TIS 2021-07-12 Item 2B - Resolution - Ratify 2021 Update to Green/Duwamish and Central Puget Sound Watershed (WRIA 9) Salmon Habitat Plan

Browse Search

WHEREAS, coordination and cooperation among federal, state, and local agencies, tribes, businesses, non-governmental organizations, landowners, community members, and other interests are essential to implement and adaptively manage a salmon recovery plan; and WHEREAS, the Puget Sound Partnership serves as the Puget Sound regional organization and lead agency for planning and implementing the Puget Sound Salmon Recovery Plan, approved by NOAA Fisheries; and WHEREAS, the WRIA 9 Plan is one of 15 watershed -based chapters of the Puget Sound Salmon Recovery Plan; and WHEREAS, the City supports cooperation at the WRIA level to set common priorities for actions among partners, efficient use of resources and investments, and distribution of responsibility for actions and expenditures; and WHEREAS, habitat protection and restoration actions to increase Chinook salmon productivity trends are necessary throughout the watershed, in conjunction with other recovery efforts, to avoid extinction in the near term and restore WRIA 9 Chinook salmon to viability in the long term; and WHEREAS, salmon recovery is interrelated with flood risk reduction, water quality improvement, open -space protection, recreation, economic development, and tribal treaty rights; and WHEREAS, the City has a strong interest to achieve multiple benefit outcomes for people and fish across the watershed; and WHEREAS, the WRIA 9 Plan recognizes that salmon recovery is a long-term effort, and focuses on a 10 -year implementation time horizon to allow for evaluation of progress and adaptation of goals and implementation strategies; and WHEREAS, it is important to provide jurisdictions, the private sector and the public with certainty and predictability regarding the course of salmon recovery actions in WRIA 9; and WHEREAS, if insufficient action is taken at the local and regional level, it is unlikely Chinook salmon populations in WRIA 9 will improve and it is possible the federal government could list Puget Sound Chinook salmon as an endangered species, thereby decreasing local flexibility; and WHEREAS, the Parties previously took formal action to ratify the 2005 Salmon Habitat Plan; NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF TUKWILA, WASHINGTON, HEREBY RESOLVES AS FOLLOWS: CC:\Legislative Development\WRIA-9 Salmon Plan update 6-7-21 MP:bjs Review and analysis by Barbara Saxton Page 2 of 3 3