The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink AboutCDN 2019-01-29 Item 2C - Handout Distributed at Meeting - Puget Sound Salmon Recovery Council��k��/*� �� / 0�� ~ =~.~~ =.°=^,~"~�= ~°^"~~=�=,~~.." =~~=^"C"= Puget Sound Salmon Recovery Council Members 5kaBitonianstoPreserve Farmland Washington Forest Protection Association Washington Policy Center Long Live the Kings Puget Sound Anglers Washington Environmental Council League ofWomen Voters USEnvironmental Protection Agency National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration USArmy Corps ofEngineers USDept. ofAgriculture LummiNatinn Makah Tribe NisquoUyTribe NonhsackTribe Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission Point No Point Treaty Council Port 'Gamble S'K|- anoTiibe `^ Tribe King County Flood Control District ATTN: Michelle Clark, SEPAResponsible Official 5I6Third Avenue Room lZOO Seattle, WA 98104 RE: Lower Green River Corridor Flood Hazard Management Plan Draft Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement Dear Ms. Clark: The Puget Sound Salmon Recovery Council (P55K[)respectfully submits the following comments onthe King County Flood Control District Corridor Plan Draft Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (DPE|5). The PSSR[is amulti-stakeholder council that advises the Puget Sound Partnership's Leadership Council inimplementing the Puget Sound Salmon Recovery Plan. Members include Tribes; local, state and federal government agencies; representatives of agriculture, business, and environmental interests; and representatives from each ofthe 16watershed areas inPuget Sound and represent literally thousands of people active in salmon recovery across Puget Sound. Since the l999listing ofPuget Sound Chinook asaThreatened species, significant local, state, and federal resources have been invested to avert extinction ofPuget Sound Chinook. Afundamental need torecover Chinook throughout Puget Sound isincreasing the area offloodp|ainchannel habitat. Floodplain off -channel habitats are safe -sites for rearing Chinook. The Puget Sound Salmon ([hinook)Recovery Plan identifies the Lower Green River asasignificant bottleneck torecovering Puget Sound Chinook salmon due tosubstantial reduction ofrearing habitat and asubsequent dramatic decrease in the survival ofChinook salmon. It is absolutely critical toincrease the rearing habitat ofthe Lower Green River torecover the Green River Chinook salmon pupu|atiun—andtofacilitate recovery of Chinook salmon Puget Sound+wide. Continued decline inthe Green River Chinook salmon population isof regional and statewide concern asits recovery isessential tode'|istin8 Puget Sound Chinook ayThreatened and, moreover, toavoid losing the Southern Resident orca population. The three alternatives identified in the November Z6,IO18DPB3scopinOnotice will not advance Puget Sound Chinook salmon recovery. SOUND SA =.,===��~�^"='^�� ON RECOVERY COUNCIL SkokmmbhThbe Tu|a|ipThbe WA Dept. of Ecology WA Dept. of Fish & Wildlife VVADepartment nfNatural Resources VVAState Conservation Commission Puget Sound Partnership VVAState Association of Counties Gneen/DuwamishVVuteohed Hood Canal Watershed Island Watershed LakeVVashin8ton/Cedar/ SammamishVVatershed Nisqua||yVVatershed NoqksackVVateohed North Olympic Peninsula Lead Entity Puya||up/[hambersVVatershed San Juan Watershed Skagit Watershed Snohomish Watershed South Sound Watershed Sti|la—'��hWa��he� ^ � ' West Sound Watersheds Additionally, NOAAFisheries' draft Puget Sound Stee|headRecovery Plan classifies the Green River (winter run) Distinct Individual Population (0P) of stee|headasone offour 0Psinthe South/Central Puget Sound Major Population Group that must beviable toachieve recovery ofthe Puget Sound Stee|headDistinct Population Segment asawhole. Furthermore, the draft Recovery Plan identifies floodplain reconnection as a key element of the steelhead recovery effort that will expand available rearing habitat and mitigate for the impacts ofclimate change, among other factors. The P5SR[requests that the King County Flood Control District evaluate and quantify the ability torecover Puget Sound Chinook salmon bythe ability to recover the Green River Chinook population. The SEPAenvironmental evaluation and analysis must identify an additional alternative for flood management ofthe Lower Green River that isconsistent with the Puget Sound Salmon Recovery Plan. Ideally, the Corridor Plan should approach flood management inamanner that considers and integrates Chinook salmon and stee|headrecovery, economic development, recreational opportunities, and environmental justice. Specifically, rather than widening existing levee structures and planting trees onthe levee shoulders, werecommend the addition ofafourth alternative that leads tothe creation ofmore floudp|ainhabitat. Amulti-pronged alternative to reduce flood risk and increase floodplain habitat is consistent with the approach outlined in the Green River Chinook recovery plan, which reflects habitat restoration concepts for the Lower Green River that are supported byjurisdictions inthe watershed and that will lead to achievement ofthe habitat goals established for the Lower Green River. The Puget Sound region cannot afford losing opportunities tureverse declines ofsalmon and orca.The proposed Lower Green River Corridor Plan will set the stage for salmon habitat restoration and protection inacritical reach ofthe Green River Watershed for the next fiftvvears.The P5SR[ strongly believes that a narrow approach to long-term flood risk reduction throughout Puget Sound, without appropriately integrating the needs of Chinook salmon recovery, isasignificant step backward and does not meet Washington State Best Available Science criteria. To ensure the value of the millions ofdollars that have been invested inPuget Sound torecover Chinook salmon, amulti-benefit approach tof|oodp|ainmanagement is imperative for the Lower Green River. Finally, wenote that the federal government shutdown prevented our federal partners — a number of whom participate as members of the PSSRC — from commenting on this DPEIS, and request an extension of the comment period toallow sufficient time for these partners tosubmit comments. Thank you again for the opportunity to comment. Sincerely, DavdTrooU Chair, Puget Sound Salmon Recovery Council NisquaUyIndian Tribe [c: Laura 8|ackmo:e,Deputy Director, Puget Sound Partnership Jennifer Lee, Director ofPolicy & Planning, Puget Sound Partnership Amber Moore, Salmon Recovery Manager, Puget Sound Partnership Tristan Contesse,Boards Program Manager, Puget Sound Partnership Cory Zy|a,Ecosystem Recovery Coordinator, Puget Sound Partnership Deborah Hagen, Special Assistant tnthe Boards, Puget Sound Partnership Puget Sound Salmon Recovery Council members Lodging Tax Funding Comparisons Applicant 2018 Fugfflng 2019 Seattle SouthsideRegional Tourism Authority' . $,�e,SUU StarfineSports $44'500 $44,508 Museum ofFlight $30,000 $100,000 zThis agreement was atwo-year agreement, ZOl7and 20D8,with the total amnuntbeing$47],5OO.($Z7OOOOhur ZOl7and $Z0Z'SOOfor 2UI8).