Offsets are projects or programs designed to reduce the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. In Washington’s Cap-and-Invest Program, offsets allow businesses to balance a small portion of the negative impacts of their emissions by funding a project that benefits the environment.
The existing program rule (Chapter 173-446 WAC) includes four adopted offset project protocols: U.S. Forest, Urban Forestry, Livestock Projects, and Destruction of Ozone Depleting Substances (ODS). The Cap-and-Invest Offsets rulemaking—U.S. Forest protocol
We’ll release the draft rule language and U.S. Forest protocol on July 15 and post them on our rulemaking webpage.
Register for July 24 public meeting
Ecology is holding a public meeting on July 24, 2025, from 9 to 11 a.m. We’ll provide an overview of the updates we’re considering for the rule and the U.S. Forest protocol released on July 15. Attendees may also ask questions and provide comments.
Share written comments by Aug. 18
Share comments with us during our informal comment period from July 15 through Aug. 18, 2025, at 11:59 p.m. Ecology plans to open a second informal comment period in September. Your input will help us inform our ongoing Environmental Justice Assessment and possible rule draft changes.
rulemaking
Ecology is considering amendments to the Climate Commitment Act Program Rule (Chapter 173-446 WAC) and the Reporting of Emissions of Greenhouse gases (Chapter 173-441 WAC). The purpose of this rulemaking is to make improvements to the implementation of the Cap-and-Invest Program, facilitate the linkage of Washington’s carbon market with the California-Québec carbon market, as well as make other necessary updates. We announced this rulemaking on March 31, 2025.
We invite you to attend an upcoming meeting and share your comments. Your input will help us as we continue to work on the updates to the rule language as well as the Environmental Justice Assessment.
Register for Aug. 7 public meeting
Join us for a public meeting on Aug. 7, 2025 from 9 to 11 a.m. During this meeting, we’ll provide a brief overview of the Cap-and-Invest Program, carbon market linkage, and the rulemaking process as well as share updates on the rule draft. There’ll be opportunities to ask questions and share input on the rulemaking We will share an updated draft of the rule by email and on the rule webpage.
Share written comments by Aug. 23
Share comments with us during our informal comment period from July 28 at 12 a.m. through Aug. 23, 2025, at 11:59 p.m.
Ecology is hosting a community forum on Aug. 13, 2025, from 2 to 3:30 p.m. During the meeting we will provide an overview of the Cap-and-Invest Program, linkage, and offsets and summarize the updates we’re considering in our current rulemakings. Please join to ask questions and share your views about how these updates may impact you or your community.
We’re especially interested in understanding how rule changes could impact Tribal communities, communities of color, low-income communities, and other communities who experience environmental harms or health impacts. We’ll send a notice with more information in the next couple of weeks.
topics you would like us to cover, or questions to answer during the community forum, email us at CPRRulemaking@ecy.wa.gov by Aug. 1.
If you have any questions or comments, reach out using the contact information below. Please also forward this message to others who may be interested.
Surabhi Subedi
Rule Lead, Cap-and-Invest Program Updates and Linkage
CPRRulemaking@ecy.wa.gov
Kayla Stevenson
Rule Lead, Cap-and-Invest Offsets
kayla.stevenson@ecy.wa.gov
|
