(1) A lead entity administers a local process to identify salmon habitat restoration and acquisition projects and activities that support salmon recovery efforts critical to implementing salmon recovery plans. To accomplish this purpose, a lead entity must hire a coordinator to:

(a) Facilitate the work of a citizens committee;

(b) Work closely with a regional salmon recovery organization, if within a recognized region, to develop a local strategy to restore salmon habitat that meets the needs identified in a salmon recovery plan; and

(c) Recruit organizations to implement salmon habitat restoration projects and activities identified in a local strategy.

(2) A lead entity must establish a citizens committee as described in RCW 77.85.050. A lead entity, or its fiscal agent, shall not designate itself as the citizens committee. A lead entity shall not make decisions on behalf of the citizens committee. The citizen committee must be comprised of people within the lead entity area that represent initiating governments, businesses, interest groups, and private citizens interested in salmon recovery. The citizen committee may include noninitiating governments.

(3) A lead entity must adopt a conflict of interest policy consistent with state guidance that applies to the lead entity and the citizens committee and other committees convened by the lead entity.

(4) The main purpose of a citizens committee is to develop a habitat project list as described in RCW 77.85.050, including a lead entity ranked list, that:

(a) Is based on the critical pathways methodology as described in RCW 77.85.060;

(b) Gives a preference for funding projects in areas that contain salmon species listed or proposed for listing under the federal Endangered Species Act as described in RCW 77.85.050 or supports tribal treaty fishing rights;

(c) Defines a sequence for project implementation and establishes priorities for individual projects as described in RCW 77.85.050 Habitat project lists; and

(d) Identifies federal, state, local, or private funding sources for individual projects as described in RCW 77.85.050.

(5) A lead entity must submit a habitat project list compiled by a citizens committee, including a lead entity ranked project list, to the board by the deadline established by the board and described in RCW 77.85.140. A lead entity must not reorder or substantively alter the habitat project list compiled by a citizens committee without citizens committee's approval.

(6) A citizens committee or lead entity may designate a local technical advisory group as described in RCW 77.85.060. The main purpose of a local technical advisory group is to:

(a) Assist in evaluating the technical merits of individual projects to ensure projects are scientifically valid;

(b) Assist with implementing the critical pathways methodology, including limiting factors analyses;

(c) Advise on prioritizing projects; and

(d) Provide consultation to project sponsors and landowners on how to implement projects.