Draft Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)

The Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council (EFSEC) is pleased to announce the release of the Draft Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for electrical transmission facilities with a nominal voltage of 230 kilovolts (kV) or greater. This Programmatic EIS was prepared in accordance with the Washington State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) under Chapter 43.21C.405 of the Revised Code of Washington (RCW) and Chapters 197-11 of the Washington Administrative Code (WAC).

As directed by the Washington State Legislature in RCW 43.21C.405, this Draft Programmatic EIS analyzes potential direct, indirect, and cumulative impacts of the construction, operation and maintenance, and upgrade or modification of transmission facilities in the State of Washington.  It includes an analysis of potential impacts on the elements of the natural and built environment specified under RCW 43.21C.405(3), WAC 197-11-444, and WAC 463-60-535.

The Draft Programmatic EIS and supporting documents can be found below:

For more information on the Programmatic EISs currently being developed by the WA State Department of Ecology on wind, solar, and green hydrogen, please visit their website: https://ecology.wa.gov/regulations-permits/sepa/clean-energy/programmatic-eis

How the Programmatic EIS will be Used

This Programmatic EIS analyzes the adverse environmental impacts of large electrical transmission facilities but does not analyze any specific transmission proposal. Any specific transmission facility proposal would require additional SEPA environmental review.  

This Programmatic EIS is unique from most other SEPA EISs. The Legislature directed it to be prepared in RCW 43.21C.405 and required analysis of additional topics in the EIS. Additionally, in RCW 43.21C.408 the legislature mandated that a SEPA lead agency for a transmission facility covered by this Programmatic EIS must consider this document in its environmental review. Furthermore, when the recommendations (mitigation measures) identified in this Programmatic EIS are implemented for site-specific proposals, those proposals “are considered to have mitigated the probable significant adverse project-specific environmental impacts under this chapter for which recommendations were specifically developed.”

This Draft Programmatic EIS is intended to:

• Provide a broad environmental impact assessment
• Facilitate streamlined planning
• Support informed decision-making
• Identify mitigation strategies
• Initiate public and stakeholder engagement

The Geographic Scope, or Study Area, of this Draft Programmatic EIS includes areas throughout the State of Washington where transmission facilities are likely to be developed. For the purpose of this Draft Programmatic EIS, Tribal lands and undersea cables are not included in the Study Area. Additional information can be found in Section 1.5.1 Geographic Scope of the Programmatic EIS.

This Programmatic EIS is unique in another way. It includes a framework and requirements for project level environmental review that are separated into three categories: General Conditions, Avoidance Criteria, Mitigation Measures. Additional information can also be found in Sections 3.1.3.1 General Conditions, 3.1.3.2 Avoidance Criteria, and 3.1.3.3 Mitigation Measures of the Programmatic EIS.

Project-specific applications would include details about the precise location and site-specific conditions. For most elements of the environment, this Draft Programmatic EIS provides a GoldSET suitability map (see Section 3.1.6 Suitability Map) that, when incorporated with project-specific applications, could be used to facilitate more informative and efficient environmental planning.  

Review, Comment, and Public Meeting

EFSEC invites public review and comment on the Draft Programmatic EIS. A 30-day public comment period begins on March 31, 2025, ending on April 30, 2025, at 5:00 pm PDT.  During that time there will be a public informational meeting on April 8, 2025, and two public comment hearings on April 22 and April 24, 2025. Details on how to participate are given below:

Public Informational Meeting

Tuesday, April 8, 2025, from 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm PDT 

• Microsoft Teams: https://bit.ly/TransmissionPEIS-InfoMtg
• Phone: +1 (253) 372-2181 
• Conference 365 313 874#

Submitting Comment

• Online: https://comments.efsec.wa.gov/
• By mail: EFSEC, ATTN: Draft PEIS Review, P.O. Box 43172 Olympia, WA 98503-3172
• In-Person: See below.

Public Comment Hearings

Tuesday, April 22, 2025, from 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm PDT

• Microsoft Teams: https://bit.ly/TransmissionPEIS-PubCmt1
• Phone: +1 (253) 372-2181
• Conference ID: 642 414 255#

Thursday, April 24, 2025, from 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm PDT

• Microsoft Teams: https://bit.ly/TransmissionPEIS-PubCmt2
• Phone: +1 (253) 372-2181
• Conference ID: 251 028 216#

Draft PEIS SEPA Scoping

A comment campaign was open from June 28, 2024 through July 28 2024 11:59pm PDT. 

There were two virtual public comment meetings held via Teams or phone:

Thursday, July 18, 2024 (5:00pm to 8:00pm PDT)

• • Microsoft Teams: https://bit.ly/PEIS_ScopingPubCmtMtg1
  • Or via Phone Number: (564)-999-2000  Conference ID: 335 336 413#

Tuesday, July 23, 2024 (5:00pm to 8:00pm PDT)

• • Microsoft Teams: https://bit.ly/PEIS_ScopingPubCmtMtg2
  • Or via Phone Number: (564)-999-2000  Conference ID: 152 730 471#