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Puget Sound Nearshore Partnership
Steering Committee Meeting
May 17, 2005
Attendees:
Bernie Hargrave, Debby Hyde, Paula Del Giudice, Mike Ramsey,
Paul Cereghino, Doug Osterman, Michael Rylko, Dick Ecker,
Hayden Street, Jacques White, Tim Smith, Curtis Tanner, Fred
Goetz, Debbie Rick
Update on the Puget Sound Partnership and Initiative
Leading scientists, natural resource managers, and other
interested parties were invited to participate in a special,
topic-based forum hosted by the Puget Sound Partnership and
the University of Washington on May 15 at UW. Participants
split into groups and discussed seven different topic areas
from the perspectives of both science and management. The
Puget Sound Partnership will use the results of the forum
to shape its initial recommendations about the recovery of
Puget Sound to healthy levels by 2020. Initial recommendations
are due to the Governor in June. The topic sessions were:
Freshwater quantity
Habitat protection
Habitat restoration
Species and food web issues
Toxic contamination
Nutrients and pathogens
Stormwater
At the Partnership’s retreat May 31-June 1, partners
will review the "Ecosystem statement for discussion"
a draft recommendation to become the final due to the Governor
in November.
Update on Nearshore Partners
- Mike Ramsey is replacing Jim Fox, IAC, Salmon Recovery
Funding Board
- Eric Johnson remains on the steering committee; may recommend
someone to attend meetings?
- Andrea Copping is no longer serving on the steering committee
(will replace with a representative from the Northwest Straits
Commission.
- Diane Cooper, Taylor Shellfish, will be representing
the industry and take Bill Dewey’s place.
Status of Estuary and Salmon Restoration Projects
Development of Nearshore Projects List and the
Estuary and Salmon Restoration Program – A Brief History
Structure based on PRISM architecture
Originally developed as Microsoft Access application
Potential project data obtained from
- Lead Entities
- Marine Resource Committees
- Others
Nearshore Partnership worked with IAC to develop “nearshore
module” hosted by PRISM
PRISM architecture modified to meet needs of nearshore projects
database
Migration completed Feb. 2006
Original proposal by WDFW enhanced at request of Office of
Financial Management
Became component of Governor’s Puget Sound Initiative
and supplemental budget request
Projects Scored and Recommended for Funding
- Nearshore Partnership Implementation Team developed ranking
criteria, approved by Steering Committee April 19
- Request to potential project sponsors: April 28
- Due date for proposals: May 11
- Project scoring and ranking: May 15 – June 1
- Steering Committee develops recommended projects list:
June 6
- Nearshore Partnership staff verify project information:
June 8 – June 30 Due diligence
Executive Committee Reviews List and Identifies Projects
Approved for Funding: July 14
Funding Obligated to Projects: July 15 to October 15
- Deadline for spending funds: December 31, 2007
WDFW Reports to Legislature & OFM: Nov. 15
Current process was constrained by schedule
Nearshore Partnership Implementation Team will work with Lead
Entities, MRC’s and others to clarify and improve coordination
Twenty funding requests were received by the project deadline.
Three were acquisitions and the remaining seventeen were restoration.
Not all restoration-funding opportunities were anticipated
to result in construction activities -- some projects only
targeted prioritization, feasibility, or design efforts. Request
total $8,468.269. Betsy Lyons, The Nature Conservancy, and
Robin Clark, People for Puget Sound, will be joining the Implementation
Team to help score the proposals.
June Team Retreat
At our last Steering Committee meeting, we identified June
6-7 as the date for an "all-hands" meeting at Ft.
Worden State Park. Primary meeting objectives include:
1. Develop Salmon and Estuary Restoration Program project
list.
2. Evaluate results of WRIA 9 Pilot Change Analysis; formulate
recommendations for Sound-wide application.
3. Guidance to Project Management. Team on FY 2007 Work
Plan priorities.
The agenda has been developed to focus on Implementation
Team issues on Tuesday (6/6) and Nearshore Science Team –
Project Management Team issues on Wednesday. All program members
are encouraged to participate both days if possible.
July Executive Committee
The Executive Committee is scheduled to meet July 14, 2006,
at the Alderbrook Resort and Spa. The Steering Committee drafted
the agenda that follows.
Introduction of New Members
Finance Report
Estuary and Salmon Restoration Program
Program Overview
Policies and Procedures
06 Process Review
07/09 Preview
Project Overviews
Steering Committee Recommendation
Discussion
Executive Committee Action
Puget Sound Partnership Report
Status
How Nearshore Partnership can contribute
Science Team
Sound-Wide Change Analysis
State and Federal Funding Requests
Salmon Recovery Three-Year Plan
NOAA’s salmon recovery planning with Shared Strategy
includes three-year plans for each watershed (14). Currently
there is not a “15th” chapter. The Project Managers
decided during the May conference call to develop a nearshore
plan with select members of the Implementation Team participating.
We expect the plan will compile the nearshore portions from
each watershed plan, add a regional evaluation similar to
recovery plan, and provide a report. An outline will be given
to the Executives in July and a first draft by 15 October.
Albeit significantly behind the watershed plans, we expect
the nearshore portion will be a welcome addition to the short-term
plan.
Tim presented the idea that the Department of Fish and Wildlife
volunteered to write the Nearshore Chapter based around a
common set of elements such as all “H” Nearshore
Salmon Actions.
Habitat Voluntary
Restoration
Voluntary protection
Habitat Regulatory
Land Use
Permitting/mitigation
Hatcheries
Harvest
Hydro
Nearshore Partnership involvement would elevate the schedule
of the 14 chapters; the 15th chapter will identify projects
for funding. The Nearshore report should aggregate existing
information, fill in gaps, identify priority and sequence,
note overlaps between the chapters, and identify ongoing process.
Excerpts from the Federal and Local Project
Managers, and Science Team Reports
Valued Ecosystem Component White Papers:
Salmon: Standardizing salmon conceptual models based on
workshop; need last NST member’s review.
Coastal Forests: NST requesting more forest ecology material
than current draft contains. Discussions on-going with author.
Shellfish: Paper in peer review.
Forage Fish: Reviewed by NST members. Peer tentatively
selected for review. Marine
Birds: First draft well written and accepted by NST. Steering
Committee should consider endorsing WDFW award to author.
Beaches & Bluffs: Like Coastal Forests, “Bluffs”
proved difficult to characterize during the workshop. The
author and editor are working to complete the first draft.
Great Blue Heron: Author provided a factual NST Science
Morning that stretched well into the afternoon during the
April meeting. Editor reports the paper is a worthy science
document that she is refining with the author.
Eelgrass & Kelp: Editor working with author to pull
together the many matrices and data into a readable document.
Orcas: First draft very thorough with state-of-the knowledge
information. Author makes a convincing, readable linkage
to the Nearshore with this charismatic mega-fauna
Change Analysis:
The change analysis-working group is converging on a change
methodology. The May 1st meeting was spent brainstorming current
conditions data sets. The data sets were checked by key questions
to assure the analysis is adequately defined. After the meeting,
our new PM (Phil Bloch) met with CommEnSpace to sort through
the long list.
They report that the following conditions are highly likely
for the analysis:
- Land use
- Coastal Wetlands Unit
- Culverts & Roads
- Natural vs Modified Stream Discharges
- Levees, Causeways & Dikes
- Dams
- Armor
- Overwater Structures
- Overhanging Vegetation
Approximately an equal number of other characteristics were
rated “maybes” or “low” likelihood
for the pilot analysis. The WRIA9 change analysis results
will be presented at the June retreat, including a summary
description of the “really interesting” findings.
Completing the pilot analysis positions us to expand the
change analysis to the remainder of the sound. Discussions
are underway about assembling a GIS team among agencies to
work with CommEnSpace on the expanded analysis.
We will revise the unawarded CommEnSpace, Inc. option to
assist in the sound-wide analysis. The option will have CommEnSpace
assist our team by conducting training and QA for a multi-agency
work team, while continuing to research advanced methodologies
with the NST.
Phil Bloch reports that the remaining historic characterization
would be done best by CommEnSpace. The work is more dependent
on the application of expert judgment than we expected. The
resulting product will be more consistent if we use the same,
experienced team. He expects the historic characterization
costs to be ~$100-$200K. Curtis and Bernie are looking into
our contracting options for this work.
Restore America’s Estuaries 3rd National
Conference:
Puget Sound Nearshore Partnership is sponsoring the conference
at a “Patron” level ($5,000). The Nearshore Partnership
will receive prominent organizational listing in all conference
printed materials and on-site at the event; a quarter-page
ad in the Conference Program; complimentary exhibit booth
space; and two complimentary Conference registrations; and
recognition and hyperlink on Restore America’s Estuaries’
Conference website. Debby Hyde and Fred Goetz volunteered
to put together materials and the display.
For Action: Re-establish “theme” meetings.
Megan, Si, Steering Committee members such as VEC with Change
Analysis in July.
Next Meeting: June 21, 2006
Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife
600 Capitol Way North
Olympia, Washington 98501
2nd Floor Conference Room
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