – Solid Waste Incinerator Facilities
Chapter 173-435 WAC – Emergency Episode Plan
Chapter 173-441 WAC – Reporting of Emissions of Greenhouse Gases
Chapter 173-442 WAC – Clean Air Rule
Chapter 173-443 WAC – Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs)
Chapter 173-444 WAC – Clean Energy Transformation Rule
Chapter 173-455 WAC – Air Quality Fee Rule
Chapter 173-460 WAC – Controls for New Sources of Toxic Air Pollutants
Chapter 173-446 WAC – Climate Commitment Act Program
Chapter 173-446A WAC – Criteria for Emissions-Intensive, Trade-Exposed Industries
Chapter 173-476 WAC – Ambient Air Quality Standards
Chapter 173-480 WAC – Ambient Air Quality Standards and Emission Limits for Radionuclides
Chapter 173-481 WAC – Ambient Air Quality and Environmental Standards for Fluorides
Chapter 173–485 WAC – Petroleum Refinery Greenhouse Gas Emission Requirements
Chapter 173-490 WAC – Emission Standards and Controls for Sources Emitting Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC)
Chapter 173-491 WAC – Emission Standards and Controls for Sources Emitting Gasoline Vapors
Chapter 173-492 WAC – Motor Fuel Specifications for Oxygenated Gasoline
Chapter 173-495 WAC – Weather Modification

Water & Shorelines

Waste & Toxics

Chapter 173-44 WAC – Fees – Radioactive Waste Management Facilities
Chapter 173-300 WAC – Certification of Operators of Solid Waste Incinerator and Landfill Facilities
Chapter 173-303 WAC – Dangerous Waste Regulations
Chapter 173-304 WAC – Minimum Functional Standards for Solid Waste Handling
Chapter 173-305 WAC – Hazardous Waste Fee Regulation
Chapter 173-306 WAC – Special Incinerator Ash Management Standards
Chapter 173-307 WAC – Pollution Prevention Plans
Chapter 173-308 WAC – Biosolids Management
Chapter 173-310 WAC – Litter Receptacles
Chapter 173-328 WAC – Mixed Waste Management Fees
Chapter 173-331 WAC – Vehicle Battery Recycling
Chapter 173-333 WAC – Persistent Bioaccumulative Toxins
Chapter 173-334 WAC – Children’s Safe Products – Reporting Rule
Chapter 173-345 WAC – Recyclable Materials – Transporter and Facility Requirements
Chapter 173-350 WAC – Solid Waste Handling Standards
Chapter 173-351 WAC – Criteria for Municipal Solid Waste Landfills
Chapter 173-900 WAC – Electronic Products Recycling Program
Chapter 173-901 WAC – Better Brakes
Chapter 173-910 WAC – Mercury-containing Lights Product Stewardship Program

Spills & Cleanup

Chapter 173-180 WAC – Facility Oil Handling Standards
Chapter 173-182 WAC – Oil Spill Contingency Plan
Chapter 173-183 WAC – Oil Spill Natural Resource Damage Assessment
Chapter 173-184 WAC – Vessel Oil Transfer Advance Notice and Containment Requirements
Chapter 173-185 WAC – Oil Movement by Rail and Pipeline Notification
Chapter 173-186 WAC – Oil Spill Contingency Plan – Railroad
Chapter 173-204 WAC – Sediment Management Standards
Chapter 173-340 WAC – Model Toxics Control Act – Cleanup
Chapter 173-342 WAC – Additional Taxable Hazardous Substance List
Chapter 173-360 WAC – Underground Storage Tank Regulations
Chapter 317-05 WAC – Definitions [Office of Marine Safety]
Chapter 317-31 WAC – Cargo and Passenger Vessels – Substantial Risk
Chapter 317-40 WAC – Bunkering Operations
Chapter 317-50 WAC – Financial Responsibility for Small Tank Barges and Oil Spill Response Barges

Grants & Loans

Chapter 173-80 WAC – Limitations on use of Referendum 39 Grant Funds for Water Pollution Abatement
Chapter 173-95A WAC – Uses and Limitations of the Centennial Clean Water Program
Chapter 173-98 WAC – Uses and Limitations of the Water Pollution Control Revolving Fund
Chapter 173-255 WAC – Limitations on Use of Referendum 26 Grant Funds for Water Pollution Abatement
Chapter 173-312 WAC – Local Solid Waste Financial Assistance
Chapter 173-321 WAC – Public Participation Grants
Chapter 173-323 WAC – Grants and Loans
Chapter 173-322A WAC – Remedial Action Grants and Loans
Chapter 173-450 WAC – Establishing Requirements for the Receipt of Financial Aid

Administrative

Chapter 173-03 WAC – Public Records
Chapter 173-06 WAC – Delegation of Powers
Chapter 173-40 WAC – Pollution Disclosure
Chapter 173-50 WAC – Accreditation of Environmental Laboratories

Noise

Chapter 173-58 WAC - Sound Level Measurement Procedures
Chapter 173-60 WAC - Maximum Environmental Noise Levels
Chapter 173-62 WAC - Motor Vehicle Noise Performance Standards

State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA)

Chapter 173-802 WAC – SEPA Procedures
Chapter 197-11 WAC – SEPA Rules

We invite you to participate in our rulemaking process. Rule chapters listed below indicate our intentions for rulemaking on that chapter. These links will take you to the rulemaking web page which contains information including documents, timelines, and contact information.

You will see rules in various stages of the rulemaking process.

Rulemaking that has been officially filed with the Washington State Legislature's Code Reviser's Office (filed a CR-101 form), known as "open rulemaking."
Ecology programs that are undergoing an exploratory process for rulemaking, known as "exploratory rulemaking."

See our Frequently Asked Questions for more information about the rulemaking process.

Open rulemaking

Air & Climate

Water & Shorelines

Waste & Toxics

Spills & Cleanup

Chapter 173-180 WAC – Facility Oil Handling Standards and Chapter 173-184 WAC — Vessel Oil Transfer Advance Notice and Containment Requirements

Administrative

Chapter 173-50 WAC – Accreditation of Environmental Laboratories (2022)

Grants & Loans

None at this time.

Exploratory rulemaking

The list of closed rulemaking below are organized by topic. These links will take you to rule-specific information including documents, timelines, and contact information. Closed rulemaking web pages are typically kept for reference for two years after the adoption date.

Air & Climate

Water & Shorelines

Waste & Toxics

Adopted 9/30/20 – Chapter 173-303 WAC – Dangerous Waste Regulations

Spills & Cleanup

Adopted 2/2/21 – Chapter 173-185 WAC – Oil Movement by Rail and Pipeline Notification

Grants & Loans

None

Administrative

Adopted repeal 6/25/21 – Chapter 173-04 WAC – Practice and Procedures

State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA)

Adopted 12/20/22 – Chapter 197-11 WAC – SEPA Rules

Contact information

Katie Wolt
Agency Rules Coordinator
katie.wolt@ecy.wa.gov
360-407-6998

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Rulemaking at Ecology

Air & Climate

​Water & Shorelines

Waste & Toxics

Spills & Cleanup

Grants & Loans

Administrative

Noise

State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA)

Open rulemaking

Air & Climate

Water & Shorelines

Waste & Toxics

Spills & Cleanup

Administrative

Grants & Loans

Exploratory rulemaking

Air & Climate

​​Water & Shorelines

​Waste & Toxics

Spills & Cleanup

Grants & Loans

Administrative​

State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA)

Related links

Contact information

Water & Shorelines

Water & Shorelines

Waste & Toxics

Administrative