Drafter
Clerk 02/19/2019
Title
A MOTION requesting that the executive develop and transmit an initial report and a compliance report regarding remedies to existing fish passage barriers for King County.
Body
WHEREAS, salmon are vital to Washington's economy, culture, and diet, and
WHEREAS, fifteen salmonid populations in Washington state are designated as federally threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act, and
WHEREAS, the Governor's 2016 State of Salmon in Watersheds report found migratory salmon species are in decline due loss of habitat, manmade structures that block their natural runs, pollution and changing environmental factors, and
WHEREAS, fishing has historically served as an important source of livelihood for indigenous Salish inhabitants of the Pacific Northwest and the right of harvesting fish in perpetuity was secured to the tribes in the Stevens Treaties, and
WHEREAS, the state of Washington and other agencies have a treaty-based duty to preserve fish runs, including a right to habitat sufficient to support fish, and
WHEREAS, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Washington v. United States, 853 F.3d 946 (2016) that Washington state has constructed numerous culverts that blocked salmon from spawning grounds and other critical habitat to an extent that violated treaty rights. On June 11, 2018, the United States Supreme Court affirmed per curiam the Ninth Circuit court's ruling (584 U.S. ___ (2018)) and
WHEREAS, King County is responsible for protecting and stewarding the county's environmental resources and critical areas, and
WHEREAS, while King County is not a party to or directed to take any action under this recent case, King County constructs, maintains and operates road, trail and similar facilities that necessitate culverts, bridges and dams to cross, divert and manage streams, rivers and fish and wildlife habitat conservation areas, and
WHEREAS, the impact of King County's culverts, bridges, dams and similar fa...

Click here for full text