Department of Ecology briefs Senate panel on agency priorities; seeks delay to solar-panel takeback rule

The Senate Environment, Energy & Technology Committee received a department-wide briefing from the Washington State Department of Ecology during its meeting, where the agency outlined its programs, priorities and two agency-request bills for the 2025 regular session.

Adam Eitman, director of governmental relations for the Department of Ecology, told the committee the agency employs roughly 23,100 full‑time staff and manages nearly $3,000,000,000 in capital, market and state general funds to carry out 11 environmental programs and three statutory offices.

The briefing focused on the agency’s budget and program structure, ongoing priorities and two agency-request bills Eitman said would be offered by the committee chair. "One of them deals with the solar panel take back program…this bill is going to request a delay in the implementation of this program while the department is directed to convene a work group," Eitman said. He described the second bill as aligning state and federal wood‑stove emissions standards and adding oversight to ensure consumer confidence in stove performance.

Why it matters: Ecology oversees statewide pollution prevention, cleanup and water resource programs that affect local governments, utilities, industry and households.…