What is the Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council, or EFSEC, anyway? While so many of Washington’s proposed renewable energy projects are mired in controversy, one thing all sides can agree on is their criticism of EFSEC.

The state body, which is empowered to override local laws and recommend permits for new energy projects, is routinely critiqued by everyone from clean energy developers to Indigenous nations to even the state legislature. Brandon Block explains why this facility-permitting council was created in the first place, how it works and what reforms might be in order.

Read Block's investigation here.

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Credits

Host/Producer: Maleeha Syed

Producer: Sara Bernard

Reporter: Brandon Block

Story editor: Ryan Famuliner

Executive producer: Sarah Menzies

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It's Not Easy Going Green: An Obscure State Agency