EXECUTIVE ORDER 90-06

IMPLEMENTING THE WASHINGTON ENVIRONMENT 2010 ACTION AGENDA

WHEREAS, on December 15, 1988, the Washington Environment 2010 Advisory Committee was formally established by Executive Order 88-09 and was directed to prepare a State of the Environment Report and an environmental action agenda, and

WHEREAS, the State of the Environment Report was released in October, 1989, and "Toward 2010: An Environmental Action Agenda," was released to the public on July 18, 1990, and

WHEREAS, both reports were prepared in consultation with the Environment 2010 Public Advisory Committee, utilizing support from interagency technical and policy committees and in cooperation with a Steering Committee of agency directors and with financial and staff support from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and

WHEREAS, the State of the Environment Report and Action Agenda address key issues in pollution prevention and protection of this states' wildlife, fisheries, outdoor recreation opportunities and other natural resources essential to the quality of life in Washington State, and

WHEREAS, the Environment 2010 Action Agenda is responsive to priority environmental issues identified in the State of the Environment Report and was developed through an extensive process of public outreach and support, and

WHEREAS, the Environment 2010 Action Agenda establishes an ambitious course for preventing pollution, protecting natural resources and creating an environment that we will be proud to pass on to future generations by the year 2010, and

WHEREAS, directors of Executive Branch agencies and representatives of the Commissioner of Public Lands, Superintendent of Public Instruction, Secretary of Transportation and federal agencies have participated cooperatively on the Environment 2010 Steering Committee, and

WHEREAS, the Environment 2010 Action Agenda provides guidance for action by state government necessary to achieve the Environment 2010 vision of a sustainable future and is also a call to the federal government, tribes, local government, business, agriculture, nongovernmental organizations and individual citizens for responsible environmental action, and

WHEREAS, effective environmental education is critical to the successful stewardship of our state's natural environment, and

WHEREAS, Washington State has statutory goals to achieve a fifty per cent (50%) recycling rate by 1995 and to increase recycled paper purchases by fifty per cent (50%) by 1993 and state government, through its purchasing practices can significantly further waste reduction and recycling efforts, and

WHEREAS, the spirit of Environment 2010 is an attempt to replace conflict and confrontation with cooperative and constructive resolution of environmental and natural resource disputes, and

WHEREAS, the environmental costs of conventional energy development are not at present sufficiently addressed in energy system planning which may cause environmentally desirable energy resources to be foregone because of distortions in their apparent relative cost, and

WHEREAS, the use of economic incentives is an emerging and potentially beneficial approach for achieving the goals of economic growth consistent with reducing pollution and promoting efficient use and protection of natural resources, and

WHEREAS, a comprehensive and integrated system for management of environmental information is needed to provide consistent, accurate and easily accessible data on the condition of the environment, and

WHEREAS, it is essential to periodically report on the condition of the state's environment and natural resources and to measure progress and trends in pollution control and natural resource conditions.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Booth Gardner, Governor of the State of Washington, by virtue of the power vested in me, do hereby order:

SECTION 1. GENERAL IMPLEMENTATION AND REPORTING

(a) Using existing resources, all executive agencies shall exercise their current authorities and administer current programs in a manner consistent with and supporting implementation of the Environment 2010 Action Agenda.

(b) The Environment 2010 Steering Committee shall designate lead and supporting agencies from among its members for each key recommendation in the Environment 2010 Action Agenda.

(c) Lead and supporting agencies are responsible for documenting progress by state government towards implementing each key recommendation and progress by the federal government, tribes, local government, business, agriculture, nongovernmental organizations and individual citizens as applicable.

(d) The Environment 2010 Steering Committee, in consultation with the Public Advisory Committee, shall monitor progress in implementing all key recommendations and shall submit a written progress report as part of its State of the Environment Report as described in Section 9 of this Executive order.

(e) The Department of Ecology shall provide the staff support necessary to coordinate the monitoring and reporting of the implementation of Environment 2010 Action Agenda recommendations.

SECTION 2 ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION

(a) To promote better understanding and to better foster stewardship, it shall be the policy of all executive branch agencies to actively support environmental education, both through formal education systems and through state, local government or private sector efforts directed toward adults and youth in their homes, at work, in their communities and at play.

(b) Effective immediately, the directors of the state's executive natural resource agencies shall form a Governor's council on environmental education to establish broad environmental education goals and policies; to serve as a forum for discussion of environmental education in Washington; to coordinate the efficient and effective use of resources; and to provide recommendations to the Governor, Legislature, Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction, State Board of Education, and Higher Education Coordinating Board on environmental education issues.

(c) Membership on the Council shall include Directors, or their designees, of state executive branch natural resource agencies (Wildlife, Fisheries, Ecology, Energy, Parks, Puget Sound Water Quality Authority, Agriculture, Health and the Interagency Committee for Outdoor Recreation).

(d) The Council shall extend an invitation to sit on the Council to the Superintendent of Public Instruction, Director of State Cooperative Extension Service and the Commissioner of Public Lands.

(e) The Council may consult with and seek participation from representatives of state schools, colleges/universities, business and industry, agriculture, cities and counties, and the Legislature.

(f) Chairmanship of the Council shall be appointed annually by the directors. The Council will meet at least four times each year and will periodically provide a report to the Governor.

SECTION 3 AIR QUALITY

(a) All Executive Branch agencies, under the oversight of the Department of Ecology, shall seek ways to reduce the impact of their operations on outdoor air quality.

(b) The Department of General Administration shall incorporate ambient outdoor air quality considerations into the planning and construction of state facilities.

(c) Executive Branch agencies, under the oversight of the Department of General Administration and the Washington State Energy Office, shall initiate transportation demand management activities for their facilities and sites to reduce use of single occupancy vehicles.

(d) The Department of General Administration, in consultation with the Department of Transportation, shall conduct a pilot project utilizing alternative fuel in state motor pool vehicles, beginning July, 1991.

SECTION 4 STATE GOVERNMENT PROCUREMENT

(a) Executive Branch agencies, under the oversight of the Department of General Administration, shall actively seek ways to reduce, recycle, and purchase recovered material and environmentally desirable products.

(b) It shall be the policy of all Executive Branch agencies to incorporate waste reduction and recycling into their management and operating procedures and to support markets for recovered material products by purchasing such products pursuant to federal requirements, and statutory and delegated authorities.

(c) Agencies shall use the definition of recovered material content pursuant to RCW 43.19 or, as appropriate, Environmental Protection Agency guidelines. Executive agencies shall seek substitutes as practicable for products that are disposable, nonrecyclable or made with hazardous materials.

(d) The goals for purchase of recovered material products shall be those of the State Government Waste Reduction and Recycling Plan, adopted pursuant to 70.95 RCW.

(e) All Executive Branch agencies, through the Department of General Administration, shall report to the Governor on purchases of recovered material products. The reporting required herein shall be incorporated into the State of the Environment Report, as described in Section 9 of this Executive Order. The Department of Ecology shall prepare guidelines for such executive agency reporting.

SECTION 5 DISPUTE RESOLUTION

(a) Executive Branch agencies participating in Environment 2010 should continue to explore ways, such as through the Agriculture/Natural Resources Forum, to promote mediated resolutions of conflicts involving environmental and natural resources issues.

(b) Where appropriate, such forums should occur through a public-private partnership, including the use of outside financial support.

SECTION 6 ENVIRONMENTAL COSTS OF ENERGY DEVELOPMENT

(a) The State Energy office shall study and develop recommendations for energy planning tools that account for the environmental and natural resource costs of energy development. The Energy off ice shall work with the Northwest Power Planning Council, Bonneville Power Administration, the Utilities and Transportation Commission and other affected agencies in the development of such recommendations.

SECTION 7 ECONOMIC INCENTIVES FOR IMPROVED ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT

(a) The Departments of Ecology, Revenue, Trade and Economic Development, together with other interested agencies, shall form a task force to evaluate economic incentives designed to produce meaningful pollution reduction and protect the environment for the lowest possible cost to society.

(b) The Task Force shall prepare a report by September 1, 1991, which identifies, wherever possible, the highest priority environmental problems that could be addressed through the use of economic incentives. The report should include, wherever possible, recommendations for specific incentives that would be subject to more thorough and detailed economic analyses. The estimated cost and recommended method of funding such analyses should be included in the report.

SECTION 8 COMPREHENSIVE ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

(a) The Department of Ecology, in consultation with the Department of Information Services and other natural resource agencies, shall plan a comprehensive and integrated environmental information system. The system shall be planned to achieve environmental data standards, facilitate data sharing, and minimize redundant data collection.

SECTION 9 STATE OF THE ENVIRONMENT REPORT

(a) The Department of Ecology, in cooperation with other agencies of the state, shall prepare and distribute a biennial State of the Environment Report consisting of information on key indicators of pollution levels, the status of this state's fisheries and wildlife, open space and outdoor recreation opportunities, and other natural resources.

(b) The State of the Environment Report shall also report on the initiatives specified in the previous sections of this executive order.

(c) The State of the Environment Report will identify key existing and emerging problems and shall recommend alternative actions to respond to each issue so identified led.

(d) The report shall be completed not later than December 1, of each odd numbered year.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto
set my hand and caused the seal of the State
of Washington to be affixed at Olympia
this 18th day of October A.D., Nineteen hundred and ninety.
 

 

By:

 

_________________________
BOOTH GARDNER
Governor of Washington

   
BY THE GOVERNOR:  
Secretary of State  

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