Page 1193

(a) By December 1, 2022, and consistent with RCW, the department 1 must submit a report to the legislature that assesses how to 2 incorporate a net ecological gain standard into state land use, 3 development, and environmental laws and rules to achieve a goal of 4 better statewide performance on endangered species recovery and 5 ecological health. The report must address each environmental, 6 development, or land use law or rule where the existing standard is 7 less protective of ecological integrity than the standard of net 8 ecological gain, including the shoreline management act (chapter 9 90.58 RCW), the growth management act (chapter 36.70A RCW), 10 construction projects in state waters (chapter 77.55 RCW), and the 11 model toxics control act. 12 (b) In developing the report under this section, the department 13 must consult with the appropriate local governments, state agencies, 14 federally recognized Indian tribes, and stakeholders with subject 15 matter expertise on environmental, land use, and development laws 16 including but not limited to cities, counties, ports, the department 17 of ecology, and the department of commerce. 18 (c) The report must include: 19 (i) Development of a definition, objectives, and goals for the 20 standard of net ecological gain; 21 (ii) An assessment and comparison analysis of opportunities and 22 challenges, including legal issues and costs on state and local 23 governments to achievement of overall net ecological gain through 24 both: 25 (A) Implementation of a standard of net ecological gain under 26 different environmental, development, and land use laws; and 27 (B) An enhanced approach to implementing and monitoring no net 28 loss in existing environmental, development, and land use laws; 29 (iii) Recommendations on funding, incentives, technical 30 assistance, legal issues, monitoring, and use of scientific data, and 31 other applicable considerations to the integration of needs to assess 32 progress made toward achieving net ecological gain into each 33 environmental, development, and land use law or rule; and 34 (iv) An assessment of how applying a standard of net ecological 35 gain in the context of each environmental, land use, or development 36 law is likely to achieve substantial additional environmental or 37 social cobenefits. 38 (((57))) (56) $70,000 of the general fund—state appropriation for 39 fiscal year 2022 and $997,000 of the general fund—state appropriation 40 p. 1192 ESSB 5187.SL