HomeMy WebLinkAboutLETTER OF SUPPORT re Hood Canal Coordinating JEFFERSON COUNTY
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
CONSENT AGENDA REQUEST
TO: Board of County Commissioners
FROM: Kate Dean, Commissioner
DATE: September 6,2022
SUBJECT: Letter of Support for Hood Canal Coordinating Council for NOAA
Grant
STATEMENT OF ISSUE: The Hood Canal Coordinating Council, of which Jefferson County is a member,
has asked for a letter of support to accompany their application to NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service
for a project titled"Hood Canal Summer Chum Habitat Priorities and Immediate Needs."This project is
designed to restore, protect, and maintain marine and estuarine ecosystems in Washington State's Hood Canal
and Eastern Strait of Juan de Fuca with a primary focus on habitat used by ESA-listed Hood Canal Summer
Chum. The proposed suite of regionally important actions will strategically advance summer chum recovery by
restoring natural habitat forming processes and will also provide socioeconomic benefits to the largely rural
communities across the Hood Canal region. The focus of this application to develop and implement projects in
the following categories:
Summer Chum salmon habitat restoration and protection assessment: An overall assessment will be
completed to identify outstanding habitat restoration and protection needs. The analysis will provide a
mechanism to focus and prioritize efforts where they are most needed to ensure the recovery success of summer
chum salmon. The results of the 3 assessment will inform the types of projects needed.
Estuary restoration: Projects will be designed, developed, and implemented in four key estuary areas;
Duckabush River Estuary(in Hood Canal), Tahuya River estuary(in Hood Canal), Big Beef Creek estuary(in
Hood Canal), and the Snow/Salmon Creek estuary(in eastern Strait of Juan de Fuca).
ANALYSIS: The Hood Canal Summer Chum is nearing recovery targets and has the potential to be the first salmon
species to be delisted from endangered species status. This project will help ensure the full recovery. It will also
support an important infrastructure project on Highway 101 in Jefferson County-the replacement of the bridge over
the Duckabush River.
FISCAL IMPACT: None to Jefferson County
RECOMMENDATION: Signing and sending the letter of support.
REV EWED BY:
Mark McC ey, County Administrator ,( Date
Co n ts, Board of County Commissioners
, 7 NCOS 0� 1820 Jefferson Street
C PO Box 1220
`i Port Townsend, WA 98368
�SIIINGeC
O� Kate Dean,District 1 Heidi Eisenhour,District 2 Greg Brotherton,District 3
September 6, 2022
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
National Marine Fisheries Service
1315 East-West Highway, 14th Floor
Silver Spring, MD 20910
Re: Letter of Support- Hood Canal Summer Chum Habitat Priorities and Immediate Needs
To Whom It May Concern:
Jefferson County is glad to support the Hood Canal Coordinating Council (HCCC) grant proposal titled "Hood
Canal Summer Chum Habitat Priorities and Immediate Needs." We are pleased that the work done by HCCC
and partners has led to significant progress toward recovery of iconic Hood Canal Summer Chum, and the vital
funding from this grant will get us still closer to full recovery.
Jefferson County also strongly supports this proposal because we recognize that a healthy and thriving
ecosystem provides myriad socioeconomic benefits to Hood Canal communities. Our economy, recreation,
transportation and way of life depends on clean water, abundant marine species and solid infrastructure.
We are proud that our region has an opportunity to delist and recover Hood Canal Summer Chum- a nationally
significant conservation achievement, providing a blueprint to others for how investments in habitat restoration
and sustainable fisheries management can effectively recover salmon and steelhead stocks on the west coast.
This project aims to modernize rural transportation infrastructure and significantly improve habitat
connectivity at the Duckabush River estuary, a project that Jefferson County and myriad partners have been
working on for many years. It is representative of the restoration opportunities that arise as aging infrastructure
reaches the end of its useful life. It also supports both tribal treaty rights and a robust economy.
Thank you for consideration of funding for this regionally significant salmon recovery ecosystem restoration
proposal.
Sincerely,
Jefferson County Commissioners
Kate Dean Heidi Eisenhour, Chair Greg Brotherton
District 1 District 2 District 3
Phone (360) 385-9100 Fax (360) 385-9382 jeffbocc@co.jefferson.wa.us