Healthy Environment for All (HEAL) Act
   

Public Comment on Significant Agency Actions for Environmental Justice Assessments

Washington’s HEAL Act, an Environmental Justice Law, gives guidance to the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to carry out environmental justice assessments when planning significant actions.
Starting July 1, 2023, DNR will complete an environmental justice assessment for the following actions:
  • Agency rulemaking (also known as significant legislative rules, as defined in RCW 34.05.328).
  • Adopting or developing new grant or loan programs initiated after July 1, 2023.
  • Designing or awarding capital projects, grants, or loans of $12 million or more, or transportation projects, grants, or loans of $15 million or more.
  • Agency request legislation.

We want to hear from you

Please send us your feedback and comments on the following:
  • The above list of significant agency actions.
  • Other types of DNR actions you think would benefit from an assessment starting in 2025.
  • How you would like to stay informed about DNR’s work in environmental justice.
We invite you to reach out to us at any time as comments will continue to be reviewed by DNR on an ongoing basis. We will use your input to help inform decisions on conducting assessments and how we communicate and engage with you.
Send us your comments
Department of Natural Resources
C/O Office of Equity and Environmental Justice
1111 Washington St SE
MS 47001
Olympia, WA 98504