HomeMy WebLinkAboutSnow & Salmon Creek Letter of Suport p� Co iviiii f Board of County Commissioners
.qY—v °° �,�, 1820 Jefferson Street
0 ti PO Box 1220
Port Townsend, WA 98368
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O` Kate Dean,District 1 Heidi Eisenhour,District 2 Greg Brotherton,District 3
December 18, 2023
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
National Marine Fisheries Service
1315 East-West Highway, 14th Floor
Silver Spring, MD 20910
Re: Letter of Support—Snow& Salmon Creek Watershed Planning
To Whom It May Concern:
We are offering support of the Hood Canal Coordinating Council (HCCC) grant proposal titled
"Snow& Salmon Creek Watershed Planning."Jefferson County strongly supports the proposed
regionally important reach-scale project that will collectively help ensure and strengthen
resilience to our communities, neighboring communities, and our ecosystem, while promoting
the recovery of the Hood Canal and Eastern Strait of Juan de Fuca summer-run chum salmon.
Vulnerabilities identified in the Snow Creek and Salmon Creek watershed and estuary threaten
the communities within and surrounding the watershed as well as all along the northern Olympic
Peninsula as the highway corridor provides the primary access to these areas with no overland
alternative in case of inundation or extreme marine storm event hazards.
This proposal aims for a comprehensive reach-scale approach providing a vital boost towards
reaching recovery targets for the Endangered Species Act listed Hood Canal and Eastern Strait of
Juan de Fuca summer chum salmon. This project aims to modernize rural transportation
infrastructure and significantly improve habitat connectivity and resiliency by moving forward
planning and community engagement for preparation of Snow Creek and Salmon Creek strategy
setting and implementation.
Local, State, Federal, and Tribal governments have greatly invested in summer chum recovery.
With promising positive trends for Hood Canal summer chum, we have an opportunity to delist
and recover the population. Delisting Hood Canal summer chum would be 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.
Acting with urgency on this matter will support the collective efforts of HCCC, Tribes, and local
jurisdictions to improve resiliency to adverse effects of extreme weather events and climate
hazards. Thank you for your consideration of funding for this regionally signifi ant salmon and
ecosystem recovery restoration planning proposal.
Sincerely, _ __
___ /\ ,
Kat Dean, Dist. No. 1 eidi Eisenhour, Dist. No. 2 Greg Mil rton, Chair, Dist. No. 3
Phone(360) 385-9100 Fax (360) 385-9382 jeffbocc@co.jefferson.wa.us
EFFERSON COUNTY
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
CONSENT AGENDA REQUEST
TO: Board of County Commissioners
FROM: Kate Dean, Commissioner District No. 1
DATE: December 18, 2023
SUBJECT: Approval of Letter of Support for Hood Canal Coordinating Council
NOAA Grant
STATEMENT OF ISSUE: Hood Canal Coordinating Council has asked the BOCC to consider signing a
letter of support(attached here) for their grant proposal titled"Snow& Salmon Creek Watershed Planning"
to the NOAA Coastal Habitat Restoration and Resilience Program.
ANALYSIS: This proposal aims for a comprehensive reach-scale approach providing a vital boost towards
reaching recovery targets for the Endangered Species Act listed Hood Canal and Eastern Strait of Juan de
Fuca summer chum salmon. This project aims to modernize rural transportation infrastructure and
significantly improve habitat connectivity and resiliency by moving forward planning and community
engagement for preparation of Snow Creek and Salmon Creek strategy setting and implementation.
FISCAL IMPACT: None.
RECOMMENDATION: That the Board read and consider approval of the attached letter of support.
REV W +D BY.
/1-7 23
Mark Mc uley, County Admini tor ate