We are responding to an ammonia leak at Roche Fruit in Yakima. Yakima fire and police departments are also on scene. Nearby buildings have been evacuated and roads are blocked off. Please avoid the area this evening as hazmat teams respond.

We helped remove 2,000 pounds of lead & toxic waste to improve salmon habitat in Lower Peshastin Creek. This is an important spawning site and one of the only cold water refuges in the Lower Wenatchee Basin. Learn how else we're giving them the best chance at survival: ecology.wa.gov/blog/novembe...

Visited the site of the Olympic Pipeline leak yesterday. I met with the people working hard to dig out the pipe, find the leak and repair it. The emergency proclamation I issued last week is working as expected to increase fuel deliveries to SeaTac Airport and minimize impacts to travelers.

Washington just adopted new rules to reduce PFAS – “forever chemicals” – in everyday products. The rule limits PFAS in apparel, cleaning products, and car washes, and requires reporting for more categories so consumers get clearer information. Learn more at: ecology.wa.gov/spwa-pfas

Harmful algal blooms happen all over WA and can produce toxins that can harm people, pets, and wildlife. We’re starting two new rulemaking efforts to help address these toxins and the pollution that leads to harmful algal blooms. Learn more in our blog: ecology.wa.gov/blog/novembe...

Do your cat a favor and upgrade to a comfy and cozy reusable bag 😸 In 2026, bag fees in WA stores and restaurants are going up 4 cents. What’s the easiest way to avoid that charge? Bring your own reusable bags! Learn more about the bag fee increase here: ecology.wa.gov/about-us/who...

Ocean acidification — caused by the ocean absorbing rising carbon dioxide emissions from human activities — poses a critical threat to the PNW’s coastal communities, marine ecosystems, and $270M shellfish industry. A new short film shows how Washington is at the forefront of this climate issue:

Last Thursday we responded to a sinking tugboat off the Kitsap Peninsula. No, not the Dominion tugboat which sunk earlier last month – this was another vessel, the Mollusk. The 64-ft tugboat lost engine power, broke free of its anchor & started breaking apart against the Kingston Marina breakwater.

Beach closure alert! ⚠️ A no-contact advisory was issued by the Kitsap Public Health District for the northern portion of Dyes Inlet in Kitsap County due to a sewage spill. Please avoid contact with the water in this area until Nov. 10. Visit ecology.wa.gov/beach to stay up to date on beach closures.

Another historic first @ Hanford! Last week, our team was on site when the first containers of vitrified low-activity waste were transported to the Integrated Disposal Facility, an engineered landfill permitted by our agency. These containers will soon be the first to be permanently disposed of!

Washington is standing together with our fellow @usclimate.bsky.social states — & together, we are resilient, determined, and undaunted. The result is real progress. Learn more at bit.ly/Alliance-Annual-Report-2025

Clean air ain't small potatoes! Just ask Lamb Weston, a facility in Quincy who involved us early in the process of replacing their outdated potato boilers. The outcome? Lower permitting costs for the company – and cleaner air for the people of Quincy. Read more: ecology.wa.gov/blog/october...

There are +1,400 species of bats on Earth. They can be found on every continent other than Antarctica & use echolocation to get food. They're the only mammals who can fly! Some species of bats are found @ the Hanford Site. These include the brown bat, western myotis, & Yuma myotis. #ScenicSpotlight

Surface water restrictions in the Yakima Basin end tomorrow, Oct. 31. The restrictions are over, but the area is still in an unprecedented third year of drought with historically low reservoir storage, and will likely enter a fourth year of drought in 2026.

If you’re still looking for a Halloween costume, this is your sign. 🌠 While the city of Gotham has a batMAN, our moody Olympic coast has the bat STAR. With spooky season in full swing, we thought it was time to shine a spotlight on this coastal critter. Read the blog: ecology.wa.gov/blog/october...

We know the recent storm left a lot of branches, leaves and other yard waste all over... but burning wet wood = smoke, soot, and sad fires. Don't burn it – let it dry out first! Check out other options for getting rid of yard waste: ecology.wa.gov/air-climate/...

New air monitors are live! Our monitoring team recently installed air monitors in Mabton and Granger. This work was made possible by funding from the Climate Commitment Act. Check out real-time, localized data from these new monitors on the WA Air Quality Map: airqualitymap.ecology.wa.gov

A formerly threatened wetland in Nisqually State Park is getting a much-needed facelift now that the old Eatonville landfill is getting cleaned up. More than 1,430 truckloads of contaminated soil and waste have been removed from the old landfill site since earlier this year.

Don’t miss your chance to shape the future of clean, affordable transportation policy in Washington! Our first ZEVergreen public meeting is on October 27 at 9:00 a.m., and seats are filling up fast. Register online now: waecy-wa-gov.zoom.us/meeting/regi...

Washington's wildfire smoke season started slow, but ramped up when lightning strikes sparked more fires in August. Late-season fires put unhealthy air quality totals above 2024 & 2023 – the 6th highest since 2012. Read our smoke season wrap-up from the WA Smoke Blog: ecology.wa.gov/blog/october...

Washington is doubling down on clean, affordable transportation 🚛⚡ Despite federal pushback, we’re keeping our clean truck rules current and accelerating zero-emission investments. Why? Because protecting public health and advancing climate progress isn’t optional. ecology.wa.gov/about-us/who...

It’s difficult to overstate how important this milestone is in the Hanford cleanup effort. Thousands of Washingtonians worked for decades to bring us to this moment. They deserve recognition for this achievement.

Vitrification at the Low-Activity Waste Facility is now underway! This is historic. We’re extremely grateful & proud of all our staff that have been a key component in making this possible. This is a cause for celebration & our continued commitment to ensuring cleanup is accomplished.

We're responding to a mineral oil spill on the Spokane River between Argonne and Felts Field. Preliminary information suggests 35 gallons of non-PCB mineral oil entered the river following a failure of an oil/water heat exchanger at Inland Empire Paper.

Healthy living starts at home 🏠 Children's environmental health is about making sure that the places where kids live, play, and learn are safe and healthy.

Cleaning up an oil spill requires an immense amount of organized work and resources. To take a deeper look into that process, we wrote about the response & cleanup for the oil and diesel spill in Indian Creek in August – one of the biggest oil spill incidents of 2025. ecology.wa.gov/blog/october...

Thank you TVW for the opportunity to discuss the work we're doing at @ecology.wa.gov to protect Washington's environment on “Inside Olympia.” Washington continues to lead the way on climate, environment and science – and state leadership has never been more important. substack.com/home/post/p-...

Happy October & Flood Awareness Month! Join us with @emd.wa.gov @oicwa.bsky.social & @wadnr.bsky.social this month to learn what flood tricks to look out for and some treats to help you be prepared. Check out our blog about flooding in WA & how to get flood risk maps: ecology.wa.gov/blog/october...

A year ago, ten state agencies, including Commerce, joined together to launch the Climate Resilience Strategy, a unified plan led by @ecology.wa.gov to strengthen communities across the state. Today, Ecology released the first progress report. Read the report: apps.ecology.wa.gov/publications...

A year ago, ten state agencies led by Ecology formed a cohesive strategy to build resilience and strengthen adaptation to climate change. Now, they’re reporting progress. Read how we’re responding to build resilience and adapt: ecology.wa.gov/blog/septemb...

We're responding to a 30-foot sunken vessel near the Port Townsend ferry terminal. A person who was on the vessel is receiving medical attention for an injury. We're working with the port and fire dept. to anchor the vessel and place absorbent materials around the vessel and along the shoreline.

Proud to stand with @usclimate.bsky.social at #ClimateWeekNYC and deliver on a powerful promise: when states lead, the nation moves.

#ClimateWeekNYC may be ending, but @usclimate.bsky.social isn't slowing down. We're showing that state leadership works. Alliance members, including Washington, are outpacing the national average in clean energy jobs, air quality, and disaster preparedness.

Applications for the NextCycle Washington Circular Project Accelerator are open through Oct. 31! Selected teams will receive six months of business and technical support for projects focused on reuse, repair, recycling, composting, and the use of recycled content.

Thank you @governorferguson.bsky.social for your commitment to climate actions that makes daily life more affordable for Washingtonians. We’re excited to break down barriers to zero-emission vehicles and unlock their cost savings.

ZEVergreen is charged up and ready to go! While the federal government may be idling, Washington is accelerating toward cleaner, more affordable transportation by exploring ways to lower barriers and expand zero-emission vehicle access. governor.wa.gov/news/2025/go...

There’s still time to register for tomorrow’s public hearing on a general order for data centers. This general order is specific to projects near East Wenatchee, Malaga, and Quincy that use diesel-powered emergency generators. Learn more at ecology.wa.gov/dcgo

We are responding to an oil sheen on Capitol Lake, potentially caused by two roadway incidents nearby. Washington State Patrol flew a drone to help us locate the sheen and we have placed boom to contain it. We will continue cleanup with a contractor. No oiled wildlife spotted.

We are excited to partner with Watershed Community Development, the Equinox Studios team, and the Duwamish River Community Coalition to bring a new SensWA air monitor to the Georgetown neighborhood with CCA funding.

Late Wednesday afternoon, the 130-foot tugboat Dominion sank while moored at the Port of Bremerton marina. An unknown amount of diesel and about 200 gallons of lube oil were on board.

This fall we’re measuring septic success in pumpkin spice lattes. We partnered with nonprofit lender Craft3 to provide affordable grants and loans to income-qualifying households to repair or replace septic systems. https://ecology.wa.gov/blog/september-2025/septicsmart-week-funding-your-septic-fix

Nothing is worse than having sewage where it doesn’t belong. 💩 By properly maintaining your septic system, you can reduce the likelihood of issues. Not only does this save you money, but it also protects your health and the environment. Learn more: ecology.wa.gov/blog/septemb...

In our latest edition of behind the scenes at the Nuclear Waste Program, we talked with George Peck, the program's Toxicologist. Read the full story on our blog:

Climate change is impacting every corner of Washington. We must act now. In response, we partnered with other agencies to launch the state’s Climate Resilience Strategy to prepare for and adapt to impacts like wildfires, droughts, and extreme heat.

The Columbia River isn't in a drought now. But the next time it happens, you could be shut off if you have an interruptible water right on the Columbia River. If that's you, fill out our survey so we can understand your needs and help you plan for the next drought. docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...

Relief from wildfire smoke is on the way, slowly but surely. Friday morning saw 20 counties under Air Quality Alerts, and today that number has been whittled down to 8, east of the Cascades.

New grant opportunity coming October 8! The Air Quality Program’s “Rails, Keels, and Wheels” project will fund $25 million of zero-emission vehicles, including freight switchers, tugboats, emergency vehicles, box trucks, & more. These grants will help decrease emissions & encourage decarbonization.

Remember real climate science? Yep, it’s still a thing! And we’re sticking to it. Read our takedown of a report by the Department of Energy that’s being used to roll back national climate policy: ecology.wa.gov/about-us/who...

Update 9/5: We remain on scene at the boat ramp with the U.S. Coast Guard, Seattle Parks, and a cleanup contractor. Crews have removed 120 gallons of gasoline and continue pumping out the remaining fuel. The vessel owner is working to tow the boat away from the ramp. Please avoid the area.

Update 9/5: Yesterday, five geese rescued and rehabilitated after the spill were successfully released back into the wild at Hicklin Lake in White Center. Boom remains in place at Mallard Lake and is set to be removed next week following additional site monitoring.