Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutNovember 21, 2023 NPC MRC First DRAFT Meeting Summary NPC MRC 11/21/2023 DRAFT Meeting Summary 1 November 21, 2023 NPC MRC Draft Meeting Summary The Tuesday, November 21, 2023 NPC MRC meeting took place at the Jefferson County Public Health Pacific Room, 615 Sheridan St., Port Townsend, WA and by Zoom connection from 4:00 PM to 6:03 PM ([00:00:01] to [02:00:15]). Appointed committee members present at the meeting were Eileen Cooney (Citizen Representative, Jefferson County – Community Economics), Wendy Feltham (Citizen Representative, Jefferson County – Scientific Community), Rod Fleck (City of Forks, Washington Coast Marine Advisory Council [WCMAC] Chair), John Hunter (Citizen Representative, Clallam County – Conservation / Environmental Groups), Julie Ann Koehlinger (Hoh Tribe Representative), Katie Krueger (Citizen Representative, Clallam County – Scientific Community), Rebecca Mahan (Clallam County Representative), Ian Miller (Washington SeaGrant, Ex Officio Representative), Tami Pokorny (Jefferson County Representative, Coordinator / Facilitator), and Jill Silver (Citizen Representative, Jefferson County – Conservation/Environmental Groups). A quorum was present at the beginning of the meeting. Rebekah Brooks (Rebekah Brooks Contracting), Daniel Eungard (Washington Geological Survey), Megan Juran (Washington CoastSavers), Chris Morgan (Peninsula College), Lisa Sedgwick (Forestry Technician, Neah Bay) and Chris Waldbillig (Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife [WDFW]) were also in attendance. Introductions Public Comments There were no public comments. Additions to and Approval of the Agenda Tami Pokorny suggested changing the agenda to allow Daniel Eungard to present first; there were no objections. The agenda was approved by consensus with that change. Approval of the October 2023 NPC MRC Meeting Summary The October NPC MRC Summary was approved by consensus as written. Announcements There were no announcements. New Business Tsunami Walk Maps Presentation Tsunami Geologist Daniel Eungard presented How Tsunami Walk Maps in Washington State Are Created and Results from the 2023 Walk Maps, beginning with an overview of how tsunamis are caused by earthquakes, and the 15-25% probability of an earthquake along the Cascadia subduction fault in the next 50 years. Although NPC MRC 11/21/2023 DRAFT Meeting Summary 2 tsunami evacuation routes have been developed for the Olympic Coastal communities, Daniel stressed the critical importance of training communities to run or walk out of hazard zones because of the likelihood of impassibility by vehicle due to traffic jams and damaged bridges. This is the impetus behind the creation of Walk Maps. Benefits of Walk Maps include personal evacuation planning, identifying where challenges exist, highlighting the fastest escape routes, and the opportunity for cartographic enhancements. Drawbacks involve the time it takes to understand them, the large format that is not easily printable, and the time and difficulty they take to produce. Walk Maps are created with four main components: hazard areas, elevation, generic land cover, and specific land cover. New Walk Maps are being developed for more communities in 2024, including Kalaloch, Neah Bay, the Lower Elwha, and Dungeness. Daniel also hopes to make a fully digital map product to complement or replace printed maps. Future updates include probabilistic tsunami mapping with building codes, bridges, and land use planning; maritime impacts to Port Angeles; and a tsunami signage and informational kiosk pilot project in Tokeland. More information on Walk Maps can be found at: https://www.dnr.wa.gov/programs-and-services/geology/geologic-hazards/tsunamis#tsunami-evacuation- maps. Daniel welcomed additional questions by email and can be reached at: Daniel.eungard@dnr.wa.gov. *Tami Pokorny will distribute Daniel’s PowerPoint presentation to the group. Old Business Film Festival 2024 Ian Miller received a film submission. Group consensus was to move forward on a Film Festival for spring of 2024. Ian said he would think about his time availability for the project. 2024 Coastal MRC Program Summit Planning Tami Pokorny confirmed that the NPC MRC will be the next Coastal Summit host. Discussion followed on possible venues, including the Quileute Resort in La Push, and the Olympic Natural Resources Center in Forks. Topic ideas included tsunamis, wildlife and climate change, project sponsor presentations, research studies on multi stressors in the ocean, coastal steelhead, wind energy, marine renewable energy, and maritime history. Late October was the best timing for the Quileute Resort, but no dates have been set yet. Updates Coast MRC Update Chris Waldbillig said he was looking forward to getting the project deliverables soon, and to the forming of a subcommittee to start narrowing down the list of Summit ideas. Washington Coastal Marine Advisory Council (WCMAC) The next meeting is scheduled for 12/6/23 and will be Zoom based. Rod Fleck said there would be an election of the Chair and Vice Chair, and more conversations about wind energy. The agenda and other 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 11/17/23 and was virtual only. Unfortunately, it coincided with the internet outage on the Peninsula, so not everyone was able to attend. John Hunter went over the meeting, which included a lot of updates and frustration over the internet outage and subsequent technical difficulties. Julia Parrish was scheduled to give a presentation but was unable to attend. A structure was approved for the management plan review, and a climate vulnerability assessment will be coming out for review prior to the January meeting. West Coast Ocean Alliance NPC MRC 11/21/2023 DRAFT Meeting Summary 3 Julie Ann Koehlinger announced that the Annual and Tribal Summits were just held. They focused on future planning for the direction and coordination of the Alliance and updating the data portal. Invasive European Green Crab Rebecca Mahan reported that European green crab had been found in Port Angeles in the lagoon by Ediz Hook and in Salt Creek. The crabs were first detected by eDNA. The Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe has started trapping at the lagoon. Marine Debris There was nothing new to report. Climate/Fossil Fuels Related (All) There was nothing new to report. Administrative Update Tami Pokorny said that additional funding was transferred to the Hoh Watershed Adventure project because the Dungeness Larval funding did not need their indirect funds from the NPC MRC. The Hoh Watershed Adventure project will only be $1000 short with this additional funding. The change will be processed by an amendment with the WDFW. The interlocal agreement between Clallam and Jefferson counties is underway; Rebecca Mahan hoped to have that signed soon by the Board of County Commissioners. Next Agenda (December 19, 2023): The next NPC MRC Meeting will be held on 12/19/23 and will include an update from Mara Zimmerman on the Washington Coast Restoration and Resiliency Initiative. The group agreed that the meeting would be hosted in Port Townsend given that the Peninsula College meeting room will not be available and that the weather is unpredictable in the winter. Public Comments/General Tami Pokorny offered to print some of the large Walk Maps on the County plotter to post at specific areas. Katie Krueger suggested making that a future grant project since the cost of printing the maps through a printing company is expensive. Adjourn at 6:03 PM Action Items: *Tami Pokorny will distribute Daniel Eungard’s PowerPoint presentation to the group. Draft summary compiled by Rebekah Brooks (Rebekah Brooks Contracting).