Action Washington

Projects of Statewide Significance

Designating Boeing as a Project of Statewide Significance

In 2003, the Washington state legislature approved and the governor signed into law legislation for Projects of Statewide Significance. The legislature declared that certain industrial investments deserve special designation and attention because such investments bolster the economies in their area and impact the economy of the state as a whole.

The Boeing Company is vital to Washington state’s economy. It has been and is currently the largest employer in Washington state. When the state was competing for the 787 final assembly plant, the state recognized that losing the 787 competition could mean potentially losing Boeing as it phased out its old airplane production lines. That equated to $540 million a year maximum in lost revenue and 200,000 direct and indirect jobs over the next 20-30 years, according to the Office of Financial Management (2003).

Becoming a PSWS

An industrial Project of Statewide Significance is an industrial project that involves both private and public sectors and has statewide economic impacts. Criteria for designation include high capital investment, full-time employment after completion of the project to exceed 100 persons, and significant regional impact.

Criteria for qualifying a PSWS include:

The county in which the project will be located must meet the “rural” threshold and or otherwise require economic assistance;
Or, the impact of project on a region is so large and complex that it merits the designation.

In order to become a project of statewide significance, a company must apply to the state. In the case of the 787, the City of Everett has sponsored Boeing’s application for a PSWS designation, and the completed application was approved by the director of the Department of Community, Trade and Economic Development.

For more information about the PSWS designation process and its benefits to a region, explore the following links.

PSWS law: http://www.leg.wa.gov/RCW/index.cfm?fuseaction=section&section=43.157.010;

PSWS legislation: http://www.leg.wa.gov/wsladm/billinfo1/dspBillSummary.cfm?billnumber=5761#files

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