S-4677               _______________________________________________

                                         SUBSTITUTE SENATE BILL NO. 6425

                        _______________________________________________

State of Washington                              50th Legislature                              1988 Regular Session

By Senate Committee on Environment and Natural Resources (originally sponsored by Senators Conner, Metcalf and DeJarnatt)

Read first time 2/2/88.

AN ACT Relating to the Elwha river fish runs; and creating new sections.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.     The Elwha river, which flows into the Strait of Juan de Fuca west of Port Angeles, was once one of the state's finest producers of spring chinook salmon.  In the early part of this century, two dams which completely blocked passage for anadromous fish were constructed on the river.  The record size salmon and steelhead from the Elwha river were lost for future generations of Washington residents due to the construction of these dams.

          Currently, the federal energy regulatory commission is faced with relicensing both of these dams on the Elwha river.  The citizens of the state of Washington have an interest in participating in the process which may eventually lead to the restoration of the magnificent Elwha salmon and steelhead runs.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.     The department of fisheries shall provide to the legislative committees covering environmental and fisheries issues, periodic progress reports on the status of the study being conducted by the James River Corporation for the federal energy regulatory commission as a prerequisite to the relicensing of the two dams on the Elwha river.  The department of fisheries, along with other interested state agencies, shall seek to assure mitigation for lost fisheries resources as part of the relicensing process.