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Frequently Asked Questions
Who are TPEAC's members?The Environmental Permit Streamlining Act authorizing TPEAC's creation
called for the Committee to consist of nine voting members, including
two members from the house of representatives, one from each of the two
largest caucuses; two senators, one from each of the two largest
caucuses; one member designated by the secretary of transportation; one
member designated by the director of fish and wildlife; one member
designated by the director of ecology; one member designated by the
Association of Washington Cities; and one member designated by the
Washington State Association of Counties. The legislation also called
for eight non-voting members, including one member designated by the
Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission; one member designated by the
Columbia River Intertribal Fisheries Commission; one member designated
by the Consulting Engineers Council of Washington; one member designated
by the Associated General Contractors of Washington; one member
designated by the Association of Washington Business; one member
designated by the Washington State Building and Construction Trades
Council; one member designated by statewide environmental organizations;
and one member designated by the State Fish and Wildlife Commission, to
represent the interests of citizens engaged in fish and wildlife
recovery. A representative from the department of natural resources and
representatives from federal regulatory and transportation agencies,
including the Environmental Protection Agency, National Marine Fisheries
Service, United States Army Corps of Engineers, Federal Highways
Administration, and United States Fish and Wildlife Service were invited
to participate in committee deliberations as nonvoting members.
Click to see TPEAC's
Organizational Structure and Members.
Back to top. What is TPEAC?The Transportation Permit Efficiency and
Accountability Committee (TPEAC) is a collaborative, multi-stakeholder
group charged with coordinating and streamlining the environmental
permitting process for transportation projects in Washington State.
TPEAC brings together state legislators, state and local agencies, city,
county and business associations, the construction industry, and
environmental, Tribal, and labor interests to develop methods to
increase the predictability, inclusiveness, and efficiency of
transportation permitting.
Read more about TPEAC's efforts and accomplishments in the
TPEAC Folio (March 2006).
Back to top. Where have TPEAC meetings been held?TPEAC meetings have been held in locations across Washington, including Bellingham, Bellevue, Kirkland, Port Ludlow, SeaTac, Spokane, Tacoma, Walla Walla, and Yakima. The majority have been held and around the capitol city of Olympia.
Back to top. Why was
TPEAC convened?Washington State, like every other in the
nation, is faced with significant environmental and transportation
challenges. The state’s amazing array of breathtaking landscapes
provides residents with inspiring natural beauty, abundant resources,
exceptional recreational opportunities, and vital ecological services.
At the same time, the effective movement of people and goods across the
state is central to Washington’s economic health and to the well-being
of its citizens. Balancing environmental protection with the necessity
to maintain and improve transportation systems is neither a new nor easy
task. Washington’s long history of efforts to define and achieve
environmental and transportation goals sets the stage for the creation
of the Transportation Permit Efficiency and Accountability Committee, a
multi-stakeholder group charged with striking this balance.
Click to read more about events related to TPEAC's creation. Back to top.
How has TPEAC been funded?Funding for TPEAC was secured through transportation budget provisos. Click on a biennium to link to transportation budgets:
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2001 - 2003: "$3,296,000
of the motor vehicle account--state appropriation is
provided solely for the implementation of Engrossed Senate
Bill No. 6188" (Chapter 359, laws of 2001, section 216,
lines 1-5)
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2003-2005: "$3,100,000 of the motor vehicle account--state appropriation is provided solely for the staffing and activities of the transportation permit efficiency and accountability committee. $300,000 of the motor vehicle account--state appropriation is provided to the department in accordance with RCW 46.68.110(2) and 46.68.120(3) and shall be used by the department solely for the purposes of providing contract services to the association of Washington cities and Washington state association of counties to implement section 2(3)(c), (5), and (6), chapter 8 (ESB 5279), Laws of 2003 for activities of the transportation permit efficiency and accountability committee (chapter 360, laws of 2003, section 217, lines 12-22).
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2005-2007: "The appropriations in this section are subject to the following conditions and limitations: (1) $300,000 of the motor vehicle account--state appropriation is provided to the department in accordance with RCW 46.68.110(2) and 46.68.120(3) and shall be used by the department solely for the purposes of providing contract services to the association of Washington cities and Washington state association of counties for (a) activities of the transportation permit efficiency and accountability committee, including pilot mitigation banking activities, and (b) other permit delivery efforts. (2) $1,475,000 of the motor vehicle account--state appropriation is provided solely for the staffing activities of the transportation permit efficiency and accountability committee" (chapter 313, laws of 2005, section 218, lines 26-36). Click here to link to the 2005-2007 transportation budget.
Back to top. What is streamlining?
Streamlining refers to efforts to facilitate the
timely delivery of quality transportation programs, protect and
enhance environmental quality, and make effective and efficient use
of agency resources. This occurs through the continued development
of concurrent interagency coordination and cooperation on
environmental and transportation issues, which includes:
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Applying consistent standards
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Reducing duplication of efforts
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Providing clarity and predictability through the life of a
project
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Resulting in better decisions over shorter time frames
Back to top.
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