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HomeMy WebLinkAboutR-2002-148 Formation of Yakima Sub-Basin Fish & Wildlife Planning BoardRESOLUTION NO. R-2002-148 A RESOLUTION authorizing and directing the Mayor of the City of Yakima to execute a Memorandum of Agreement between the City of Yakima, other General Purpose governments, and the Yakama Nation for the purpose of forming the Yakima Sub - Basin Fish & Wildlife Planning Board (YFWPB). WHEREAS, the mission of the YBFWPB would be primarily to achieve naturally sustaining and harvestable populations of native salmonids; with a secondary objective to plan for the improvement of resident fishes, and wildlife at the regional scale; and WHEREAS, the protections and improvements of the basin's salmonid habitat, water quality, water storage capacity, and hydrograph necessary to recover and sustain salmonid populations will enhance the water supply for all water dependent in -stream and out -of - stream uses in the basin; and WHEREAS, effective utilization of federal and state salmon recovery funds requires a basin -wide salmon recovery plan with: i) clear recovery objectives; ii) at the landscape scale, a rigorous strategy of recovery actions directed to the life cycle needs of each salmonid; iii) identified methodologies for monitoring the effectiveness of the plan's implementation; and iv) effective public and stakeholder participation at the local level; and WHEREAS, the parties to this Agreement further recognize that salmon recovery efforts can be achieve most effectively if in fact they encompass the in entire Yakima River Basin; and WHEREAS, there is presently sufficient funds available from state and federal agencies for a locally representative Board to prepare a Yakima Basin Salmon Recovery Plan; and WHEREAS, the Cities and Counties of the Yakima Basin, and the Yakama Nation, are the governments that represent collectively the various customs and cultures of local peoples having a stake in salmon recovery planning; and NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF YAKIMA: The Mayor of the City of Yakima is hereby authorized and directed to execute the attached and incorporated Memorandum of Agreement between the Cities and Counties of the Yakima River Basin, and the Yakama Nation, thereby enable participation as a member of the YFWPB through the appointment of its representative to the Board. ADOPTED BY THE CITY COUNCIL this 3rd day of December 2002. ATTEST: 2 Karen Roberts, City Clerk ary Place, Mayor Evolutionarily Significant Units in the State of Washington Washin tort Coastal ftz Puget Sound Upper Columbia River Middle Lower Columbia Columbia River River Co ' er TRANSMITTAL Water/Irrigation Division 2301 Fruitvale Blvd. Monday, November 25, 2002 To: The Mayor, Council Members and City Manager From: Dueane Calvin, Water/Irrigation Manager Larry Mattson, Councilman Subject: Memorandum of Agreement — Creating the Yakima Sub -Basin Fish & Wildlife Planning Board Several General Purpose governments and the Yakama Nation are proposing the attached Memorandum of Agreement (MOA), along with relevant support documents, as a mechanism to provide the means for the development of a plan, and to then pursue restoration of salmonids and other species within the Yakima River Basin. This entity is to be known as the Yakima Sub -Basin Fish & Wildlife Planning Board (Board). Once the full extent of participants has been determined, the Board will then be eligible for approximately $700,000 in State and Federal funds. The Northwest Power Planning Council (Council) will provide the majority of this funding, and the issues they are most concerned with will be those that are identified as Sub -Basin Planning elements. Sub - Basin Planning elements must provide a clear pathway for the Council and Bonneville Power Administration to mitigate fisheries losses resulting from hydropower generation on the main -stem of the Columbia River. The City of Yakima has been actively engaged in both salmon recovery funding and watershed planning for most of this last decade, and in that period has developed significant credibility with many of the stakeholders in the Basin. It is incumbent upon the City to continue working for equitability in water resource matters and to assist in the Basin interests in garnering funding from all available sources to address identified deficiencies. For these reasons it is important that the City continue active engagement in water resource matters, and to participate in the efforts set forth as the fundamental objectives of MOA. DEFINITIONS FOR ACRONYMS IN THE MOA FOR THE YAKIMA BASIN FISH & WILDLIFE RECOVERY PLANNING BOARD EDT Ecosystem Diagnosis and Treatment: is a computer model that helps decision - makers predict the response of various habitat management actions on target fish populations. The Northwest Power Planning Council (NWPPC) has identified this method as an appropriate planning tool in its Sub basin planning process. ESU Evolutionary Significant Unit: there are several species of native salmonids in Washington (e.g., Chinook, Coho, Chum, Steelhead, Bull trout). Each species is comprised of many stocks and populations that vary from one another in their genetic make-up, life history, and other characteristics. According to NMFS policy, ESUs are geographic areas defined by "distinct population segments" that are treated as species under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). ESUs are based not on political boundaries, but on the biology (similarity of life history, genetics, habitat characteristics) of salmonid populations. A recovery plan under the ESA must be based on, or make sense at, the level of an ESU. The Yakima Basin is in the Mid - Columbia ESU. RU Recovery Unit: is the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) term for the geographic areas within which bull trout listed under ESA must be recovered. Bull trout are not an anadromous (sea -going) salmonid, hence the USFWS jurisdiction over this species, rather than NMFS jurisdiction. For recovery purposes, RUs are functionally equivalent to the ESUs applied by NMFS to anadromous species. RUs are based on three factors: 1) recognition of jurisdictional boundaries, 2) biological and genetic factors common to bull trout within a specific geographic area, and 3) logistical concerns for coordination, development and implementation of the recovery plan. In Washington, to facilitate the recovery planning and avoid duplication of effort, the USFWS recovery team has adopted the logistical framework in the 1999 draft statewide strategy to recover salmon "Extinction is Not an Option". Consequently, the RU boundary for bull trout in the Mid -Columbia is coterminous with the boundary of the Mid -Columbia Region (attached map), of which the Yakima basin is a part. HB2514 The Washington State 'Watershed Planning Act": - authorizes the development of watershed management plans by local groups which include county and city governments, water purveyors, tribal representatives and private citizens within a watershed basin. In the Yakima Basin, the Tri -county Water Resources Agency administers a state -planning grant for a Planning Unit's preparation of a Yakima Basin Watershed Plan, which is currently available in draft for public review at http://www.co.yakima.wa.us/tricnty/ HB2496 The Washington "State Salmon Recovery Act" - focuses on the need to coordinate local action to restore habitat conditions necessary for salmon recovery. This Act requires a basin -wide delineation of limiting habitat factors for salmonid populations, and a basin or region -wide strategy for actions that will eliminate or reduce those limiting factors in order to recover individual salmon populations. The Act establishes local salmon recovery boards that annually prioritize for funding consideration, by a state salmon recovery board, a list of local recovery actions (projects) submitted by applicants from within the basin. MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT CREATING THE YAKIMA SUB -BASIN FISH & WILDLIFE PLANNING BOARD This Memorandum of Agreement is entered into between the following parties: General-purpose governments and the Yakama Nation within Water Resource Inventory Areas (WRIAs) 37, 38, and 39 of the Yakima River Basin hereinafter collectively referred to as the "Board". Representation Representation on the Board is open to any general-purpose government that signs this MOA. Each government represented on the Board must appoint an elected official as a primary representative, and may appoint an Alternate that is not required to be an elected official. The Board may establish a smaller "working board" to operate on behalf of the whole. The Board shall be known as the Yakima Sub -basin Fish & Wildlife Planning Board, (YSFWB) Mission The Mission of the Board is to restore sustainable and harvestable populations of salmon, steelhead, and other at -risk species through the collaborative, economically sensitive efforts, combined resources, and wise resource management of the Yakima Basin. Consensus Decision-making All decisions of the Board shall be made by consensus of the quorum. Consensus is defined as a unanimous vote, or the absence of a dissenting vote(s), or the absence of an objection(s). A member abstaining on a decision is neither a dissent nor an objection. Objectives To accomplish the Mission, parties to this MOA agree that the following objectives are to be pursued and achieved by the Board: a) Enter into contracts with the appropriate granting agencies; b) Adopt a Charter, organizational structure and operating procedures; c) Acquire the necessary staff, and administrative support; d) Adopt a Work Plan and Schedule that details work tasks, staff and budget allocations, product deliverables, and contract services; e) Seek and acquire the funding necessary to accomplish the Mission; f) Review and approve the Salmon Recovery Plan and Sub -basin Plan for submittal to the granting agencies. Responsibilities In carrying out the above, parties agree that the Board shall be responsible for the following: 1. Adhere to federally designated ESUs and RUs for listed salmonids; 2. Include recovery planning for native fish and wildlife within the Sub -basin, and integrated with fish and wildlife planning at the eco -region level; 3. Integrate recovery planning and implementation by using currently available best available science and assessment data (e.g., 2514 , 2496, EDT ); 4. Serve as the focal point for public outreach and coordination; 5. Provide fiduciary, administrative and political leadership; 6. Place emphasis on economic and cultural needs of the region by including within the Work Plan a strategy with tasks, methods and funding to engage effective public participation at the local level; 7. Seek to achieve ESA de -listings and harvestable levels of salmonids; 8. Other duties agreed to by the Board consistent with the goal of regional salmon recovery in the Yakima River basin Financial Obligations No financial obligations to governments that are signatories to this MOA are implied. No signatory to this MOA shall be liable for costs or expenditures not authorized by its legislative body. Withdrawal of Representation Any signatory may withdraw from this MOA at any time by decision of its legislative body transmitted to the Board in writing. Post -Plan Role of the Board Once the Salmon Recovery and Sub -basin Plans are complete, the Board can deliberate on whether to terminate its activities or continue in operation to achieve further objectives agreed to by the Board. Indemnification In no event shall the parties, through participation in this Agreement, be liable to each other for any act or failure to act under the provisions of this Agreement. In addition, the parties assume their own liability as to third parties for acts performed under this Agreement and each party shall save harmless the others, its officers, employees and agents from any and all costs, claims, judgments, and/or awards of damages for injuries to persons and/or damage to tangible property arising out of or in any way resulting from the parties' participation in this Agreement. The parties shall have no duties except those that are expressly set forth herein. City of Yakima: Mary Place, Mayor Date 2 BUSINESS OF THE CITY COUNCIL YAKIMA, WASHINGTON AGENDA STATEMENT Item No. For Meeting of 12/3/02 ITEM TITLE: A resolution authorizing and directing the Mayor of the City of Yakima to execute a Memorandum of Agreement between the City of Yakima, other General Purpose governments, and the Yakama Nation for the purpose of forming the Yakima Sub -Basin Fish & Wildlife Planning Board. SUBMITTED BY: Dueane Calvin, Water/Irrigation Division Manager Larry Mattson, Councilman CONTACT PERSON/TELEPHONE: Dueane Calvin / 576-6480 SUMMARY EXPLANATION: The attached Memorandum of Agreement (MOA), along with relevant support documents, is being proposed by several General Purpose governments and the Yakama Nation as a mechanism that will provide the means to develop a plan for, and to subsequently pursue restoration of salmonids and other species within the Yakima River Basin. This entity will be known as the Yakima Sub -Basin Fish & Wildlife Planning Board. The City of Yakima has been actively engaged in both salmon recovery funding and watershed planning programs for most of this last decade, and in that period has developed significant credibility with many of the stakeholders in the Basin. For this reason it is important that the City continue to be actively engaged in water resource matters, and participate in this MOA. Resolution X Ordinance _Contract Other (Specify) Memorandum of Agreement Funding Source: N/A APPROVED FOR SUBMITTAL: City Manager STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Approve the resolution authorizing the execution of the accompanying Memorandum of Agreement for the Yakima Sub -Basin Fish & Wildlife Planning Board, by the Mayor of the City of Yakima. COUNCIL ACTION: Resolution adopted. RESOTUTION NO. R-2002-148