Title
AN ORDINANCE renewing and extending a moratorium under RCW 90.58.590 on the establishment of commercial nonnative salmon net pen aquaculture facilities; and declaring an emergency.
Body
SECTION 1. Findings:
A. King County's native salmon runs are among the Puget Sound region's most precious and irreplaceable natural resources.
B. The Shoreline Management Act of 1971, chapter 90.58 RCW, requires King County to review its shoreline master program every eight years. The act requires King County to complete its next review and make any necessary revisions to its shoreline master program on or before June 30, 2019.
C. The purpose of the review under the Shoreline Management Act is: to assure that the county's shoreline master program complies with applicable law and guidelines in effect at the time of the review; and to assure consistency of the shoreline master program with the King County Comprehensive Plan, county development regulations and other local requirements.
D. Reviewing and making necessary revisions to the county's shoreline master program is an extensive process, and the Washington state Department of Ecology offers counties seventy-five thousand dollars in grant funding to help cover the costs.
E. In a letter dated August 30, 2017, the Washington state Department of Ecology recommended steps for King County to begin preparing for the periodic review. The letter also encouraged King County to combine any amendments to the shoreline master program with the periodic review in order to address shoreline issues more efficiently.
F. A single Shoreline Master Plan amendment process also provides interested parties with more clarity on the scope of proposed changes and allows parties to comprehensively review proposed changes in the context of other proposed amendments.
G. King County is commencing the process of reviewing its shoreline master program as required by the Shoreline Management Act.
H. Aquaculture is an historic, water-d...

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