S-3685               _______________________________________________

                                                   SENATE BILL NO. 6425

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State of Washington                              50th Legislature                              1988 Regular Session

By Senators Conner, Metcalf and DeJarnatt

Read first time 1/20/88 and referred to Committee on Environment & Natural Resources.

AN ACT Relating to the Elwha river fish runs; creating a new section; and making an appropriation.

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 current power surplus and costs of mitigating lost fish habitat make dam removal a viable alternative being proposed by several intervenors in the federal relicensing proceedings.  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 sum of thirty thousand dollars, or as much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated for the biennium ending June 30, 1989, from the general fund to the department of fisheries for the purpose of evaluating and reporting on the biological, economic, and engineering feasibility of removing both dams that currently block anadromous fish from the upper regions of the Elwha river basin.  The report shall be submitted by August 1, 1988, to the senate and house of representatives natural resources and ways and means committees and to federal and state agencies involved in the relicensing proceedings.