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MEDIA CONTACT
Katy Johansson
360.725.5442
katy.johansson@psp.wa.gov

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
04-28-2009

Puget Sound restoration fares well in difficult legislative session

OLYMPIA – Despite facing an unprecedented budget deficit, the Legislature demonstrated stalwart support for the protection and restoration of Puget Sound during the 2009 regular session. This continued commitment will help ensure economic, environmental and social benefits, and create and sustain new green jobs in the state’s difficult economy.

“It is gratifying to know that even under such dire economic circumstances, Puget Sound recovery remains a top priority of the Legislature,” said David Dicks, the Puget Sound Partnership’s executive director.

The Partnership is responsible for overseeing the implementation of its recently adopted Action Agenda to recover the Sound and reporting progress back to the public.

“Thanks to the hard work of Governor Gregoire and Legislature, the Partnership is able to move forward on implementing critical actions identified in the Action Agenda to help bring the Sound back to health,” Dicks said. “The projects they supported this session will result in badly needed green jobs throughout the region, and will help ensure the region’s overwhelming desire to pass on a legacy of a healthy Puget Sound to future generations becomes a reality.”

The Legislature passed capital and operating budgets, and a handful of policy bills, that support the Partnership’s core functions and will help implement key recommendations of the Action Agenda.

Budget highlights
The final budget negotiated by the Senate and House of Representatives provides approximately $504 million for various state agencies to perform Puget Sound restoration and recovery projects, all of which are identified as priorities in the Action Agenda. However, the governor has 20 days from the end of session to review and sign the budget into law, so the numbers below are subject to change.

Budget highlights include:
•    Puget Sound Acquisition and Restoration (PSAR): $33 million to the Recreation and Conservation Office (RCO). Completing the PSAR project list is expected to result in the protection and restoration of about 32 miles of marine shoreline and 113 miles of river shoreline, the removal of 54 fish passage barriers, and more than 2,000 green jobs.
•    Puget Sound Estuary and Salmon Restoration Program (ESRP): $7 million to RCO. This is expected to result in the restoration and protection of 3,330 acres through various projects, including dike removal, wetland restoration and bulkhead removal.
•    Habitat mitigation: $4.4 million to Department of Ecology (DOE), working with the Partnership. This innovative pilot will help reform and improve the effectiveness of wetland mitigation.
•    Stormwater retrofit: $4.6 million to DOE. These grants will help local governments address stormwater management issues through facility retrofits and low impact development projects.
•    Salmon Recovery Funding Board (SRFB): about $22.4 million for Puget Sound ($70 million statewide) to RCO. The SRFB provides grants to protect and restore salmon habitat and assist related activities.
•    Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program (WWRP): about $28 million for Puget Sound ($70 million statewide) to RCO. The WWRP provides grants to protect habitat, preserve working farms and create new local and state parks.
•    Shoreline grants: $3.5 million to DOE. This funding will: provide grants to local governments to complete Shoreline Master Program updates on the schedule adopted by the Legislature; and improve DOE’s oversight of compliance with regulations that protect aquatic habitat.
•    Standby emergency response tug at Neah Bay: $3.6 million to DOE. One year of funding is provided to maintain a year-round response tug at Neah Bay. The tugboat prevents disabled ships and barges from drifting onto rocks and causing oil spills in the Strait of Juan de Fuca and Washington’s outer coast.

Policy highlights
In addition to including robust funding for Puget Sound cleanup in its final budget, the Legislature also passed several important bills that will help move the restoration effort forward. They include:
•    Emergency response tug (SB 5344; signed by governor). This bill, sponsored by Sen. Kevin Ranker, D-San Juan Island, and Rep. Kevin Van De Wege, D-Sequim, establishes a permanent source of funding for an emergency response vessel at Neah Bay, shifting the funding burden from the state to the maritime industry (beginning in the second year of the biennium).
•    Lake Whatcom/phosphorus loading (SB 5944; signed by governor). The Partnership, together with DOE, will assist the city of Bellingham and Whatcom County in implementing a phosphorus loading demonstration program for Lake Whatcom. The program will include elements for prevention, education, compliance and monitoring, and will be used as a model for other jurisdictions throughout Puget Sound.
•    Puget Sound Scientific Research Account (HB 1997; signed by governor). This bill limits expenditures from the Puget Sound Scientific Research Account to programs selected by the Partnership’s Science Panel and requires the Science Panel to develop and implement a process for peer review of monitoring, research and modeling.
•    Transfer of development rights (TDR) (HB 1172; awaiting governor’s signature). This bill directs the Department of Community, Trade and Economic Development (CTED) to establish a regional TDR program in central Puget Sound. Participation, which is voluntary, is expected to help slow the conversion of rural, agricultural and resource lands.

Other legislative issues of interest to the Partnership
Oil spill prevention and response
The operating budget includes $150,000 for the Partnership to review the state’s oil spill prevention programs.

Ecosystem Coordination Board continues
One of more than 100 state boards and commissions targeted for elimination early in the legislative session, the Ecosystem Coordination Board will continue to provide broad-based stakeholder input to the Partnership.

Puget Sound expenditures
An operating budget proviso requires natural resource agencies to consult with the Partnership on Puget Sound expenditures, to ensure that they are either in, or consistent with, the Action Agenda.

Special session pending
While the Legislature adjourned early Monday morning – having completed the bulk of its work – the governor may convene a special session at a yet-to-be-determined date. It is expected that only a few bills – all necessary for budget implementation – will be considered.

09-010

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