Wash. Rev. Code § 43.21B.005 (2026)

(1) There is created an environmental and land use hearings office of the state of Washington. The environmental and land use hearings office consists of the pollution control hearings board created in RCW 43.21B.010, the shorelines hearings board created in RCW 90.58.170, and the growth management hearings board created in RCW 36.70A.250. The governor shall appoint a director of the environmental and land use hearings office during the term of the governor. Membership, powers, functions, and duties of the pollution control hearings board, the shorelines hearings board, and the growth management hearings board shall be as provided by law.

(2) The director of the environmental and land use hearings office may appoint one or more administrative appeals judges in cases before the environmental boards and , one or more hearing examiners in cases before the land use board comprising the office. The administrative appeals judges shall possess the powers and duties conferred by the administrative procedure act, chapter 34.05 RCW, have a demonstrated knowledge of environmental law, and shall be admitted to the practice of law in the state of Washington. The hearing examiners possess the powers and duties provided for in RCW 36.70A.270.

(3) Administrative appeals judges are not subject to chapter 41.06 RCW. The administrative appeals judges appointed under subsection (2) of this section are subject to discipline and termination, for cause, by the director of the environmental and land use hearings office. Upon written request by the person so disciplined or terminated, the director of the environmental and land use hearings office shall state the reasons for such action in writing. The person affected has a right of review by the superior court of Thurston county on petition for reinstatement or other remedy filed within thirty days of receipt of such written reasons.

(4) The director of the environmental and land use hearings office may appoint, discharge, and fix the compensation of such administrative or clerical staff as may be necessary.

(5) The director of the environmental and land use hearings office may also contract for required services.

(6) The director of the environmental and land use hearings office must ensure that timely and accurate board rulings, decisions, and orders are made available to the public through searchable databases accessible through the environmental and land use hearings office websites. To ensure uniformity and usability of searchable databases and websites, the director must coordinate with the relevant boards, the department of commerce, and other interested stakeholders to develop and maintain a rational system of categorizing board rulings, decisions, and orders. The environmental and land use hearings office websites must allow a user to search growth management hearings board decisions and orders by topic, party, and geographic location or by natural language. All rulings, decisions, and orders issued before January 1, 2019, must be published by June 30, 2021.

Explanatory statement—2018 c 22: See note following RCW 1.20.051.

Effective date—2010 1st sp.s. c 26; 2010 1st sp.s. c 7: See note following RCW 43.03.027.

Intent—Effective dates—Application—Pending cases and rules—2010 c 210: See notes following RCW 43.21B.001.

Expiration dates—2010 c 210 ss 3, 5, and 7: See note following RCW 43.21B.110.

Intent—1979 ex.s. c 47: "It is the intent of the legislature to consolidate administratively the pollution control hearings board, the forest practices appeals board, and the shorelines hearings board into one agency of state government with minimum disturbance to these boards. It is not the intent of the legislature in consolidating these boards to change the existing membership of these boards.

All full-time employees of the pollution control hearings board and the full-time employee of the forest practices appeals board shall be full-time employees of the environmental hearings office without loss of rights. Property and obligations of these boards and the shorelines hearings board shall be property and obligations of the environmental hearings office." [ 1979 ex.s. c 47 s 1.]