The 2019 Legislature created the Defense Community Compatibility Account (DCCA) with to support necessary infrastructure and support compatible land use and infrastructure near military installations in Washington. The program provides a framework for evaluating and prioritizing projects that enhance the economy, environment and quality of life opportunities for local communities affected by the presence of military installations.
The Defense Community Compatibility Account (DCCA) directs Commerce to evaluate numerous civilian-military land use projects and submit a list to the Legislature of projects ready to address compatibility issues. With the development of this program, Washington joins 19 other states that provide funding opportunities to promote compatibility between the military and their host communities.
DCCA promotes land use compatibility between communities and military installations by providing a consistent and programmatic framework for soliciting and evaluating civilian-military compatibility projects. Project solicitation and evaluations help identify and prioritize needs from numerous communities that are affected by military activities. Additionally, it facilitates coordination between military installation commanders and local government planners by providing a funding mechanism for the implementation of compatible land use solutions.
Project eligibility
A wide variety of compatibility-related projects are eligible for the program, including the following list of project activities per SSB 5748.
- Projects to jointly assist in the recovery or protection of endangered species dependent on military installation property for habitat.
- Projects or programs to increase the availability of housing affordable to enlisted military personnel and nonmilitary residents in the local community.
- Projects to retrofit existing uses to increase their compatibility with existing or future military operations.
- Projects that aid communities to replace jobs lost in the event of a reduction of the military presence.
- Projects that improve or enhance aspects of the local economy, environment, or quality of life impacted by the presence of military activities.
- Projects to enable local communities heavily dependent on a nearby military installation to diversify the local economy so as to reduce the economic dependence on the military base.
Applicants must be local governments, federally recognized Indian tribes or other entities in an agreement with a state military installation under the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) Readiness and Environmental Protection Integration Program.
Additional resources
Commerce recognizes the importance of community and stakeholder input for effective project solicitation and implementation. Ongoing outreach is conducted with a variety of representatives from federal agencies, U.S. department of defense installations in Washington, federally recognized Indian tribes in the state, city, county and state governments, associations, advocacy and nonprofit organizations, elected officials, neighborhood-based organizations, public development authorities, and other interested parties. Opportunity for engagement is announced throughout the program outreach schedule.
The year 2019 marked the program’s initial application window, formally soliciting applications for projects that promote compatible development near military installations in Washington. The list of projects was submitted to the Legislature in the 2019 DCCA Legislative Report in January, 2020.