(1) As provided by WAC 197-11-055, the SEPA process shall be completed before the transportation department is irrevocably committed to a particular course of action. At the same time, the SEPA process should not be undertaken until a proposal is sufficiently definite to permit meaningful environmental analysis.

(2) The threshold determination and any required environmental impact statement (EIS) for transportation department nonproject actions shall be completed prior to official adoption of the action in question.

(3) The threshold determination and any required (EIS) for licensing actions of the transportation department shall be completed prior to issuance of the license or licenses in question. Environmental review relating to licensing actions, when required, shall begin as soon as an application is complete. Applicants shall provide all environmental and design information necessary to prepare the appropriate environmental document. No licensing actions of the department require the submission of environmental documents to planning commissions or similar advisory bodies.

(4) The threshold determination and any required EIS for transportation department actions of a project nature shall in all cases be completed prior to the approval of the location or design of the project in question. A draft EIS shall be prepared prior to the first public hearing which may be held in connection with such project, and shall be made available at such hearing. While the transportation department may present a preferred alternate location or design in a draft EIS, final adoption of a particular location or design shall not occur until a final threshold determination has been made or a final EIS has been prepared.