Washington State Department of Ecology

The Washington State Department of Ecology is the primary environmental regulatory agency for the U.S. state of Washington. Established in 1970, it became the first state-level environmental agency in the United States, preceding the creation of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and serving as a model for similar agencies elsewhere. The department develops and enforces environmental regulations while administering programs covering climate pollution reduction, air and water quality, hazardous waste, toxic site cleanup, recycling, among other areas.