1. (1) The coordinating agency shall provide at least thirty days after notice has been published in a newspaper under subsection (2) of this section for public comment on a proposal to enter into or modify an environmental excellence program agreement. The coordinating agency may provide for an additional period of public comment if required by the complexity of the proposed environmental excellence program agreement and the degree of public interest. Before the start of the comment period, the coordinating agency shall prepare a proposed agreement, a public notice and a fact sheet. The fact sheet shall:

   1. (a) Briefly describe the principal facts and the significant factual, legal, methodological and policy questions considered by the directors signing the agreement, and the directors' proposed decisions; and (b) briefly describe how the proposed action meets the requirements of RCW 43.21K.020.
2. (2) The coordinating agency shall publish notice of the proposed agreement in the Washington State Register and in a newspaper of general circulation in the vicinity of the facility or facilities covered by the proposed environmental excellence program agreement. The notice shall generally describe the agreement or modification; the facilities to be covered; summarize the changes in legal requirements that will result from the agreement; summarize the reasons for approving the agreement or modifications; identify an agency person to contact for additional information; state that the proposed agreement or modification and fact sheet are available on request; and state that comments may be submitted to the agency during the comment period. The coordinating agency shall order a public informational meeting or a public hearing to receive oral comments if the written comments during the comment period demonstrate considerable public interest in the proposed agreement.
3. (3) The coordinating agency shall prepare and make available a responsiveness summary indicating the agencies' actions taken in response to comments and the reasons for those actions.
4. (4) With respect to an environmental excellence program agreement that affects legal requirements adopted to comply with provisions of a federal regulatory program, the coordinating agency shall provide a copy of the environmental excellence program agreement, and a copy of the notice required by subsection (1) of this section, to the federal agency that is responsible for administering that program at least thirty days before entering into or modifying the environmental excellence program agreement, and shall afford the federal agency the opportunity to object to those terms of the environmental excellence program agreement or modification of an environmental excellence program agreement affecting the legal requirements. The coordinating agency shall provide similar notice to state agencies that have statutory review or appeal responsibilities regarding provisions of the environmental excellence program agreement.

[ 1997 c 381 s 8.]