HomeMy WebLinkAbout051721_ca04 JEFFERSON COUNTY
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
AGENDA REQUEST
TO: Board of County Commissioners
Mark McCauley, Interim County Administrator
FROM: Monica Montgomery, Water Programs Coordinator
Jefferson County Marine Resources Committee (MRC) and WSU Extension
DATE: May 17,2021
SUBJECT: Letter of Support- Federal Funding for MRCs
STATEMENT OF ISSUE:
The Northwest Straits Initiative (NWSI) is in the early stages of working with U.S.
Congressional staff to pursue $3M in ongoing federal funding. If successful, this could add
around $100,000 to MRC budgets while also funding other emerging NWSI programs. As part of
this effort,NWSI is seeking letters of support.
ANALYSIS:
N/A
FISCAL IMPACT:
If successful, this could add $100,000 to the Jefferson County MRC budget for marine and
nearshore ecosystem stewardship projects in East Jefferson County.
RECOMMENDATION:
Signatures on the drafted letter of support.
REVIEWED BY:
41
Mark McCaule nterim County AdmmIstr or Date
May 10, 2021
Senator Patty Murray
154 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington DC, 20510
Dear Senator Murray,
On behalf the Jefferson County Board of County Commissioners, we are writing to urge that you
seek ongoing federal support that fully funds the Northwest Straits (NWS) Marine Conservation
Initiative at $3 million per year. The Initiative’s leadership and work is critical to the health of
our marine resources in our county and six others—a majority of counties in the Puget Sound
region.
The NWS Initiative provides technical assistance, coordination, and base funding support to
seven county-based Marine Resources Committees (MRC), including the Jefferson County MRC.
The work that MRCs do protects and restores our valuable marine resources and nearshore
environment. Our county, like others, faces ongoing pressures from population growth, climate
change, and habitat degradation, making the contributions of MRCs more important than ever.
MRCs are made up of local volunteers who prioritize and lead restoration, monitoring and
education projects and serve as advisory bodies to local elected officials, including the Jefferson
County Board of County Commissioners. The Jefferson MRC serves a unique role by convening
a diversity of community perspectives from Tribal, economic, recreational, and environmental
interests to prioritize and initiate consensus-driven work. In addition to their advisory role to
the county, the Jefferson MRC engages in several hands-on projects that restore and protect
our nearshore and marine resources, including:
Installation of 12 rain gardens in Port Townsend, WA with a cumulative area of 9,116
square feet that treat stormwater flowing into our nearshore and marine environments.
Restoration of the once abundant native Olympia oyster (Ostrea lurida) population in
Discovery Bay, WA.
Maintenance of voluntary no-anchor zones buoy fields that protect 52 acres of critical
eelgrass habitat along the Port Townsend waterfront, and eelgrass and shellfish habitat
in nearly 50 acres at Mystery Bay and 8 acres near Port Hadlock (South Port Townsend
Bay).
Monitoring of forage fish spawning at three beaches across Jefferson County and bull
kelp populations at North Beach in partnership with state agencies that helps to inform
regional priorities and management efforts.
Project implementation through the Jefferson MRC is a cost-effective way of contributing to
recovery and protection of marine resources that are important to our county residents and the
local economy. Funding and support from the NWS Initiative assures we can maintain this
locally driven approach to solving problems in our region.
We appreciate your ongoing commitment to the NWS Initiative and hope that we can count on
your help to see that this important work will continue and be adequately funded.
Sincerely,