Department of Ecology
Committees, Boards, and Workgroups

Working group background

Washington's Cap-and-Invest Program adopted four offset protocols related to forestry, urban forestry, methane digesters on dairy and swine farms, and ozone depleting substances from California's cap-and-trade program. Ecology is now in the process of revising and adapting the protocols. 

The Environmental Justice Offset Working Group is comprised of individuals with experience in environmental justice and injustice. Members will help inform environmental justice considerations related to offset protocol changes proposed during the offset rulemaking process. This working group is happening in parallel to technical working groups.

Meeting schedule

The working group will meet the fourth Wednesday of the month from 9 - 11 a.m. (PT) from August 2024 to approx. August 2025

• Upcoming meetings (click the date for the Zoom registration link)
  • Meeting #7 - March 26
  • Meeting #8 - April 23
  • Meeting #9 - May 28
  • Meeting #10 - June 25
  • Meeting #11 - July 23
  • Meeting #12 - August 27
• Past meeting recordings (click the date for a recording)
  • Meeting #1 - Sept. 25
  • Meeting #2 - Oct. 23
  • Meeting #3 - Nov. 27
  • Meeting #4 - Dec. 18  - CANCELED
  • Meeting #5 - Jan. 22 - CANCELED
  • Meeting #6 - Feb. 26 - OFFICE HOURS - not recorded

The meetings are open to the public to view and there is an opportunity to provide relevant public comment at the end of the meetings.

Working Group Members

• Shaya Avraham (FKA Jason Bausher)
• Samantha Fisher
• Matt Kosche
• Stephen Lezak
• Jean Mendoza
• Kristin Rasmussen
• Kathleen Saul
• Zane Sharif
• Paul Tabayoyon
• Eren Kalfaoglu
• José Ulises Niño Rivera

Compensation

In alignment with the State Office of Equity’s community compensation guidelines, members of this working group will be compensated $45 per hour if requested and if they are not being paid by an employer or organization to participate.

Technical working groups

Ecology will have the following technical working groups comprised of individuals with experience in offset projects:

• Ozone Depleting Substances Technical Working Group (in progress)
• Forest Offest Technical Working Group (in progress)
• Blue Carbon Offset Technical Working Group (Spring 2025)

To stay informed about the applications for the other working groups, please subscribe to our Cap-and-Invest Offsets email list and check out our Cap-and-invest Offsets webpage.

Resources

• Cap-and-invest offsets webpage
• Chapter 173-446 WAC – Cap-and-invest offsets rulemaking webpage
• WAC-174-446-505: Requirements for compliance offset protocols
• Public comments on the rulemaking
• California Air Resources Board Compliance Offsets Protocol Final Recommendations

En español

El Departamento de Ecología está aceptando solicitudes para unirse a nuestro Grupo de Trabajo para Compensaciones de Carbono del Programa de Tope e Inversión Enfocado en la Justicia Ambiental. Este grupo nos ayudará a considerar las potenciales ramificaciones de justicia ambiental de los cambios a los protocolos de compensación de carbono, reducir los impactos negativos e incrementar los efectos positivos. Para más información, llame a Nikki Harris al 360-764-6018 y solicite un intérprete.

Working Group Contacts

Meg Baker, Community Outreach and Environmental Education Specialist
margaret.baker@ecy.wa.gov 

Jordan Wildish, Offsets Lead Planner
CCAOffsets@ecy.wa.gov