News
Welcome to our newsroom. This is where you'll find links to recent news releases, blog stories, pictures and videos, our social media channels, and contact information for our communications team. Also, you can subscribe to our News email list.
Get involved with Ecology’s new campaign to reduce food waste in Washington – Use Food Well
Water Supply Update: There’s snow doubt, we’re still in drought
First Washington cap-and-invest offset credits issued
Safely disposing of firefighting foam – five options to consider
New report shows air pollution hits Washington’s most vulnerable the hardest
New rule requires more recycled content in plastic packaging
Litter is a big problem with easy solutions, and small daily choices have a big impact. Learn about our campaign to live litter-free and help others do the same.
Learn more about Ecology and the work we do in this short video.
News and blogs
When pee is pollution
May 2 blog – How wastewater treatment plants slow the flow into Puget Sound
Puyallup contractor settles water quality penalty
May 2 news release – Puyallup-based contractor RM Homes LLC will pay a reduced $40,000 penalty for water quality violations at a construction site in Gig Harbor, under a settlement agreement with the Washington Department of Ecology.
Water rights adjudication filed in Whatcom County Superior Court
May 2 news release – A basin-wide general adjudication was filed for the Nooksack river system and nearby areas with the Whatcom County Superior Court on May 1, formally beginning the adjudication process.
Cleaning up: PFAS contamination in the Lower Issaquah Valley
May 1 blog – In 2015, testing detected PFAS in some of the groundwater in the Lower Issaquah Valley. PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are a family of manufactured chemicals that persist in the environment.
Safer cosmetics are coming to a store near you
May 1 blog – Some chemicals used in cosmetic products are linked to harmful health impacts, such as cancer, hormone disruption, and reproductive and developmental toxicity.
West Point Treatment Plant water quality permit now issued
April 29 blog – We've issued the final permit for the West Point wastewater treatment plant in Seattle. It strengthens protective measures for Puget Sound with updates that match current water quality rules.
State of Washington, federal agencies agree on future of tank waste cleanup at Hanford Site
April 29 news release – The Hanford Site agencies have announced a landmark agreement for cleaning up millions of gallons of radioactive and chemical waste from large, underground tanks at the Hanford Site.
Looking back and looking forward on our beach monitoring season
April 26 blog – Our marine scientists survey beaches througout Puget Sound and test water for fecal bacteria. See our beach report for 2023 and comment on our proposed list of beaches to monitor this year.
VEAT annual report tracks vessels, helps Ecology understand oil spill risks
April 23 blog – Knowing the number of vessels entering Washington waters helps us better understand oil spill risk in state waters and how risks change over time. We published this information in an annual report known as the Vessel Entries and Transits for Washington Waters (VEAT).
Up to $10.7 million is still available for water banking projects
April 22 blog – Eligibility has expanded for Ecology's Water Banking Pilot Grants, to help public entities and their partners preserve water rights in their basin. Counties are now able to apply are Douglas, Franklin, Grant, Island, and San Juan counties.
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Featured in our social media
Curbing Riverbank Erosion: Two pilot projects showing success in Chehalis River Basin
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A collection of photos showcasing the Walla Walla Water 2050 project
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