(1)(a) The overriding policy of the department of ecology is to avoid or mitigate adverse environmental impacts which may result from the department's decisions.

(b) The department of ecology shall use all practicable means, consistent with other essential considerations of state policy, to improve and coordinate plans, functions, programs, and resources to the end that the state and its citizens may:

(i) Fulfill the responsibilities of each generation as trustee of the environment for succeeding generations;

(ii) Assure for all people of Washington safe, healthful, productive, and aesthetically and culturally pleasing surroundings;

(iii) Attain the widest range of beneficial uses of the environment without degradation, risk to health or safety, or other undesirable and unintended consequences;

(iv) Preserve important historic, cultural, and natural aspects of our national heritage;

(v) Maintain, wherever possible, an environment which supports diversity and variety of individual choice;

(vi) Achieve a balance between population and resource use which will permit high standards of living and a wide sharing of life's amenities; and

(vii) Enhance the quality of renewable resources and approach the maximum attainable recycling of depletable resources.

(c) The department recognizes that each person has a fundamental and inalienable right to a healthful environment and that each person has a responsibility to contribute to the preservation and enhancement of the environment.

(d) The department shall ensure that presently unquantified environmental amenities and values will be given appropriate consideration in decision making along with economic and technical considerations.

(2)(a) When the environmental document for a proposal shows it will cause significant adverse impacts that the proponent does not plan to mitigate, the responsible official shall consider whether:

(i) The environmental document identified mitigation measures that are reasonable and capable of being accomplished;

(ii) Other local, state, or federal requirements and enforcement would mitigate the significant adverse environmental impacts; and

(iii) Reasonable mitigation measures are sufficient to mitigate the significant adverse impacts.

(b) The responsible official may:

(i) Condition the approval for a proposal if mitigation measures are reasonable and capable of being accomplished and the proposal is inconsistent with the policies in subsection (1) of this section.

(ii) Deny the permit or approval for a proposal if reasonable mitigation measures are insufficient to mitigate significant adverse environmental impacts and the proposal is inconsistent with the policies in subsection (1) of this section.

(c) The procedures in WAC 197-11-660 must also be followed when conditioning or denying permits or other approvals.