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Puget Sound Nearshore Partnership
Steering Committee Meeting
March 15, 2005
Attendees:
Curtis Tanner, Debby Hyde, Rob Koeppen, James Schroeder,
Dick Ecker, Miriam Gilmer, Hayden Street, John Dohrmann, Bernie
Hargrave, Tim Smith, Fred Goetz, Terry Wright, Michael Rylko,
Toni Lick, Debbie Rick and on conference call Jennifer Steger
and Jacques White.
Puget Sound Partnership
Updates on the Puget Sound Partnership can be found at www.pugetsoundpartnership.org
Alliance for Puget Sound Shorelines –
Front page of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer news: A new
alliance of three environmental organizations announced the
launch of a long-term, multibillion-dollar effort to return
Puget Sound to health. Leaders from People for Puget Sound,
The Trust for Public Land and The Nature Conservancy say they
will work in cooperation with other Sound-related projects
already under way and will focus their energy on shoreline
restoration. The coalition -- called the Alliance for Puget
Sound Shorelines -- received a $3 million gift from The Russell
Family Foundation, a local granting organization, to kick
off their effort.
Jacques and other members of the Steering Committee representing
the new Alliance thanked the Puget Sound Nearshore Partnership
for the support letters provided to The Russell Family Foundation
on behalf of the environmental organizations.
“Five Charges” Workgroup Report
– Debby Hyde
The Steering Committee spent a considerable amount of time
going over the draft letter prepared by the workgroup. The
final document was signed and hand-delivered to Brad Ack,
Puget Sound Action Team. The letter outlines our potential
to support their work; relevant activities to date; lessons
learned so far; and our on-going commitment and contributions.
Document is attached.
Report from DC – Tim Smith
07 Federal Requests -
Jeff Koenings and Tim Smith distributed the FY 07 Nearshore
Partnership request package to members and staff of Washington's
Congressional delegation during their recent visit to Washington
DC. Generally, the requests were well received. Several members
expressed particular interest in specific items in the request.
As she has in the past, we anticipate that Senator Murray
will sponsor the Puget Sound Nearshore Ecosystem Restoration
Project ($1.9 million for the GI - Corps of Engineers); Senator
Cantwell will likely sponsor the Puget Sound Nearshore Ecosystem:
Future Without Project Condition Report (EPA - $525,000);
Congressman Jay Inslee has, in the past, been the chief advocate
for the Puget Sound and Adjacent Waters Restoration Program
($5.0 million for Corps of Engineers); Congressman Richert's
office expressed interest in the Coastal Habitats in Puget
Sound program ($2.0 million, USGS); and several Congressional
offices expressed support for pushing forward an earmark for
restoration projects in support of the Puget Sound Nearshore
Partnership through the Community-Based Restoration Program
for ($2.0 million, NOAA Fisheries).
Legislative Wrapup –
The Department of Fish and Wildlife appropriated $500,000
in the Operating Budget as well as $2.5 million in the State’s
Capitol budget as described below.
Proviso Language on the Estuary and Salmon Restoration
in Puget Sound -
The appropriation for the Estuary and Salmon Restoration
in Puget Sound is provided solely for nearshore estuary and
shoreline projects supporting salmon recovery in Puget Sound.
Project selection and funding decisions shall be submitted
for approval to the Executive Committee of the Puget Sound
Nearshore partnership between the Washington Department of
Fish and Wildlife and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Project
selection and funding decisions must be coordinated with the
Salmon Recovery Funding Board to ensure that project funding
and matching requirements are maximized to the greatest extent
possible. All funds must be obligated to a specific project
or projects no later than October 15, 2006. The Department
shall submit a report to the legislature and the Office of
Financial Management by November 1, 2006. The report must
describe the status of all projects authorized for funding
under this appropriation, including project location, implementation
timeline, performance measures, funding structure, matching
funds, and expected results.
Appropriation:
State Building Construction Account – State………………………………
$2,500,000
Prior Biennia (Expenditures)………………………………………….………………..0
Future Biennia (Projected Costs)…………………………………………….$5,000,000
TOTAL…………………………………………………………………$7,5000,000
Federal Project Manager’s Report –
President’s Budget:
The proposed cutbacks and redirection of General Investigation
(Seattle District) efforts to Louisiana are already being
felt. Corps staff is being recruited for part-time and full-time
Gulf State positions.
Staffing Changes:
We welcome Miriam Gilmer to the Implementation Team as Beth
transitions to her new position in the Regulatory Program.
Beth will remain on the team until Miriam takes on co-lead
duties. We expect that this arrangement will help link regulatory
reform to nearshore science. Jeff Dillon, our environmental
coordinator who has been with the project since we signed
the feasibility agreement, took a short-term assignment to
Mississippi for Katrina relief efforts. Those of us that remain
are feeling the month loss from an experienced, independent
scientist. Colonel Lewis will be leaving us in April –
June timeframe. We have been unable to get a meeting scheduled
with the new District Engineer.
Future Without Project:
The new team composed of NST and Steering Committee members
met with the University of Washington Center for Urban Ecology
researchers. The researchers presented an approach for establishing
future scenario themes in a workshop context. As advance work
prior to the workshop, the team is developing a short questionnaire
to query experts and citizens. The UW is seeking permission
from their human-subjects board. Once complete, the Corps
will request approval to conduct the survey from Office of
Management and Budget. The workshop dates have not been established.
With this new work refinement and the pending approvals, the
workshop may be delayed beyond spring ’06.
VEC White Papers:
We selected an Orca Whales White Paper author:
Birgit Kriete, Ph.D,
Executive Director,
Orca Relief Citizens’ Alliance,
53 Limestone Point Road,
Friday Harbor, WA 98250, (360) 378-3972
Puget Sound and Adjacent Waters Restoration
Program – Status
- Skokomish Estuary Restoration Project Cooperation Agreement
(PCA) pending receipt of USF&W ESA concurrence letter
and EPA Sec. 401 certification.
- Lake Washington Gravel Nourishment Decision Document and
PCA pending receipt of USF&W ESA concurrence letter.
- Proposed FY’07-‘08 nearshore projects under
consideration:
Nisqually River Estuary
Snohomish River Estuary
Skokomish River Estuary (Phase II)
Local Project Manager’s Report –
Curtis Tanner
The Nearshore Projects Database migration to PRISM is complete,
and PRISM version 9.2 is now “on-line.” The
Implementation Team will be using database to identify potential
Early Action Projects. Some “next steps” will
identify database development, i.e., incomplete project
descriptions and project location data.
Project Management Team, Nearshore Science
Team, and Implementation Team
The Project Managers had a “check in” with
NST co-leads to clarify decision process and NST co-leads
role on the Project Management Team (PMT.
Fred Goetz, as NST liaison, brings recommendations to PMT
and Steering Committee with the PMT committing to timely
response and will work to support the recommendations from
NST co-leads.
Project Management Team meetings will be more frequent
(twice a month, following SC and IT meetings) and in general,
focused on making decisions necessary to advance the GI.
These meetings will be shorter, generally two hours long
and when necessary, longer to discuss important Puget Sound
Nearshore Partnership issues. Regular participants to include
Local/Corps Project Managers, one IT and NST co-lead (Fred,
Miriam). “Full” Project Management Team meetings
every other month, to include regular participants plus
other IT and NST co-leads (Doug, Si) and Executive Committee/Nearshore
Partnership issues representative (Tim Smith)
Change Analysis Methods and Implementation
Curtis and Bernie have been having discussions with Chris
Davis, ComEnSpace, documenting what we know about Change
Analysis methods and identifying issues requiring decisions,
improving tracking process and workgroup meeting management.
They have also identified specific roles and responsibilities
for an interagency/organization “Team Approach.”
Sound-wide Implementation
We had discussions with Chris Davis on possible roles for
CommEn Space and we are seeking additional capacity within
local partnership, e.g. DNR – Phil Bloch, PSAT –
Tim Strickler, Ecology – Cindy Donahue, Susan Grigsby,
WDFW
Nearshore Science Team Report – Fred Goetz
Megan Dethier provided a VEC white papers update. Joe Buchanan,
WDFW, will be doing a white paper on water and shorebirds:
NST recommend focus on: Dunlin, Black Oyster Catchers, and
Surf Scoters. (If four, then Pigeon Guillemots).
A VEC workshop is scheduled for Tuesday, March 14, where
attendees (primarily authors and NST) will work through each
VEC conceptual model; revising and indicating strength of
interactions. These conceptual models will ultimately get
packaged into either one “chapter” or accompany
each VEC white paper.
Social Value VEC paper (Tom Leschine):
Implementation Team Report – Miriam Gilmer
Early Action Projects
The Washington Legislature enacted Senate Bill 5875, which
provides a $2,500,000 appropriation to the Washington Department
of Fish and Wildlife for Estuary and Salmon Restoration in
Puget Sound. The Implementation Team (IT) will be providing
guidance to the various Puget Sound Nearshore Partnership
Committees on how to move forward with recommending projects
for funding with this source. Final approval of the project
list is the responsibility of the Nearshore Partnership Executive
Committee.
Issue: Jacques suggested adding a staff person from The
Nature Conservancy to the Implementation Team. Under the
Federal Advisory Committees Act (FACA),
the Corps may need to be excluded from the approval process
for projects.
Strategic Needs Assessment Report Outline –
The Strategic Needs Assessment Outline is attached.
Management Measures –
The management measures are the Partnership’s Tool
Box. Specific management measures will be used for each restoration
project. Three management measures of the 20 will be chosen
to have a “technical memo” written to describe
them. The IT and SC will review these prototypes when complete,
and discuss next steps.
VEC Workshop Report – Fred Goetz
Fred gave a presentation on the VEC Workshop that was held
March 14. For a copy of his presentation, please email him
at Frederick.A.Goetz@nws02.usace.army.mil
Change Analysis - Curtis Tanner
The Change Analysis Work Plan is attached.
Future Meeting Topics
Review Project Criteria
Brief on VECs with “Value” Component –
Tom Leschine
Progress on Change Analysis – Curtis Tanner
Future Without Project Workgroup (What Does $500,000 implementation
look like)
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