Coast & Ocean Legislation
The 2025 legislative session is upon us!
This year's legislative kicked off on Monday, January 13th. Below is a short description of our bills, as well as a bill tracker to keep you updated on where our bills are as they move through the legislature, as well as ways to take action.
Ways to take action:
Below is our bill tracker so you can quickly see where these bills are and what actions you can take to support them. We will keep this updated with opportunities to sign in Pro, submit testimony, and other ways to engage in this year's legislative session. Throughout session, you can always call the Legislative Hotline or contact your electeds:
1. You can email or call your legislators at any time - check out District Finder to find your elected and how to contact their offices directly. Your message should be simple and concise - "Please help eliminate plastic pollution in Washington by supporting Extended Producer Responsibility during the 2025 Legislative Session."
2. Environmental Lobby Day was February 6th, and two of our bills were priorities this year. You can read more about it here, and if you'd like support working with your electeds, email psteelquist@surfrider.org.
3. Call the Legislative Hotline at any time during session at 1-800-562-6000 to leave a voice message for your Representative and Senator in support of our bills.
4. Follow Surfrider Washington's social media and keep an eye on our newsletter for action alerts about other ways you can support coastal conservation.
Support Extended Producer Responsibility in WA
Last year the ReWRAP Act failed to pass, but this year we are reintroducing similar legislation thanks to our bill's sponsor and champion, Rep. Liz Berry. The new Recycling Reform Act (SB 5872 / HB 1150) would modernize our recycling system in Washington. It would create a producer responsibility program in which manufacturers and brands come together to reduce unnecessary packaging and paper, fund statewide recycling services, and ensure that materials are actually recycled. Specific incentives are built in to reduce plastic packaging.
- Incentivize producers to make reusable, recyclable, or compostable packaging
- Reduce pollution causing climate change - higher use of recycled content in packaging materials means fewer emissions and less energy
- Provide universal recycling services for Washingtonians - all residents who currently have curbside garbage pickup will receive curbside recycling service
- Reduce confusion and contamination by developing a clear list of universally recycled products
- Reduce packaging and increase reuse - targets will be developed for increased recycling rates as well as reuse and refill
- Support Washington’s economy and the creation of new, green jobs by building local supply chains and recycling businesses
We are also supporting a companion bill (SB 5502 / HB 1607) that would create a bottle return system in Washington State, similar to that in Oregon and numerous other states where people pay a deposit on recyclable containers, and are reimbursed when those empty containers are returned. This is a proven way to reduce the amount of recyclable materials going to landfills and ending up in the environment.
There is another recycling bill under consideration (HB 1071 / SB 5058 ) that we are opposed to. This bill would be business as usual, not the systems-changing bill we need to reduce waste and increase recycling throughout the state.
Sewage Spill Right To Know Act
Dozens of sewage spills occur every year and few are widely reported to the general public. The public has a right to know when and where sewage spills occur, but only find out rarely and only in the event of closures of recreation access and/or fishing. Sewage discharges contributed to a range of environmental harms including toxics exposure and bacterial pollution. Spill reports to the Department of Ecology are not searchable or compiled and available in a timely way to the public to use for active decisionmaking for personal pollution exposure. At least 10 other states such as South Carolina, Connecticut, and Massachusetts have a public disclosure hub and right to know law on the books, but Washington does not. This policy would require the Department of Ecology to establish a public-facing website with maps and searchable sewage spill records.
We're working with numerous other organizations to help get SB 5450 passed
Bull Kelp is the Best
Bull kelp is vital to Washington's cultural and ecological landscape. Together with understory kelp, other floating kelps, and eelgrass meadows, bull kelp forests provide a mosaic of habitats that support the state's marine species like orcas, salmon, and rockfish by providing food and shelter. Bull kelp is also deeply entwined in Tribal heritage as it has offered abundant food, safe travel, and other resources for Tribal nations since time immemorial. Unfortunately, bull kelp is declining dramatically throughout Puget Sound. Conserving and recovering this vital species relies on the shared awareness that our bull kelp forests are critical to Washington’s identity, culture, and ecology. Our goal is to support the Seattle Aquarium's efforts to pass this bill and work with partners to ensure that the state legislature designates bull kelp (Nereocystis luetkeana) as the official state marine forest.
Help us get HB 1631 passed!
Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary Management Update
The OCNMS encompasses one of the most important ecological areas in the Pacific Northwest and the updated plan must address the threats of climate change, destructive resource extraction, invasive species, hazardous vessel traffic, and water, plastic, and noise pollution. As members of the Sanctuary Advisory Council, we are participating in the Management Plan Update and working to help ensure this incredible resource is protected for future generations. There are no actions at this time, but a public comment period will open later this year.
Updating Discover Pass fee structure
While not an official Surfrider campaign, we are supporting SB 5390, which would increase the annual fee for Washington State's Discover Pass from $30 to $40. When originally passed in 2011, the fee was supposed to increase every few years to account for inflation, but that hasn't happened. While we strongly advocate for equitable access to our beaches, and do NOT want fees to be an obstacle to people visiting the coast, we also recognize that our state agencies, most of which are experiencing the impacts of the statewide budget crisis, do not have the resources they need to properly manage our state parks. This increase is long overdue, and we support this effort. We will continue to support the current 12 fee-free days and programs (such as Check Out Washington and Everyone Outdoors) so that everyone can still visit our amazing coastlines, regardless of income.
For context, Washington's Discovery Pass is still far cheaper than most other states:
Washington Discovery pass - $30.00 / yr
Texas - $70.00 each person / yr
California - All vehicle pass - $195.00 / yr (all beaches)
Oregon - Coast Pass - $35.00 / yr
Florida - Annual Pass - $60.00 / yr individual $120.00 / yr family
Georgia - Annual pass - $50.00 / yr
More access issues are in the works!
Chapters frequently have to respond quickly to beach access closures. Between sea level rise, increasing storms and worsening erosion, and coastal development, our beaches are shrinking.
There are several statewide efforts, from rule-making to budget provisos, that we are watching and waiting to see how best we can engage. Stay tuned!
Resources:
SB 5390 bill information