BILL REQ. #:  H-5024.1 

Read first time 02/16/2004.   Referred to Committee on Fisheries, Ecology & Parks.

     TO THE HONORABLE GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, AND TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE AND THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, AND TO THE SENATE AND HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE UNITED STATES, IN CONGRESS ASSEMBLED:
     We, your Memorialists, the Senate and House of Representatives of the State of Washington, in legislative session assembled, respectfully represent and petition as follows:
     WHEREAS, The Lake Tapps reservoir supports many public benefits for the citizens of Pierce County as well as the greater Puget Sound region; and
     WHEREAS, Over the past four years, community members, public officials, and the private sector have worked tirelessly as part of the Lake Tapps Task Force to save the Lake Tapps reservoir in Pierce County; and
     WHEREAS, The Puget Sound Chinook salmon have been making great strides on the White River; and
     WHEREAS, The White River diversion dam is an essential component of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' trap and haul facilities that provide passage for threatened Puget Sound Chinook salmon above the Corps' Mud Mountain Dam; and
     WHEREAS, Puget Sound Energy ceased operation of the White River diversion dam and hydroelectric project on January 15, 2004; and
     WHEREAS, Without the ongoing operation of the White River diversion dam, and the facilities required to pass water through the reservoir, these fish passage facilities will no longer function properly and the Mud Mountain Dam will become an impassible barrier to salmon and other anadromous species; and
     WHEREAS, Catastrophic harm to threatened salmon and other species would occur if the fish passage facilities were not continued in operation; and
     WHEREAS, In order to avoid such harm to threatened fish species, the Corps has entered into an interim contract with Puget Sound Energy to keep the diversion dam and related facilities in operation for fish passage purposes; and
     WHEREAS, Interim funding is required to continue operation of the fish passage facilities until the Corps can put a long-term solution in place;
     NOW, THEREFORE, Your Memorialists respectfully pray that you support insertion of language into the FY 2005 U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' budget that will designate funding for fish passage needs on the White River, including payment of costs incurred in FY 2004.
     BE IT RESOLVED, That copies of this Memorial be immediately transmitted to the Honorable George W. Bush, President of the United States, the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and each member of Congress from the State of Washington.