(1) The director of a state, regional, or local agency may enter into an environmental excellence program agreement with any sponsor, even if one or more of the terms of the environmental excellence program agreement would be inconsistent with an otherwise applicable legal requirement. An environmental excellence program agreement must meet the requirements of RCW 43.21K.020. Otherwise applicable legal requirements identified according to RCW 43.21K.060(1) shall be superseded and replaced in accordance with RCW 43.21K.080.

(2) The director of a state, regional, or local agency may enter into an environmental excellence program agreement only to the extent the state, regional, or local agency has jurisdiction to administer state environmental laws either directly or indirectly through the adoption of rules.

(3) Where a sponsor proposes an environmental excellence program agreement that would affect legal requirements applicable to the covered facility that are administered by more than one state, regional, or local agency, the coordinating agency shall take the lead in developing the environmental excellence program agreement with the sponsor and other agencies administering legal requirements applicable to the covered facility and affected by the agreement. The environmental excellence program agreement does not become effective until the agreement is approved by the director of each agency administering legal requirements identified according to RCW 43.21K.060(1).

(4) No director may enter into an environmental excellence program agreement applicable to a remedial action conducted under the Washington model toxics control act, chapter 70A.305 RCW, or the federal comprehensive environmental response, compensation and liability act (42 U.S.C. Sec. 9601 et seq.). No action taken under this chapter shall be deemed a waiver of any applicable, relevant, or appropriate requirements for any remedial action conducted under the Washington model toxics control act or the federal comprehensive environmental response, compensation and liability act.

(5) The directors of state, regional, or local agencies shall not enter into an environmental excellence program agreement or a modification of an environmental excellence program agreement containing terms affecting legal requirements adopted to comply with provisions of a federal regulatory program and to which the responsible federal agency objects after notice under the terms of RCW 43.21K.070(4).

(6) The directors of regional or local governments may not enter into an environmental excellence program agreement or a modification of an environmental excellence program agreement containing terms affecting legal requirements that are subject to review or appeal by a state agency, including but not limited to chapters 70A.15, 70A.205, and 90.58 RCW, and to which the responsible state agency objects after notice is given under the terms of RCW 43.21K.070(4).

Explanatory statement—2021 c 65: See note following RCW 53.54.030.