State Washington Regulations Chapter 352-11 WAC Sepa procedures Last Update: 12/11/95 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 352-11-010 Authority. These rules are promulgated under RCW 43.21C.120 (the State Environmental Policy Act) and chapter 197-11 WAC (SEPA rules). [Statutory Authority: Chapter 43.21C RCW. 84-20-112 (Order 84), § 352-11-010, filed 10/3/84. Formerly chapter 352-10 WAC.] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 352-11-020 Adoption by reference. The Washington state parks and recreation commission adopts the following sections or subsections of chapter 197-11 WAC by reference. WAC 197-11-040 Definitions. 197-11-050 Lead agency. 197-11-060 Content of environmental review. 197-11-070 Limitations on actions during SEPA process. 197-11-080 Incomplete or unavailable information. 197-11-090 Supporting documents. 197-11-100 Information required of applicants. 197-11-210 SEPA/GMA integration. 197-11-220 SEPA/GMA definitions. 197-11-228 Overall SEPA/GMA integration procedures. 197-11-230 Timing of an integrated GMA/SEPA process. 197-11-232 SEPA/GMA integration procedures for preliminary planning, environmental analysis, and expanded scoping. 197-11-235 Documents. 197-11-250 SEPA/Model Toxics Control Act integration. 197-11-253 SEPA lead agency for MTCA actions. 197-11-256 Preliminary evaluation. 197-11-259 Determination of nonsignificance for MTCA remedial action. 197-11-262 Determination of significance and EIS for MTCA remedial actions. 197-11-265 Early scoping for MTCA remedial actions. 197-11-268 MTCA interim actions. 197-11-300 Purpose of this part. 197-11-305 Categorical exemptions. 197-11-310 Threshold determination required. 197-11-315 Environmental checklist. 197-11-330 Threshold determination process. 197-11-335 Additional information. 197-11-340 Determination of nonsignificance (DNS). 197-11-350 Mitigated DNS. 197-11-360 Determination of significance (DS)/initiation of scoping. 197-11-390 Effect of threshold determination. 197-11-400 Purpose of EIS. 197-11-402 General requirements. 197-11-405 EIS types. 197-11-406 EIS timing. 197-11-408 Scoping. 197-11-410 Expanded scoping. (Optional) 197-11-420 EIS preparation. 197-11-425 Style and size. 197-11-430 Format. 197-11-435 Cover letter or memo. 197-11-440 EIS contents. 197-11-442 Contents of EIS on nonproject proposals. 197-11-443 EIS contents when prior nonproject EIS. 197-11-444 Elements of the environment. 197-11-448 Relationship of EIS to other considerations. 197-11-450 Cost-benefit analysis. 197-11-455 Issuance of DEIS. 197-11-460 Issuance of FEIS. 197-11-500 Purpose of this part. 197-11-502 Inviting comment. 197-11-504 Availability and cost of environmental documents. 197-11-508 SEPA register. 197-11-535 Public hearings and meetings. 197-11-545 Effect of no comment. 197-11-550 Specificity of comments. 197-11-560 FEIS response to comments. 197-11-570 Consulted agency costs to assist lead agency. 197-11-600 When to use existing environmental documents. 197-11-610 Use of NEPA documents. 197-11-620 Supplemental environmental impact statement?Procedures. 197-11-625 Addenda?Procedures. 197-11-630 Adoption?Procedures. 197-11-635 Incorporation by reference?Procedures. 197-11-640 Combining documents. 197-11-650 Purpose of this part. 197-11-655 Implementation. 197-11-660 Substantive authority and mitigation. 197-11-680 Appeals. 197-11-700 Definitions. 197-11-702 Act. 197-11-704 Action. 197-11-706 Addendum. 197-11-708 Adoption. 197-11-710 Affected tribe. 197-11-712 Affecting. 197-11-714 Agency. 197-11-716 Applicant. 197-11-718 Built environment. 197-11-720 Categorical exemption. 197-11-722 Consolidated appeal. 197-11-724 Consulted agency. 197-11-726 Cost-benefit analysis. 197-11-728 County/city. 197-11-730 Decision maker. 197-11-732 Department. 197-11-734 Determination of nonsignificance (DNS). 197-11-736 Determination of significance (DS). 197-11-738 EIS. 197-11-740 Environment. 197-11-742 Environmental checklist. 197-11-744 Environmental document. 197-11-746 Environmental review. 197-11-750 Expanded scoping. 197-11-752 Impacts. 197-11-754 Incorporation by reference. 197-11-756 Lands covered by water. 197-11-758 Lead agency. 197-11-760 License. 197-11-762 Local agency. 197-11-764 Major action. 197-11-766 Mitigated DNS. 197-11-768 Mitigation. 197-11-770 Natural environment. 197-11-772 NEPA. 197-11-774 Nonproject. 197-11-776 Phased review. 197-11-778 Preparation. 197-11-780 Private project. 197-11-782 Probable. 197-11-784 Proposal. 197-11-786 Reasonable alternative. 197-11-788 Responsible official. 197-11-790 SEPA. 197-11-792 Scope. 197-11-793 Scoping. 197-11-794 Significant. 197-11-796 State agency. 197-11-797 Threshold determination. 197-11-799 Underlying governmental action. 197-11-800 Categorical exemptions. 197-11-810 Exemptions and nonexemptions applicable to specific state agencies. 197-11-880 Emergencies. 197-11-890 Petitioning DOE to change exemptions. 197-11-900 Purpose of this part. 197-11-902 Agency SEPA policies. 197-11-904 Agency SEPA procedures. 197-11-906 Content and consistency of agency procedures. 197-11-908 Critical areas. 197-11-912 Procedures on consulted agencies. 197-11-914 SEPA fees and costs. 197-11-916 Application to ongoing actions. 197-11-920 Agencies with environmental expertise. 197-11-922 Lead agency rules. 197-11-924 Determining the lead agency. 197-11-926 Lead agency for governmental proposals. 197-11-928 Lead agency for public and private proposals. 197-11-930 Lead agency for private projects with one agency with jurisdiction. 197-11-932 Lead agency for private projects requiring licenses from more than one agency, when one of the agencies is a county/city. 197-11-934 Lead agency for private projects requiring licenses from a local agency, not a county/city, and one or more state agencies. 197-11-936 Lead agency for private projects requiring licenses from more than one state agency. 197-11-938 Lead agencies for specific proposals. 197-11-940 Transfer of lead agency status to a state agency. 197-11-942 Agreements on lead agency status. 197-11-944 Agreements on division of lead agency duties. 197-11-946 DOE resolution of lead agency disputes. 197-11-948 Assumption of lead agency status. 197-11-960 Environmental checklist. 197-11-965 Adoption notice. 197-11-970 Determination of nonsignificance (DNS). 197-11-980 Determination of significance and scoping notice (DS). 197-11-985 Notice of assumption of lead agency status. 197-11-990 Notice of action. [Statutory Authority: RCW 43.21C.120. 96-01-029, § 352-11-020, filed 12/11/95, effective 1/11/96. Statutory Authority: Chapter 43.21C RCW. 84-20-112 (Order 84), § 352-11-020, filed 10/3/84.] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 352-11-030 Purpose. This chapter implements the statewide rules in chapter 197-11 WAC as they apply to the Washington state parks and recreation commission. [Statutory Authority: Chapter 43.21C RCW. 84-20-112 (Order 84), § 352-11-030, filed 10/3/84.] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 352-11-040 Additional definitions. In addition to the definitions contained in WAC 197-11-700 through 197-11-799, the following terms shall have the listed meanings: (1) "Agency" means the entire staff and appointed commission members constituting the Washington state parks and recreation commission. (2) "Authorized public use" means that a particular parcel of real property has developed facilities which have been subject to public use or has been specifically designated and classified for such public use without developed facilities. No "authorized public use" shall be construed to have occurred on parcels of real property being held for future use and development nor on portions of existing park lands remote from existing public use facilities, including developed trail systems. (3) "Commission" means the Washington state parks and recreation commission. (4) "Director" means the director of the Washington state parks and recreation commission. (5) "Program" means any of the headquarters' sections or divisions of the Washington state parks and recreation commission that administers a program, such as, but not limited to, boating safety, winter recreation, and youth programs. (6) "Regions" means any of the regional offices of the Washington state parks and recreation commission. (7) "Section" means any section within the divisional structure of the Washington state parks and recreation commission. [Statutory Authority: RCW 43.21C.120. 96-01-029, § 352-11-040, filed 12/11/95, effective 1/11/96. Statutory Authority: Chapter 43.21C RCW. 84-20-112 (Order 84), § 352-11-040, filed 10/3/84.] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 352-11-055 Timing of the SEPA process. (1) Integrating SEPA and agency activities. The SEPA process shall be integrated with agency activities at the earliest possible time to ensure that planning and decisions reflect environmental values, to avoid delays later in the process, and to seek to resolve potential problems. (2) Timing of review of proposals. The agency shall prepare its threshold determination and environmental impact statement (EIS), if required, at the earliest possible point in the planning and decision-making process, when the principal features of a proposal and its environmental impacts can be reasonably identified. (a) A proposal exists when the agency is presented with an application or has a goal and is actively preparing to make a decision on one or more alternative means of accomplishing that goal and the environmental effects can be meaningfully evaluated. (i) The fact that proposals may require future agency approvals or environmental review shall not preclude current consideration, as long as proposed future activities are specific enough to allow some evaluation of their probable environmental impacts. (ii) Preliminary steps or decisions are sometimes needed before a proposal is sufficiently definite to allow meaningful environmental analysis. (b) Environmental reviews will normally begin when sufficient information is available for agency staff to make preliminary decisions. The agency may also organize environmental review in phases, as specified in WAC 197-11-060(5). (c) Appropriate consideration of environmental information shall be completed before the agency commits to a particular course of action under WAC 197-11-070. (3) Applications and rule making. The timing of environmental review for applications and for rule making shall be as follows: (a) At the latest, the agency shall begin environmental review, if required, when an application is complete. The agency may initiate review earlier and may have informal conferences with applicants. A final threshold determination or final environmental impact statement (FEIS) shall normally precede or accompany the final staff recommendation, if any, in a quasi-judicial proceeding on an application. The substance of an ex parte communication of parties with any member of the commission concerning the decision of action will be placed on the record and subject to public announcement and opportunity for rebuttal at public hearings as required by RCW 42.36.060. (b) For rule making, the DNS or DEIS shall normally accompany the proposed rule. A FEIS, if any, shall be issued at least seven days before adoption of a final rule under WAC 197-11-460(4). (4) Additional timing considerations. (a) Commission staff receiving a completed application and environmental checklist shall forward such application and checklist to the responsible official who will determine whether the commission or another agency is the SEPA lead agency under WAC 197-11-050 and 197-11-922 through 197-11-940 within five working days. If the commission is not the lead agency, the responsible official shall send the completed environmental checklist and a copy of the application, together with an explanation of the determination to the identified lead agency. (b) Commission staff receiving an application will forward it to the responsible official who will determine whether the proposal is an "action" and, if so, whether it is "categorically exempt" from SEPA. If the proposal is an "action" and is not exempt, the responsible official will ask the applicant to complete an environmental checklist. A checklist is not needed if the responsible official and applicant agree that an EIS is required, SEPA compliance has been completed, SEPA compliance has been initiated by another agency, or a checklist is included with the application. (c) If the only nonexempt action is commission approval of detailed project plans and specifications, an applicant may request that the commission complete SEPA compliance before the applicant submits the detailed plans and specifications. (d) The commission staff and applicants may hold preliminary discussions or exploration of ideas and options prior to commencing formal environmental review, under provisions of this chapter and chapter 197-11 WAC, subject to RCW 42.36.060. (5) An overall decision to proceed with a course of action may involve a series of actions or decisions by one or more agencies. If several agencies have jurisdiction over a proposal, they shall coordinate their SEPA processes wherever possible. The agencies shall comply with lead agency determination requirements in WAC 197-11-050 and 197-11-922 through 197-11-948. (6) To meet the requirement to insure that environmental values and amenities are given appropriate consideration along with economic and technical considerations, environmental documents and analysis shall be circulated and reviewed with other planning documents to the fullest extent possible. (7) For its own public proposals, the responsible official may extend the time limits prescribed in this chapter. (8) When the commission staff has prepared a commission agenda item for approval by the commission, the FEIS, DNS, or exemption statement shall accompany the agenda item to the commission for its review. [Statutory Authority: RCW 43.21C.120. 96-01-029, § 352-11-055, filed 12/11/95, effective 1/11/96. Statutory Authority: Chapter 43.21C RCW. 84-20-112 (Order 84), § 352-11-055, filed 10/3/84.] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 352-11-310 Threshold determination process — Additional considerations. When reviewing a completed environmental checklist to make the threshold determination, the responsible official or the designee of the responsible official will: (1) Independently evaluate the responses of the applicant and note comments, concerns, corrections, or new information in the right margin of the checklist. (2) Conduct the initial review of the checklist and any supporting documents without requiring additional information from the applicant. [Statutory Authority: Chapter 43.21C RCW. 84-20-112 (Order 84), § 352-11-310, filed 10/3/84.] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 352-11-350 Mitigated DNS. (1) An applicant may ask the agency whether issuance of a DS is likely for a proposal. This request for early notice must: (a) Be written; (b) Follow submission of a permit application and environmental checklist for a nonexempt proposal for which the commission is lead agency; and (c) Precede the agency's actual threshold determination for the proposal. (2) The responsible official or his designee shall respond to the request within ten working days of receipt of the letter; the response shall: (a) Be written; (b) State whether the agency is considering issuance of a DS; (c) Indicate the general or specific area(s) of concern that led the agency to consider a DS; and (d) State that the applicant may change or clarify the proposal to mitigate the impacts indicated in the letter, revising the environmental checklist as necessary to reflect the changes or clarifications. (3) The agency shall not continue with the threshold determination until after receiving a written response from the applicant changing or clarifying the proposal or asking that the threshold determination be based on the original proposal. (4) If the applicant submits a changed or clarified proposal, along with a revised environmental checklist, the agency will make its threshold determination based on the changed or clarified proposal. (a) If the agency's response to the request for early notice indicated specific mitigation measures that would remove all probable significant adverse environmental impacts, and the applicant changes or clarifies the proposal to include all of those specific mitigation measures, the agency shall issue a determination of nonsignificance and circulate the DNS for comments as in WAC 197-11-350(2). (b) If the agency indicated general or specific areas of concern, but did not indicate specific mitigation measures that would allow it to issue a DNS, the agency shall determine if the changed or clarified proposal may have a probable significant environmental impact, issuing a DNS or DS as appropriate. (5) The agency may specify mitigation measures that would allow it to issue a DNS without a request for early notice from an applicant. If it does so, and the applicant changes or clarifies the proposal to include those measures, the agency shall issue a DNS and circulate it for review under WAC 197-11-350(2). (6) When an applicant changes or clarifies the proposal, the clarifications or changes may be included in written attachments to the documents already submitted. If the environmental checklist and supporting documents would be difficult to read and/or understand because of the need to read them in conjunction with the attachment(s), the agency may require the applicant to submit a new checklist. (7) The agency may change or clarify features of its own proposals before making the threshold determination. (8) The agency's written response under subsection (2) of this section shall not be construed as a determination of significance. In addition, preliminary discussion of clarification of or changes to a proposal, as opposed to a written request for early notice, shall not bind the agency to consider the clarifications or changes in its threshold determination. (9) When an applicant submits a changed or clarified proposal pursuant to this section, it shall be considered part of the applicant's application for a permit or other approval for all purposes, including enforcement of the permit or other approval. Unless the agency's decision expressly states otherwise, when a mitigated DNS is issued for a proposal, any decision approving the proposal shall be based on the proposal as changed or clarified pursuant to this section. [Statutory Authority: Chapter 43.21C RCW. 84-20-112 (Order 84), § 352-11-350, filed 10/3/84.] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 352-11-420 EIS preparation. For draft and final EISs and supplemental environmental impact statements (SEISs): (1) Preparation of the EIS is the responsibility of the agency, by or under the direction of its responsible official, as specified by the agency's procedures. No matter who participates in the preparation of the EIS, it is the EIS of the agency. The responsible official, prior to distributing an EIS, shall be satisfied that it complies with this chapter and chapter 197-11 WAC. (2) The agency may have an EIS prepared by agency staff, an applicant or its agent, or by an outside consultant retained by either an applicant or the agency. The agency shall assure that the EIS is prepared in a professional manner and with appropriate interdisciplinary methodology. The responsible official shall direct the areas of research and examination to be undertaken as a result of the scoping process, as well as the organization of the resulting document. (3) If a person other than the agency is preparing the EIS, the agency shall: (a) Coordinate any scoping procedures so that the individual preparing the EIS receives all substantive information submitted by any agency and the public that is needed by the person; (b) Assist in obtaining any information on file with another agency that is needed by the person preparing the EIS; (c) Allow any party preparing an EIS access to all public records of the agency that relate to the subject of the EIS, under RCW 42.17.250 through 42.17.340. (4) Normally, the agency will prepare EISs for its own proposals. (5) For applicant proposals, the agency normally will require the applicant to prepare or help prepare the EIS at the applicant's expense, under provisions of this chapter and chapter 197-11 WAC. (6) The agency may require an applicant to provide information that the agency does not possess, including specific investigations. The applicant is not required to supply information that is not required under this chapter and chapter 197-11 WAC. [Statutory Authority: Chapter 43.21C RCW. 84-20-112 (Order 84), § 352-11-420, filed 10/3/84.] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 352-11-504 Availability and costs of environmental documents. (1) SEPA documents required by these rules shall be retained by the agency at the SEPA public information center, and made available in accordance with RCW 42.17.250 through 42.17.340. (2) The agency shall make copies of environmental documents available in accordance with RCW 42.17.250 through 42.17.340, charging only those costs allowed plus mailing costs. Allowable costs for environmental documents may be indicated in the documents and made payable to the agency. However, no charge shall be levied for circulation of documents to other agencies as required by this chapter. The agency will provide one complimentary copy of each environmental document to each public interest organization requesting such. [Statutory Authority: Chapter 43.21C RCW. 84-20-112 (Order 84), § 352-11-504, filed 10/3/84.] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 352-11-508 Notice of environmental documents. (1) The agency shall submit environmental documents required to be sent to the department of ecology for weekly publication in the SEPA register under this chapter, specifically: (a) DNSs under WAC 197-11-340(2); (b) DSs (scoping notices) under WAC 197-11-408; (c) EISs under WAC 197-11-455, 197-11-460, 197-11-620, and 197-11-630; and (d) Notices of action under RCW 43.21C.080 and 43.21C.087. (2) The agency shall submit the environmental documents listed in subsection (1) of this section promptly and in accordance with procedures established by the department of ecology. (3) The agency shall subscribe to the SEPA register. [Statutory Authority: Chapter 43.21C RCW. 84-20-112 (Order 84), § 352-11-508, filed 10/3/84.] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 352-11-510 Public notice requirements. (1) The agency shall give public notice when issuing a DNS under WAC 197-11-350(2), a scoping notice under WAC 352-11-420, or a draft EIS under WAC 197-11-455. (2) Whenever possible, the agency shall integrate the public notice required under this section with existing notice procedures for the agency's permit or approval required for the proposal. (a) When more than one permit or approval required from or by the agency has public notice requirements, the notice procedures that would reach the widest audience shall be used, if possible. (b) If the public notice requirements for the permit or approval must be completed at a specific time in the permitting process and that timing does not coincide with the timing requirements for SEPA public notice, the agency must use one or more public notice methods in subsection (3) of this section. (c) If there are no public notice requirements for any of the permits/approvals required for a proposal, the agency must use one or more public notice methods in subsection (3) of this section. (3) The agency shall use one or more of the following methods of public notice, taking into consideration the geographic area affected by the proposal, the size and complexity of the proposal, the public notice requirements for the permit or approval required from the agency, public interest expressed in the proposal, and whether the proposal is a project or regulation: (a) Notifying persons or groups who have expressed interest in the proposal, of the type of proposal, or proposals in the geographic area in which the proposal will be implemented if approved; (b) Publication in a newspaper of general circulation in the area in which the proposal will be implemented; (c) Posting the property for site-specific proposals; (d) Notifying the news media; and or (e) Placing notice in appropriate regional, neighborhood, ethnic, or trade journals. (4) The agency may require an applicant to perform the public notice requirement at the applicant's expense. [Statutory Authority: Chapter 43.21C RCW. 84-20-112 (Order 84), § 352-11-510, filed 10/3/84.] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 352-11-615 Coordination on combined agency — Federal action. When the agency is considering an action which also involves federal actions, it shall attempt to coordinate the two governmental processes so that only one environmental impact statement need be prepared for that proposal. [Statutory Authority: Chapter 43.21C RCW. 84-20-112 (Order 84), § 352-11-615, filed 10/3/84.] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 352-11-665 Policies and procedures for conditioning or denying permits or other approvals. (1)(a) The overriding policy of the Washington state parks and recreation commission is to avoid or mitigate adverse environmental impacts which may result from the agency's decisions. (b) The commission shall use all practicable means, consistent with other essential considerations of state policy, to improve and coordinate plans, functions, programs, and resources to the end that the state and its citizens may: (i) Fulfill the responsibilities of each generation as trustee of the environment for succeeding generations; (ii) Assure for all people of Washington safe, healthful, productive, and aesthetically and culturally pleasing surroundings; (iii) Attain the widest range of beneficial uses of the environment without degradation, risk to health or safety, or other undesirable and unintended consequences; (iv) Preserve important historic, cultural, and natural aspects of our national heritage; (v) Maintain, wherever possible, an environment which supports diversity and variety of individual choice; (vi) Achieve a balance between population and resource use which will permit high standards of living and a wide sharing of life's amenities; and (vii) Enhance the quality of renewable resources and approach the maximum attainable recycling of depletable resources. (c) The agency recognizes that each person has a fundamental and inalienable right to a healthful environment and that each person has a responsibility to contribute to the preservation and enhancement of the environment. (d) The agency shall ensure that presently unquantified environmental amenities and values will be given appropriate consideration in decision making along with economic and technical considerations. (2) Policies - specific. The commission is responsible for the following approvals, permits, or rulemaking and for the acquisition of land suitable for parks, for repair, maintenance and new construction of park facilities which have potential to impact the environment and which are subject to the provisions of this chapter: (a) Authority to acquire and develop parks and parkways (chapter 43.51 RCW); (b) Grant concessions or leases in state parks and parkways (RCW 43.51.040(5)); (c) Grant franchises and easements for any legitimate purpose on parks and parkways (RCW 43.51.060(5)); (d) Enter into agreements whereby individuals or companies may rent undeveloped parks or parkway land for grazing, agricultural, or mineral development (RCW 43.51.060(7)); (e) Lease park land for television stations (RCW 43.51.062 and 43.51.063); (f) Grant permits for improvement of parks (RCW 43.51.130 through 43.51.160); (g) Administer the seashore conservation area including: (i) Establish reasonable regulations for the use and control of vehicular traffic on or along the ocean beach highways (RCW 43.51.680, 79.94.340 and 79.94.360); (ii) Sale of sand from accretions to supply the needs of cranberry growers (RCW 43.51.685); and or (iii) Grant leases and permits for the removal of sands for construction purposes (RCW 43.51.685). (h) Stewardship, management and development of resources, including land acquisition in accordance with the State Wildlife and Recreation Lands Management Act (chapter 43.98B RCW); (i) Administration, acquisition, development, operation and maintenance of snowmobile facilities (RCW 46.10.080); (j) Acquisition, development and maintenance of scenic and recreational highways, and rest areas, including landscaping and signing (chapter 47.39 RCW); (k) Review and approval or disapproval of plans for acquisition and operation of parks and recreation facilities by any port district (RCW 53.08.270); (l) Acquisition, development, operation and maintenance of recreational trails (chapter 67.32 RCW); (m) Development of a statewide scenic rivers program plan, including proposals for acquisition and development of public access sites and facilities (chapter 79.72 RCW); (n) Grant approvals for the construction, operation and maintenance of winter recreational devices, including but not limited to ski lifts, ski tows, j-bars, t-bars, ski mobiles, chair lifts and similar devices and equipment (RCW 70.88.010 through 70.88.040). (o) Any other approval authority which may be granted to the commission in the future. (3)(a) SEPA procedures. When the environmental document for a proposal for approval by the agency shows it will cause significant adverse impacts that the proponent does not plan to mitigate, the responsible official shall consider whether: (i) The environmental document identified mitigation measures that are reasonable and capable of being accomplished; (ii) Other local, state, or federal requirements and enforcement would mitigate the significant adverse environmental impacts; and (iii) Reasonable mitigation measures are sufficient to mitigate the significant adverse impacts. (b) The responsible official may: (i) Condition the approval for a proposal if mitigation measures are reasonable and capable of being accomplished and the proposal is inconsistent with the policies in subsection (1) of this section. (ii) Deny the permit or approval for a proposal if reasonable mitigation measures are insufficient to mitigate significant adverse environmental impacts and the proposal is inconsistent with the policies in subsection (1) of this section. (c) The procedures in WAC 197-11-660 must also be followed when conditioning or denying permits or other approvals. [Statutory Authority: RCW 43.21C.120. 96-01-029, § 352-11-665, filed 12/11/95, effective 1/11/96. Statutory Authority: Chapter 43.21C RCW. 84-20-112 (Order 84), § 352-11-665, filed 10/3/84.] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 352-11-800 Threshold levels adopted by counties/cities. (1) In determining whether a proposal is exempt from SEPA, the agency shall respect the threshold levels adopted by counties/cities under WAC 197-11-800(1). (2) The agency's responsible official shall obtain copies of ordinances adopted by counties/cities which have established different threshold levels from those of WAC 197-11-800(1) and which directly affect state park lands. [Statutory Authority: Chapter 43.21C RCW. 84-20-112 (Order 84), § 352-11-800, filed 10/3/84.] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 352-11-905 Responsibilities of individuals and work units within the agency. (1) The environmental programs section of the agency shall be responsible for the following: (a) Coordinating agency activities to comply with SEPA, encouraging consistency in SEPA compliance among all regions, sections, and programs. (b) Providing information and guidance on SEPA and the SEPA rules to commission, staff, agencies, groups, and citizens. (c) Receiving all SEPA documents sent to the commission for review and comment, distributing documents and coordinating review with appropriate regions, programs and sections, preparing the agency's response, ensuring a timely response, and requesting extensions to the comment period of an EIS, when needed. (d) Maintaining the agency's files for EISs, DNSs, scoping notices, and notices of action prepared for commission approvals and other agency actions and which are sent to the department of ecology under SEPA and the SEPA rules. (e) Maintaining files for the city/county SEPA procedures designating critical areas and flexible thresholds and making the information available to agency staff. (f) Writing and/or coordinating EIS preparation, including scoping and the scoping notice, making sure to work with appropriate regions, programs, and sections. (g) Preparing the agency's SEPA rules and amendments to the SEPA rules as necessary. (h) Fulfilling the agency's other general responsibilities under SEPA and the SEPA rules. (i) Determining whether a decision on a permit or other approval, program, policy, plan, or regulation is an "action" under SEPA and, if so, whether it is exempt from SEPA's requirements. (j) Determining whether the commission or another agency is SEPA lead agency. (k) Making the threshold determination. This shall be made by the responsible official under WAC 352-11-910. (l) Issuing a determination of nonsignificance, if appropriate (issued by responsible official) and ensuring compliance with the public notice requirements of WAC 352-11-510; (2) Other staff of the commission in regions, programs, and sections shall be responsible for the following: (a) Reviewing SEPA documents and submitting comments to the environmental programs section in a timely fashion, recognizing that SEPA and the SEPA rules impose strict time limits on commenting. (b) Working with the environmental programs section on preparation of EISs, DNSs, and environmental checklists. (c) Ensuring that permit decisions are consistent with the final EIS and DNS. [Statutory Authority: RCW 43.21C.120. 96-01-029, § 352-11-905, filed 12/11/95, effective 1/11/96. Statutory Authority: Chapter 43.21C RCW. 84-20-112 (Order 84), § 352-11-905, filed 10/3/84.] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 352-11-908 Critical areas. (1) The agency's responsible official shall obtain maps of all designated "critical areas" on existing state park lands which have been prepared by counties/cities under WAC 197-11-908. (2) In determining whether a proposal is exempt from SEPA, the agency shall respect "critical area" designations made by counties/cities under WAC 197-11-908. [Statutory Authority: RCW 43.21C.120. 96-01-029, § 352-11-908, filed 12/11/95, effective 1/11/96. Statutory Authority: Chapter 43.21C RCW. 84-20-112 (Order 84), § 352-11-908, filed 10/3/84.] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 352-11-910 Designation of responsible official. (1) The ultimate responsible official is the commission. Normally, the operational responsibility shall be delegated via the director to the (manager), environmental programs. The manager, environmental programs may delegate this authority to the assistant manager, environmental programs and to the regional environmental specialists. (2) Depending upon the size and scope of the proposed action, consideration may be given to establishing the responsible official at the level of assistant director, resources development, Washington state parks and recreation commission, or at the level of director. [Statutory Authority: RCW 43.21C.120. 96-01-029, § 352-11-910, filed 12/11/95, effective 1/11/96. Statutory Authority: Chapter 43.21C RCW. 84-20-112 (Order 84), § 352-11-910, filed 10/3/84.] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 352-11-950 Severability. If any provision of this chapter or its application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the remainder of this chapter, or the application of the provision to other persons or circumstances, shall not be affected. [Statutory Authority: Chapter 43.21C RCW. 84-20-112 (Order 84), § 352-11-950, filed 10/3/84.]