Executive Order 20-01 created the State Efficiency and Environmental Performance (SEEP) Office. SEEP works with state agencies to achieve reductions in greenhouse gas emissions and eliminate toxic materials from state agency operations. The SEEP Office supports and guides state agency efforts related to electric vehicles (EVs), energy efficient and zero energy facilities, sustainable purchasing and clean electricity. It identifies and pursues opportunities to fund cost-effective improvements in state agency environmental performance.
State agency efforts
Buildings are the largest overall contributor to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from state agency operations. To meet GHG limits established in RCW 70A.45.050, state agencies will need to reduce the carbon intensity of the buildings they own and operate.
The SEEP Office promotes energy efficiency in owned and leased facilities and supports the development of new construction that meets the zero energy building standard in Executive Order 20-01 (State Efficiency and Environmental Performance). SEEP also brings state agency partners together in two buildings-focused working groups and provides consultation and technical assistance on business processes that relate to reducing building related GHGs.
State Project Improvement Grants
State Project Improvement (SPI) grants fund state agencies to redesign building projects in order to increase energy efficiency and environmental performance. Funding covers the additional costs of more efficient project options — such as higher efficiency heating systems or windows — for projects at existing state-owned buildings. SPI grants cut energy costs, reduce pollution, and improve the health and comfort of state buildings in communities across the state.
Resources
State fleet vehicles are a major contributor to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. To meet GHG limits established in RCW 70A.45.050, state agencies need to transition fleet vehicles to battery-electric options.
The State Efficiency and Environmental Performance (SEEP) Office is responsible for implementing Executive Order 21-04 (Zero Emission Vehicles) in partnership with the Department of Enterprise Services (DES). To rapidly transition state fleets to battery electric vehicles, SEEP has established vehicle purchase exemption criteria, leads a comprehensive planning and implementation process, and supports investment in Battery Electric Vehicles and EV charging at state facilities.
Questions?
For questions related to state fleet vehicle electrification, please contact Zero Emissions Vehicle Program Manager Seth Kolodziejski by emailing Seth.Kolo@Commerce.wa.gov or calling 360-688-8189.
Washington is committed to leading by example in the work to slow global climate change. RCW 70A.45.050 directs state agencies to meet specific greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) limits, culminating in a 95% reduction below 2005 levels by 2050.
Recent changes to this statute will help link greenhouse gas emissions reporting to agency decision-making by requiring agencies to identify strategies to meet emissions limits and by highlighting priority actions to reduce emissions. SEEP works closely with the Department of Ecology to support strategy development, analyze GHG emissions data, and use performance metrics to achieve these limits.
RCW 70A.45.050 requires state agencies to report GHG emissions using an emissions calculator provided by the Department of Ecology and a GHG emissions reduction strategy template provided by SEEP.
Please use the following 2024 GHG Emission Strategy Worksheet to save your data prior to submitting the web form. Partial responses will not be saved in the web form, so we recommend copy/pasting from the worksheet included above, or from a Word document.
Please submit the state agency State Agency Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions Reduction Strategy Form.
Instructions for completing these reporting requirements can be found on Ecology’s website for State Agency GHG Emissions Reporting.
Resources
Environmentally preferred purchasing (also known as green or sustainable purchasing) is a systematic approach to decreasing the environmental impact of state agencies’ supply chains while delivering cost-effective goods and materials in order to serve people in Washington. SEEP and the Department of Enterprise Services (DES) provide resources, training, and technical support to state agency purchasing offices.
At the direction of Gov. Inslee, the SEEP Office and Governing Council are pursuing opportunities to reduce the amount of single-use plastics purchased and used in state government operations.
Purchasing resources
Resources
- Department of Social and Health Services
- Department of Transportation
- Department of Corrections
- Department of Enterprise Services
- Department of Ecology
- Department of Commerce
- Department of Natural Resources
- Washington State Patrol
- Department of Veterans Affairs
- Labor and Industries
- Department of Health
- Liquor and Cannabis Board
- Department of Agriculture
Executive Order 20-01
SEEP Governing Council
- Purpose: Executive governing body for SEEP
- SEEP Contribution: Agenda, Notes, Follow up, Newsletter
SEEP Guidance Team
- Purpose: State agency subject matter experts. Primarily focused on greenhouse gas emissions reporting. Also provides analytical expertise to working groups, governing council and SEEP office. The Guidance Team can bring forth ideas, policy development and other concepts to the Governing Council for consideration. The team also provides expertise on greenhouse gas emissions reduction and reporting in accordance with RCW 70A.45.050.
- SEEP Contribution: Agenda, Follow up
New Facilities Working Group
- Purpose: Support and incentivize Zero Energy/Zero Energy Capable construction for new state facilities
- SEEP Contribution: Agenda, Notes, Follow up
Current Facilities Working Group
- Purpose: Implementation of plans to reduce energy use in state-owned and leased facilities
- SEEP Contribution: Agenda, Notes, Follow up
Environmentally Preferred Purchasing Work Group
- Purpose: Produce guidance to ensure compliance for environmentally preferred purchasing
- SEEP Contribution: Agenda, Notes, Follow up
Budget and Finance Working Group
- Purpose: Align fiscal policies to support emissions reduction and carbon sequestration efforts.
- SEEP Contribution: Agenda, Notes, Follow up
Zero Emission Vehicles Working Group
- Purpose: Implementation of plans to electrify state fleet. Space for interagency collaboration.
- SEEP Contribution: Notes, Follow up
Executive Order 21-04
DES/SEEP Core Team
- Purpose: Focused meeting on implementation
- SEEP Contribution: Agenda, Notes, Follow up
Zero Emission Vehicles Pre-Meet
- Purpose: Agenda and topic creation for working group meetings
- SEEP Contribution: Agenda, Education and training resources
Zero Emission Vehicles Working Group
- Purpose: Implementation of plans to electrify state fleet. Space for interagency collaboration.
- SEEP Contribution: Notes, Follow up
Interagency Electric Vehicles Coordinating Council
- Purpose: Formal meeting related to statewide transportation electrification.
- SEEP Contribution: Participation