H‑0396.1   _____________________________________________

HOUSE BILL 2207

           _____________________________________________

State of Washington      57th Legislature     2001 Regular Session

By Representatives Grant, Buck, G. Chandler, Mulliken and Mielke

Read first time 02/27/2001.  Referred to Committee on Natural Resources.

_1      AN ACT Relating to elimination of the salmon recovery office;

_2  amending RCW 77.85.005; creating a new section; and repealing RCW

_3  77.85.030 and 77.85.150.

_4  BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

_5      NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.  The legislature finds that the primary

_6  purpose of the salmon recovery office was the development of the

_7  statewide salmon recovery strategy for submittal to the

_8  appropriate federal agencies.  The legislature further finds that

_9  since the development and submittal of this strategy has been

10  accomplished, the remaining tasks of the salmon recovery office

11  can be accomplished through existing state agencies.  The

12  legislature believes that by relying upon existing state agencies

13  to accomplish salmon recovery, there will be less duplication of

14  effort within the executive branch and a corresponding savings of

15  resources.

16      Sec. 2.  RCW 77.85.005 and 1999 sp.s. c 13 s 1 are each amended to

17  read as follows:

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_1      The legislature finds that repeated attempts to improve

_2  salmonid fish runs throughout the state of Washington have failed

_3  to avert listings of salmon and steelhead runs as threatened or

_4  endangered under the federal endangered species act (16 U.S.C.

_5  Sec. 1531 et seq.).  These listings threaten the sport, commercial,

_6  and tribal fishing industries as well as the economic well-being

_7  and vitality of vast areas of the state.  It is the intent of the

_8  legislature to begin activities required for the recovery of

_9  salmon stocks as soon as possible, although the legislature

10  understands that successful recovery efforts may not be realized

11  for many years because of the life cycle of salmon and the complex

12  array of natural and human-caused problems they face.

13      The legislature finds that it is in the interest of the

14  citizens of the state of Washington for the state to retain

15  primary responsibility for managing the natural resources of the

16  state, rather than abdicate those responsibilities to the federal

17  government, and that the state may best accomplish this objective

18  by integrating local and regional recovery activities into a

19  statewide plan that can make the most effective use of provisions

20  of federal laws allowing for a state lead in salmon recovery.  The

21  legislature also finds that a statewide salmon recovery plan must

22  be developed and implemented through an active public involvement

23  process in order to ensure public participation in, and support

24  for, salmon recovery.  The legislature also finds that there is a

25  substantial link between the provisions of the federal endangered

26  species act and the federal clean water act (33 U.S.C. Sec. 1251

27  et seq.).  The legislature further finds that habitat restoration is

28  a vital component of salmon recovery efforts.  Therefore, it is the

29  intent of the legislature to specifically address salmon habitat

30  restoration in a coordinated manner and to develop a structure

31  that allows for the coordinated delivery of federal, state, and

32  local assistance to communities for habitat projects that will

33  assist in the recovery and enhancement of salmon stocks.

34      The legislature also finds that credible scientific review and

35  oversight is essential for any salmon recovery effort to be

36  successful.

37      The legislature further finds that it is important to monitor

38  the overall health of the salmon resource to determine if recovery

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_1  efforts are providing expected returns.  It is important to monitor

_2  salmon habitat projects and salmon recovery activities to

_3  determine their effectiveness in order to secure federal

_4  acceptance of the state's approach to salmon recovery.  Adaptive

_5  management cannot exist without monitoring.  For these reasons, the

_6  legislature believes that a coordinated and integrated monitoring

_7  process should be developed.

_8      The legislature therefore finds that a coordinated framework

_9  for responding to the salmon crisis is needed immediately.  To that

10  end, ((the salmon recovery office should be created within the

11  governor's office to provide overall coordination of the state's

12  response;)) an independent science panel is needed to provide

13  scientific review and oversight; a coordinated state funding

14  process should be established through a salmon recovery funding

15  board; the appropriate local or tribal government should provide

16  local leadership in identifying and sequencing habitat projects to

17  be funded by state agencies; habitat projects should be

18  implemented without delay; and a strong locally based effort to

19  restore salmon habitat should be established by providing a

20  framework to allow citizen volunteers to work effectively.

21      NEW SECTION. Sec. 3.  The following acts or parts of acts are each

22  repealed:

23 (1) RCW 77.85.030 (Governor's salmon recovery office‑-Creation‑-

24  Purpose) and 2000 c 107 s 93, 1999 sp.s. c 13 s 8, & 1998 c 246 s

25  5; and

26 (2) RCW 77.85.150 (Statewide salmon recovery strategy‑-

27  Prospective application) and 1999 sp.s. c 13 s 9.

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