Cap-and-Invest offsets

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Revised Ozone Depleting Substances Rule and Protocol Adopted

On July 21, 2025, Ecology adopted updates to the Ozone Depleting Substances (ODS) Protocol that will increase technical standards, decrease obstacles to project development, and reflect policy advances. The adopted protocol is based on a one that the California Air Resources Board previously adopted (Compliance Offset Protocol Ozone Depleting Substances) and incorporates the following changes:

  • Update Global Warming Potential values from Update Global Warming Potential values from the Fourth IPCC Assessment Report (AR4) to the Fifth IPCC Assessment Report (AR5).
  • Allow ODS sourced from the federal government.
  • Allow credit generation from Hydrochlorofluorocarbon-22 (HCFC-22).
  • Allow credit generation from medical aerosols and unused solvents

The new protocol will be effective as of Aug. 21, 2025. For more information, please refer to the WAC 173-446 Offsets rulemaking webpage.

In 2020, the Washington Legislature committed our state to becoming carbon neutral by 2050. Upholding this commitment will require that businesses invest in better processes and use cleaner energy to reduce their own emissions. But it can also help to invest in projects designed to combat global emissions outside of any one particular factory or industry. That's where offset projects come in.

Sometimes just called "offsets," these are projects or programs designed to reduce the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. In Washington’s Cap-and-Invest Program, offset projects must also provide direct environmental benefits to our state. You can learn more about the program's offset requirements below.


Images showing examples of forestry, livestock, and urban forestry offset projects

Offset projects include things such as reforestation, planting trees in urban areas, and capturing methane on dairy farms. And because greenhouse gas emissions affect the entire atmosphere, even projects in another country can help us fight climate change here in Washington. 

a graphic representation of removing, reducing, or avoiding greenhouse gas emissions, represented by grey clouds.

Offset projects reduce, remove, or avoid greenhouse gas emissions. In the cap-and-invest program, emitters can use credits earned by investing in these projects to cover a small portion of their emissions. This encourages them to fund projects that help our shared environment.

Icons representing offset qualities: real, permanent, quantifiable, verifiable, and enforceable.

Offset projects must meet strict criteria to ensure they're actually providing environmental benefits. The CCA requires that offset projects must result in greenhouse gas reductions that are real, permanent, quantifiable, verifiable, and enforceable. 

How do offsets work?

You may have seen offers from airlines and other businesses to "offset" the carbon footprint of a product you're about to purchase. Typically this means you pay a little extra at checkout, and, in turn, the company invests those funds in a project that reduces the overall amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere by the same amount that would be generated in the production of your purchase — whether that's a new handbag or a fraction of the emissions from a flight to Hawaii — meaning the net change in global greenhouse gases is zero. 

The business isn't directly reducing its own emissions; that flight would still generate the same amount of pollution even if you canceled your trip. Instead, the airline is balancing out the negative impacts of its emissions by funding a project that benefits the environment.


Of course, not all offset projects are created equal. If you "offset" a purchase as described above, for example, the business you're purchasing from is responsible for making sure those funds are going to projects with verifiable results.

When it comes to offset credits that can be used in a regulatory system — such as Washington's Cap-and-Invest Program, or similar programs in California and Québec — the agency responsible for administering the regulation is tasked with quality control. For Cap-and-Invest, the law provides several safeguards to ensure the integrity of offset projects, and it's our job to implement and uphold those standards.

Offsets under Cap-and-Invest


Using offsets to cover emissions


Tribal offset projects

Offset projects on Tribal lands are developed in the same way as non-tribal projects: they must be listed with an approved offset-project registry, follow one of the four adopted offset protocols, and be verified by an approved third party.

We offer a Tribal Carbon Offset Assistance Grant program to help federally recognized Tribes in Washington assess the feasibility of a carbon offset project.

Guidance for project developers, verifiers, and registries


Project developer and registry resources

If you are looking for an offset form that is not linked in one of the tabs below, please reach out to CCAOffsets@ecy.wa.gov.

Project listing applications

Please note that an entity's CITSS registration process must be completed prior to listing an offset project with an Ecology-approved offset project registry.

Offset project data reporting forms 

Approved registries

We will add new forms to this tab as they are developed. If you have any questions about these forms or listing requirements, please contact our Offsets team at CCAOffsets@ecy.wa.gov

We'll add new forms to this tab as they're developed. If you have any questions about these forms, registration requirements, or want a list of approved offset verifiers and verification bodies, please contact our Offsets Team at CCAOffsets@ecy.wa.gov.

Forms

If you don't see the form you're looking for in these tabs, please email CCAOffsets@ecy.wa.gov.

Resources

In 2021, the Legislature appropriated funding for an independent study about the potential for carbon removal projects in Washington. The study was commissioned and funded outside the Cap-and-Invest Program. We've posted the report here to provide additional information and analysis to potential offset project developers. 

The following trainings were held in May 2023. Recordings of the trainings are linked below.

Using offset credits for compliance in the Cap-and-Invest Program 

This training walks through the process and considerations for using offset credits for compliance in the Cap-and-Invest Program. We cover the basic requirements for offset projects under the program, as well as the offset credit usage limits for covered entities. Considerations for offset credit procurement, such as invalidation, reversal, and direct environmental benefits to Washington are also discussed.

Watch the Using Offset Credits for Compliance training

Developing offset projects in the Cap-and-Invest Program 

This training walks through the process, timeline, and requirements for developing an offset project in the Cap-and-Invest Program. We discuss the four offset protocols adopted by Ecology, as well as the process to determine whether or not an offset project provides direct environmental benefits to Washington. Third-party verification requirements and the first steps to begin listing an offset project in the Cap-and-Invest Program are also covered.

Watch the Developing Offset Projects training

Please remember that offset project developers must have active accounts in the Compliance Instrument Tracking System Service (CITSS) in order to sell offset credits in the Cap-and-Invest marketplace. You can find all the information, trainings, and other resources needed to complete this process on our Auctions trainings and resources page.

For questions about your CITSS application process, please contact RegistrarCCA@ecy.wa.gov.

Washington Offset Projects and Credits

Our Ecology Offset Issuance Table provides details about Washington offset projects and credits as they are issued. This table is updated as offset credits are released. 

Rulemaking to revise offset protocols 

As a part of the WAC 173-446 Offsets Rulemaking, we're considering revisions and additions to offset protocols. The following protocols may be revised: 

Ozone Depleting Substances Protocol (ODS)

As of July 21, 2025, Ecology has adopted revisions to our Ozone Depleting Substances Protocol based off feedback from the ODS Offset Protocol Technical Working Group and public comments on the rule proposal. The new rule and protocol can be found on the rulemaking webpage

The new protocol will be effective as of Aug. 21, 2025.

U.S. Forest Protocol 

The U.S. Forest Offset Technical Working Group met from July 2024 to February 2025. This working group provided input on a series of potential revisions under consideration.

The first draft of our revisions to the adopted US Forestry Protocol are now available. We're seeking public comments on this first draft of proposed revisions and our rule proposal through Aug.18, 2025. Visit the Offsets US Forest Protocol rulemaking webpage to view the draft revisions and other information.

Feasibility of a blue carbon offset protocol 

We’ll develop a technical working group in the future to discuss the feasibility of a blue carbon offset protocol.

Environmental justice considerations 

We have an Environmental Justice Offsets Working Group that began in July 2024 and will continue as we consider revisions to the protocols. The working group members help inform environmental justice considerations related to offset protocol changes proposed during the offset rulemaking process. Information on the working group, including meeting materials, is available on the working group webpage

To stay informed about the progress of the rulemakings, subscribe to our Cap-and-Invest Offsets email list.