Possible Points to Include in a WRIA 8 Comment Letter

Possible Points to Include in a WRIA 8 Comment Letter

Regarding KCD Special Assessment Proposal

• Much has been accomplished through KCD/WRIA 8 partnership: The WRIA 8 Salmon Recovery Council (SRC) values the long term partnership we have had with King Conservation District (KCD) and we hope to see this partnership continue and grow. WRIA 8 KCD funds have been critical to our salmon recovery efforts since 1998. Summarize what has been accomplished with WRIA 8 KCD grants (enclose summary of all grants to date).

• KCD/WRIA 8 Funding has had benefits beyond salmon: These efforts have benefited Chinook salmon, but have also benefited other salmon species, other fish and wildlife, water quality, watershed health, forest conservation and improved the quality of life for watershed residents.

• KCD funding has leveraged other funding: Every WRIA 8 KCD dollar has been matched by $2 of other local, state or federal funds. From 1998-2007 WRIA 8 received $7,291,598 in KCD funds. We estimate that WRIA 8 KCD funds have leveraged an additional $14,572,720.

• The WRIA 8 SRC is opposed to the reduction in funding to WRIAs and member jurisdictions and lack of clarity between the various grant programs as proposed by KCD in its 2010 Assessment Appropriation Plan.The WRIA 8 SRC does not support the proposed Assessment Appropriation Plan and its changes to the allocation of grant funding for the 2010 assessment. There is no clarity of how funding would be allocated amongst the various grant programs. We would like to see specific allocations identified for the individual WRIAs and the member jurisdictions. The proposals appears to be at least a 10% reduction in funding for WRIAs and member jurisdictions overall and possibly a much greater reduction. Greater clarity and certainty of funding is needed for these grant programs to succeed.

• The WRIA 8 SRC supports a status quo budget ($3/$2/$5). The WRIA 8 SRC supports continuing the current allocation of the $10 per parcel assessment: $3 to KCD operations and programs; $2 to member jurisdiction grants and $5 to watershed forum grants.

• WRIA 8 would like to partner more with KCD on landowner incentive programs. KCD’s priority of working directly with private property owners on stewardship of their land is also vital to conservation of natural resources in KingCounty and the Lake Washington/Cedar/Sammamish watershed. The WRIA 8 SRC would like to work more with the KCD on land owner incentive programs. For example, the District’s workshops for nearshore property owners meet an important recommendation in WRIA 8 Plan. At our March 2009 meeting, the WRIA 8 Salmon Recovery Council identified two additional priorities for working with landowners: working with lakeshore property owners on Lakes Washington and Sammamish to improve shoreline habitat and working with streamside property owners. We would like to discuss ways to partner with KCD on both these landowner outreach efforts.