Public participation is an important part of our work. Find out how to make your voice heard when we review applications for site certification, oversee facility construction and operations, and consider rule changes.
Ways to participate
We encourage all members of the public to take part in our processes. The best ways to get involved are by:
- Submitting written feedback during comment periods
- Attending and speaking at public hearings
View the following sections to learn about each of these opportunities.
Questions about our agency
If you have general questions about our Council instead of a specific topic, please contact us directly.
Comment periods
Your comments help us make better decisions. To ensure we hear from people who live near proposed or approved energy facilities, we provide comment periods so you can share your thoughts.
During comment periods, you may:
- Submit a comment online
- Email us a comment
- Mail us a comment
Upcoming public hearings and meetings
We host public hearings on a variety of topics, including proposed projects, facilities we review and oversee, and rule changes. You’re welcome to attend and participate.
Types of hearings
Informational public hearings
Within 60 days of receiving an application for site certification, we will hold an informational public hearing in the county of the proposed site. We mail and email notices to a large list of people and organizations in and near the proposed site. The meeting usually involves the developer’s presentation of their project and our presentation of how we review projects. These hearings follow requirements under the Energy Facilities—Site Locations Act (Chapter 80.50 RCW).
Additional public hearings
Outside of required informational public hearings for new project proposals, we often organize public hearings to share information about facilities we’re reviewing or overseeing or about other energy-related topics. These hearings follow requirements under the Energy Facilities—Site Locations Act (Chapter 80.50 RCW).
Rulemaking hearings
We also sometimes have public hearings about rules changes we’re considering. They're part of our administrative process and follow the requirements under the Administrative Procedures Act (Chapter 34.05 RCW). To learn more, visit our current and past rulemaking page.
How to attend a hearing
You can always join a public hearing online through Microsoft Teams. Informational public hearings will also include the option to attend in person, but other types of public hearings may not. For more details on how to attend, check the webpage for that hearing.
If you miss the hearing, we’ll post a recording on our website and YouTube channel.
Sign up to speak at a hearing
During public hearings, we also give time for you to speak about that day’s topic. If you’d like to speak at a hearing, please contact us in advance:
- Email efsec@efsec.wa.gov
- Call (360) 664-1345
Submit a comment about a hearing
You can submit a comment during or after a public hearing. That hearing’s webpage will have an option to submit a comment online.