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HomeMy WebLinkAboutNovember 15, 2022 NPC MRC Meeting Materials Binder https://jeffersoncountypublichealth.org/715/North-Pacific-Coast-Marine-Resources-Com NPC MRC Regular Meeting 1st Draft AGENDA Tuesday, November 15, 2022 4:00 pm - 6:00 pm JCPH Dabob Room; 615 Sheridan St., Port Townsend (This is a healthcare facility, and masks are required.) THIS IS A HYBRID MEETING: Virtual and In-Person Attendance You may submit comments/correspondence to tpokorny@co.jefferson.wa.us up to 11:59 p.m. the day before the meeting. Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88238786857 Meeting ID: 882 3878 6857 +12532158782,,88238786857# US (Tacoma) +17193594580,,88238786857# US More information: tpokorny@co.jefferson.wa.us Introductions Public Comments Additions to and Approval of the Agenda (DECISION) Approval of the October 18, 2022 Meeting Summary Announcements Old Business Tsunamis and River Corridors – Staff Update New Business Washington CoastSavers Update, Megan Juran, Coordinator - Discussion Bylaws - Discussion/Potential Action Ground Rules - Discussion/Potential Action MRC Program Benchmarks - Discussion Updates Washington Coast Marine Advisory Council (Rod Fleck) - Next meeting: December 14th Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary Advisory Council (Jennifer) - Next Meeting: November 18th West Coast Ocean Alliance (Jennifer) Invasive European Green Crab (All) Marine Debris (All) Climate/Fossil Fuels Related (All) Administration & Fiscal Agent Update (Tami) Next Agenda: December 20th Public Comments/general Adjourn NPC MRC 10/18/2022 DRAFT Meeting Summary 1 October 18, 2022 NPC MRC 1st Draft Meeting Summary The Tuesday, October 18, 2022 NPC MRC meeting took place by Zoom connection from 4:01 PM to 5:57 PM ([00:00:01] to [01:57:19] on audio recording). Appointed committee members present at the meeting were Eileen Cooney (Citizen Rep., Jefferson County – Community Economics), Wendy Feltham (Citizen Rep., Jefferson County – Scientific Community), Rod Fleck (City of Forks), John Hunter (Citizen Rep., Clallam County – Education / Environmental Groups), Katie Krueger (Citizen Rep., Clallam County – Scientific Community), Rebecca Mahan (Clallam County Rep.), Tami Pokorny (Jefferson County Rep., Coordinator / Facilitator), Alice Ryan (Citizen Rep., Clallam County – Recreational Groups), and Jill Silver (10,000 Years Institute, Citizen Rep., Jefferson County – Citizen Science). A quorum was not present at the beginning of the meeting. Bryan Benjamin (Jefferson County), Rebekah Brooks (Rebekah Brooks Contracting), Lee First (Twin Harbors Waterkeeper), Leo Hummel (University of Washington [UW]), Zachary Randell (Seattle Aquarium), John Shaw (Grays Harbor MRC), and Kathy Troost (UW) were also in attendance. Introductions Public Comments There were no public comments. Additions to and Approval of the Agenda There were no changes to the agenda. Approval of the September 2022 NPC MRC Meeting Summary When a quorum was present, the September 2022 NPC MRC Meeting Summary was approved by consensus. Announcements Tami Pokorny brought up the article she forwarded from Wendy Feltham about carbon sequestration. Wendy added that more research is needed to understand kelp production and its role in carbon sequestration. Old Business MRC Summit 2022 September 21-23 Tami Pokorny said the Summit was wonderful, and was proud of the NPC MRC turnout. Wendy Feltham appreciated the Zoom element. Zachary Randell mentioned that connections were made, and will be running remotely operated vehicle lectures and presentations with Forks students. Kathy Troost added that her students were honored to be asked to present. Tami noted that Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife liaison Chris Waldbillig will be following up with MRC coordinators for regular meetings; the meetings may be expanded to include other MRC members. NPC MRC 10/18/2022 DRAFT Meeting Summary 2 New Business Rialto Beach Project Update Dr. Kathy Troost presented on Geologic Hazards and Rapid Terrace Erosion at Rialto Beach, Olympic National Park, WA. The ongoing project seeks to determine the origin of the Rialto terrace and if it was related to hazards like landslides and earthquakes, and why it is eroding so quickly. The research team has been conducting an erosion assessment: monitoring trees, assessing jetty impact, and creating beach topographic profiles; studying geologic hazards: mapping the terrace and slope, analyzing elevation and diatoms, modeling landslides, dating landslides and surfaces, and digging test pits; building a data repository; and reporting on their findings through articles, reports, and presentations. The tasks have multiple leads. Kathy described how the team has monitored benchmark trees to track erosion, including when they are dying and falling over, and how fast gaps are growing between trees and the terrace. She invited Forks High School students who might wish to be involved; Rebecca Mahan suggested that one of James Starr’s students might be interested. The team has also been mapping the terrace strata: debris flow and landslide deposits over organic deposits over older beach deposits over a bedrock platform. They have found two main types of landslides: debris flow from gullies, and translational slides in or on bedrock. Radiocarbon dating and dendrochronology indicate that the roots below most debris flows died between 1686 and 1928. Landslides and debris flows could have started before 1686, but continued at least as late as the mid-1800s, so the possibility that the earliest slides were triggered by the 1700 earthquake cannot be ruled out. As part of the overall project, UW graduate student Monica Hill conducted a GIS study with the following objectives: 1: assess the rates of shoreline change at Rialto and First Beaches with respect to engineering projects; and 2: develop an understanding of the coastal processes that may contribute to erosion. Monica’s study area was the Quillayute River mouth. A south jetty was constructed in 1931 and rebuilt in 1961; armoring of a natural sand spit began in 1957, and federal navigation channel dredging began in 1960. The study also looked at how much the Quillayute spit impacted erosion to the north. She found that over the past 130 years, Rialto Beach has eroded, while First Beach has accreted. The timeframe between 2011 and 2019 was not as clear, finding erosion and accretion along both beaches. Sediment transport has occurred under complicated dynamics due to wave refraction around James Island, the spit prograding south, and Ellen Creek diverting north. Discussion followed on types of trees present (mostly Sitka Spruce), Monica’s study and references, a historic shipwreck at the Quillayute River mouth, and student involvement. SeaWeaver Leo Hummel with UW EarthLab presented on his project SeaWeaver, exploring solutions for kelp farming using weaving design for long-term permaculture structures. Leo described some early design exploration, combining different woven modular elements for fish spawning, fish aggradation, and kelp forests. His aim is to build a framework for creating structures in this realm. To gain experience, he built structures for reef conservation in Thailand. Leo’s hypothesis is that similar techniques will work well for kelp recruitment and growth, and for supporting eelgrass conservation. His woven structures are designed to resist degrading and are made from organic materials to prevent them from becoming marine debris. Leo discussed the accessibility of the construction of the structures, which makes them a unique opportunity to involve students or community groups. The project is being put forward for a grant proposal for a research and construction component in cooperation with Zachary Randell’s work. They are most focused on getting to the point where they can prototype some of the basic structures. The group discussed animal safety, types of structures for different species, and uses in various environments. Rebecca Mahan requested a presentation to the Clallam County MRC. Tsunamis and River Corridors Tami Pokorny brought up a new study from Washington Department of Natural Resources: Tsunami Hazard Maps of the Olympic Peninsula: Model Results from an Extended L1 Mw 9.0 Cascadia Subduction Zone Megathrust Earthquake Scenario. The group discussed how far tsunami waves might go, mapping efforts, and public outreach ideas. NPC MRC 10/18/2022 DRAFT Meeting Summary 3 Equity Tami Pokorny noted that the subject of equity and social justice has been brought to the forefront of another committee she coordinates: the Jefferson County Conservation Futures Citizen’s Oversight Committee, and suggested that it may be time to talk about improving equity on the NPC MRC. John Hunter was glad to see this come up at the MRC Summit in the idea of offering stipends to MRC members in recognition that there are voices that are not heard because there are people who cannot afford to volunteer. Katie Krueger discussed outreach, and asked how to attract different ethnic, income, and age groups to marine issues. Lee First mentioned that Twin Harbors Waterkeeper hired a Hispanic Community Organizer to help them interface with Latino groups. The group discussed ideas for outreach to various groups who are underrepresented. John Shaw added that he had been going through inclusion training in every group he is involved in; the training has helped communicate who the various groups are and how to reach them. He encouraged inclusion and equity training for the NPC MRC, and *will send Tami his contacts. Jill Silver suggested providing stipends to students who might want to be involved. *Wendy Feltham said she was bilingual and offered to help with equity and inclusion in the NPC MRC. The group decided to revisit the topic after looking into the training. Updates Washington Coastal Marine Advisory Council (WCMAC) The last meeting was on 9/14/22 and focused on updates, a presentation on kelp forests and eelgrass from the Department of Natural Resources, and a proposal for offshore wind energy. WCMAC meeting materials can be found at the Ecology website: Department of Ecology - Committees, Boards, and Workgroups (wa.gov). Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary Advisory Council The last meeting was held on 9/30/22, and included discussion on the management plan topical review. The next meeting is scheduled for 11/19/22, possibly in Seattle. John Hunter announced that the new superintendent was giving a talk this coming Thursday. West Coast Ocean Alliance There was nothing new to report. Invasive European Green Crab A few updates came out of the Summit. Funding is more available for trapping efforts, and the crabs are being composted. Marine Debris Lee First announced multiple cleanups on Make a Difference Day on Saturday, 10/22/22. There will also be another cleanup west of Lake Ozette over Veteran’s Day weekend. Contact Lee at leefrider7@gmail.com. Climate/Fossil Fuels Related (All) There was nothing new to report. Administrative Update Tami Pokorny went over remote meeting requirements for the Open Public Meetings Act. She announced that all but one contract was in the works. The only one remaining was Kathy Troost’s. Tami suggested getting the request for proposals out earlier for the next funding round. Next Agenda (November 15, 2022): The next NPC MRC Meeting will be held on 11/15/22. *Please send Tami Pokorny any thoughts about topics. NPC MRC 10/18/2022 DRAFT Meeting Summary 4 Public Comments/General The group thanked Tami Pokorny and the non-member attendees for an informative meeting. Adjourn at 5:58 PM Action Items: *John Shaw will send Tami Pokorny his contacts for inclusion training. *Wendy Feltham said she was bilingual and offered to help with equity and inclusion in the NPC MRC. *Please send Tami Pokorny any thoughts about topics for the November agenda. Draft summary compiled by Rebekah Brooks (Rebekah Brooks Contracting). Bylaws North Pacific Coast Marine Resources Committee (NPC MRC) WE, THE MEMBERS of the North Pacific Coast Marine Resources Committee of Clallam and Jefferson Counties, state of Washington, hereby adopt, publish, and declare the following Bylaws. I. NAME, PURPOSE, MEMBERSHIP A. NAME: The official name shall be “The North Pacific Coast Marine Resources Committee” (NPC MRC), hereafter, sometimes, referred to as the “Committee”. B. PURPOSE: The Committee’s purpose may include, but is not limited to: the research and identification of marine resource issues affecting the North Pacific Coast; improvement of ecosystem monitoring and species assessments, recommendation for remedial actions to applicable entities; project proposals and implementation; and community outreach and education regarding these subjects. A mission statement shall be developed by the Committee that supports these purposes. The MRC has no legislative or administrative authority, cannot set policy, and cannot direct specific actions of any organization. C. MEMBERSHIP: Voting members and non-voting members of the Committee, and the categories they collectively represent, shall be as set forth in the joint resolutions passed September 15, 2009 (#78-2009 for Clallam County and #50-09 for Jefferson County), a copy of which is attached and made Exhibit A hereof. Per these resolutions, voting members shall serve staggered two-year terms. The Chairs of the Joint County Boards (JCB) or their respective designees are also ex-officio members of the Committee. . D. VACANCIES: If a vacancy of the Committee membership occurs by resignation or other reason, the Chair of the NPC MRC shall so notify the appropriate county Board and request appointment of a replacement as soon as possible. The NPC MRC members, at their discretion, may either individually, or by Committee action, recommend potential replacements for any vacancies. E. ALTERNATES: Each voting member may designate an Alternate to attend and participate in the Committee’s meetings, functions, or activities. Alternates may participate in an ex-officio capacity even when the regular member is present and may vote for the member in the member’s absence. The presence of an Alternate at any meeting in the absence of a member may be counted by the Chair for the purposes of establishing a quorum. NPC MRC Bylaws 09/21/2010 2 II. MEETINGS A. All meetings of the Committee and/or its subcommittees shall be noticed, held, and records kept in accordance with the Open Public Meeting Act Chapter 42.30 RCW and the Open Records Act, Chapter 42.56 RCW. B. All meetings shall be held at such times and locations as the Committee determines and for which public notice per state law is provided, unless otherwise directed by the Chair. Meetings shall be open to the public. Meeting schedules may be changed at the will of the Committee. Special meetings shall be at the call of the Chair or by the written request of at least four of the Committee members and delivered to the Chair in accordance with the provisions of state law. Upon receipt of such a request, the Chair will proceed with scheduling the meeting to take place within a period of time no later than five days from the delivery of the request for such a special meeting. C. Committee members’ participation in all regular and special meetings, workshops, and hearings of the full Committee is expected. Attendance of NPC MRC members, staff, and visitors shall be determined by signing in during the meeting. Attendance of MRC members shall be recorded in the meeting summary as present, excused, or absent. Excused absence of MRC members shall require timely notice to the Facilitator until a Chair is elected, and then to the Chair or Vice-Chair. D. When a Committee member’s conduct or frequent absence adversely affects the business of the Committee, the NPC MRC (by 2/3 majority vote) may, through its Chair and upon notice to the member, request the appointing County Commissioners to review that Committee member’s value to the Committee’s mission. This may include a recommendation for the removal and replacement of the member by the applicable county’s Commissioners. E. NPC MRC members may resign in good standing by sending a letter of resignation to the Chair. The letter shall include reasons for resignation. The Facilitator shall forward the letter to the applicable county Commissioners and initiate a process to fill the vacancy. F. Nonmembers, whether individuals or entities, are encouraged to participate. To that end, the public shall be provided an opportunity to speak or comment on matters pertaining to the Committee’s mission at some time during every regular, special, and workshop meeting. Nonmembers presenting information orally or in writing should identify their affiliation and provide contact information, such as phone number, address, or email. Speakers or presenters claiming professional experience and knowledge regarding any matter before the Committee may be required to provide evidence (written or oral) for the record identifying their level of expertise in the subject at hand. G. A member has the ability to attend by telephone with prior notice to the chair. NPC MRC Bylaws 09/21/2010 3 III. ELECTION OF OFFICERS A. The officers of the Committee shall initially consist of a Chair and a Vice Chair. Other officers may be added as deemed needed, by amendment of these Bylaws. Any officer, whether specified initially or created later, by amendment of the Bylaws, must be elected by majority vote from among the Committee’s voting membership and shall be a member of the Committee. B. The election of officers shall take place soon as practical. The term of each officer shall run for a period of one year. Any officer may be removed at any time, for cause, by a vote of a 2/3 majority of the Committee’s voting membership of record. C. A vacancy caused by the resignation or removal of any officer of the Committee during that person’s term of the office shall be filled for the remaining term of office from among the membership by a new election. . D. The Committee may, by simple majority vote, create non-officer positions as it deems fitting for its mission, E. The MRC shall select one of its members by simple majority vote to serve as its representative on the Washington State Ocean Caucus and another member to serve as an alternate. The representative and alternate shall serve until successors are selected. IV. OFFICERS, COMMITTEES, AND FACILITATOR A. There shall be a Facilitator, who is a staff member of Clallam or Jefferson County. This person will preside over meetings; prepare agendas and meeting records; manage financial matters; and generally perform Chair functions until a Chair is elected. B. Upon election, the Chair shall preside over the meetings of the full Committee and exercise the powers usually incident to the office; retaining, however the full right to have his/her own vote recorded in all deliberations of the Committee. C. The Chair shall take appropriate action to ensure that meetings are conducted in an equitable, orderly and expeditious manner. E. The Vice Chair shall, in the absence of the Chair, perform all the duties and exercise all the powers of the Chair. If the Chair and the Vice Chair, are both absent, the members present shall elect for that meeting a temporary presiding officer, who shall have full powers of the Chair and Vice Chair if there is a quorum. F. The Chair with consent of the committee members present at a meeting may (1) place reasonable limitations on questions and material presented by the NPC MRC Bylaws 09/21/2010 4 public and time allotted to the subject before the Committee; and (2) establish such rules for presentation and testimony to the Committee as may be deemed appropriate. G The time limit for each public comment shall be set forth in each agenda. H. The Chair or the Committee by majority vote may create subcommittees or ad hoc work groups. No subcommittee or work group shall make any recommendation except to the Committee as a whole. V. RECORDS A. All records created, obtained, developed and utilized by the Committee are public records subject to applicable state laws regarding their maintenance, access, and disclosure to the public. B. The Facilitator shall ensure that an electronic recording is made of all meetings and workshops held by the Committee. The Facilitator shall prepare a meeting/workshop summary within 21 days (three weeks) of the event and be custodian of the recordings. The Facilitator shall distribute the summaries by email to the members of the Committee and may place them on any website designated by the Committee, as well. Such summaries shall act as the “minutes” of any such meeting or workshop of the Committee. C. If a Secretary is added to the officers by amending these Bylaws, then the Secretary will have the obligation to prepare a meeting summary and be custodian of the records. D. Subcommittees or work groups shall report on their meetings in either oral or written form to the Committee at such regular or special meetings as appropriate or upon request of the Chair and these reports shall be kept with the official recordings and meeting summaries. E. Written “minority reports” on actions taken by the Committee may be submitted by any voting member or members within a reasonable time after a meeting at which action is taken and shall be maintained as part of the official record, as well. VI. BUDGETS AND FINANCIAL RECORDS The Facilitator shall keep the financial records of the NPC MRC; shall be responsible for presenting budgets to the JCB; and shall provide budget updates to the Committee as needed. If a Treasurer is added to the officers by amending these Bylaws, the Treasurer may have duties defined in such amendment. All records shall be made publicly available as may be required under state law. . NPC MRC Bylaws 09/21/2010 5 VII. QUORUM AND VOTING A. A simple majority of the total voting members of the Committee shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. Any action taken by the Committee when a quorum is present at any regular or special meeting shall be deemed an official action of the Committee. B. MRC members shall abstain from any decisions that may directly or indirectly benefit themselves. However, this does not prohibit an MRC member from using his or her general expertise to educate the MRC or provide general information to the MRC on a decision item. C. An action, petition or report to the public or to government entities may only be approved by the passage of a motion for approval thereof, together with any associated written findings and recommendations. D. The Committee shall to the maximum extent practical seek to achieve “consensus”; i.e., agreement or at least no objection to a motion, before proceeding to a majority vote. Dissenting voting members shall be given the opportunity to present written minority reports to the official record within 21 days (three weeks) of the meeting at which action was taken (in time for the dissent to be circulated with the meeting summary). E. Voting will be by raised hands indicating aye or nay as called by the Chair, except where State Law or the Committee may require a ballot or roll call vote for the record. A roll call vote shall be required on the call of any voting member. Any member may abstain from voting upon announcement thereof to the Committee. Abstentions shall be part of the record of the proceedings and are not counted as either ayes or nays, even if needed for a majority. A vote does not pass without a majority of ayes. F. Voting by members or duly appointed alternates shall be either in person, by telephone according to previous arrangement, or shall be presented in written form (which can be an electronic submittal) at a regular or special meeting of the Committee or its subcommittees if it is appropriate, as determined by the Chair, for the matter at hand. G. The committee shall report at least annually to the Clallam and Jefferson County Commissioners regarding the progress of the Committee and its mission. VIII. AGENDAS Agendas should include as a minimum approval of prior minutes, old business, new business, and a public comment period. An agenda shall be prepared by the Facilitator for each regular meeting and shall be distributed, at least by electronic mail, to all Committee members (voting and nonvoting) and meeting notice to the local press not NPC MRC Bylaws 09/21/2010 6 later than required by state law for meeting notices. Special meetings shall be similarly noticed. IX. RULES OF ORDER The latest edition of Robert’s Rules of Order is recommended as guidance for Committee actions. At a minimum, proposals will have a motion, a second, and an opportunity for discussion before seeking consensus or vote is called for by the Chair. After reasonable time, if consensus is not achieved, a member may request the Chair to proceed with the vote on the motion on the floor. While this Committee may choose to operate informally for most of its actions, in the event of disputes as to process, the Committee will resort to the formal use of Robert’s Rules of Order in its resolution of the dispute at hand. X. AMENDMENT These Bylaws may be amended at any regular meeting of the Committee by a 2/3 majority vote of the entire voting membership. Proposals to amend the Bylaws must be presented in writing (by mail, FAX, or email) to all voting members at least 14 days prior to a regular or special meeting at which action is to be taken on the proposal. APPROVED AND ADOPTED THIS 21st DAY OF SEPTEMBER, 2010. NPC MRC Ground Rules: approved 01/18/2011 1 North Pacific Coast Marine Resources Committee GROUND RULES Approved by the NPC MRC on: January 18, 2011 The purpose of these ground rules is to set forth the procedure for conducting meetings of the North Pacific Coast Marine Resources Committee (NPC MRC). These ground rules are intended to facilitate discussions and planning efforts under the Washington State RCW, 43.84 as amended. If any of these ground rules prove incompatible with the provisions of that law, the provisions of the law will prevail. Participating in the Marine Resources Committee as a member signals an understanding and acceptance of the ground rules, once they are adopted by the voting members (VMs) of the NPC MRC. The ground rules may be amended by the VMs as described in the NPC MRC Bylaws. II. REACHING CONSENSUS A. It is the responsibility of all participants to be familiar with and subscribe to certain basic elements that are important in developing consensus on difficult and complex issues. The following describes the conduct of the collaborative decision making process: B. Whereas the Bylaws encourage that decisions are to be made by consensus, the parties agree to make every effort to reach such an accord. In seeking consensus, it is understood that all members should voice their concerns with specific proposals along the way, rather than waiting until a final package of recommendations has been developed. In addition, such entities may choose to use the following three levels of agreement to indicate their degree of approval and support for any proposal or decision being considered, and to determine if consensus has been reached: Level 1 –I can accept this proposal. Level 2 - I feel we have no clear sense of agreement among the group. We need to talk more before considering a decision. Level 3 - I do not agree with the group's proposal. I feel the need to block its adoption and/or propose an alternative. C. The goal is for all VMs to be in agreement. If any member of the committee is at Level 2 or 3, the committee will stop and evaluate how best to proceed. D. Measures should be redrafted or reframed until VMs are able to reach consensus under the above procedures. III. PROCEDURES FOR MEETINGS A. All NPC MRC meetings will be open to the public unless the VMs agree by consensus to meet in executive session as allowed by law. Notice of time, meeting place, and general agenda of each NPC MRC meeting will be provided as required by law. NPC MRC Ground Rules: approved 01/18/2011 2 B. Meetings will be task-oriented with specific agendas. Agendas will be drafted by the NPC MRC Coordinator and approved by the committee. Action items on the agenda will be identified in the agenda when it is sent out ahead of time. Requests for agenda items will be directed to the NPC MRC Coordinator. Each representative should keep his/her constituency informed of NPC MRC issues, and of approved actions. Constituents wanting to provide input to the process are encouraged to do so either in writing or in person. They may submit comments to their representatives or to the NPC MRC Coordinator. Independent of the responsibilities of their representative on the NPC MRC, constituents themselves are also encouraged to express their opinions to the MRC in whatever form they choose. .Additionally time will be allotted on the agenda for public comment at the beginning of the meeting and at the end of the meeting C. Representatives should come prepared for each meeting. IV. PRINCIPLES OF COLLABORATIVE DECISIONMAKING A. Participants agree to act in "good faith" in all aspects of the process, including the sharing of information. B. Participants commit to each other that they will listen carefully, recognize concerns, seek clarification, and educate or explain their positions. C. It is important that a participant raises with the NPC MRC Coordinator any matter that is perceived to be in violation of these ground rules or of "good faith" discussions. It will be the responsibility of the NPC MRC Coordinator to assure that the ground rules are followed. D. To facilitate the broadest possible consideration of options and solutions, all suggestions and offers will be regarded as tentative until agreement is achieved. E. Participants will refrain from attacks and characterizations directed at people or organizations. F. It is understood that Representatives may not agree to any provision or action for which they first need constituency approval. V. AMENDMENT OF THE GROUND RULES These ground rules may be amended as directed by the NPC MRC Bylaws.