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
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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