Office of Governor Gary Locke
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - June 9, 2000
Contact:  Governor's Communications Office, 360-902-4136

Hanford Reach monument designation augments state salmon recovery efforts, Locke says

HANFORD REACH - Vice President Al Gore today announced President Clinton has signed an executive order establishing the 51-mile Hanford Reach section of the Columbia River as a national monument.

The order protects approximately 195,000 acres, as well as the last remaining free flowing section of the river above the Bonneville Dam, for future generations.

Gov. Gary Locke, who participated in the announcement, said the area contains sites spiritually and important to Native Americans. The Reach also contains the largest spawning grounds for wild fall chinook salmon in the Columbia.

"The Columbia River has played a vital role in the history of our state, region and nation. The Hanford Reach is the last remaining stretch of this great river above Bonneville Dam that is free flowing and has seen relatively few human impacts," Locke said. He called the area a "snapshot of an earlier time."

Citing the importance of salmon to the Reach, the vice president said he planned to convene all interested parties for a comprehensive discussion of salmon issues in the Columbia. Gore also paid tribute to Locke for his environmental accomplishments.

Locke later noted he has not waited for the federal government to solve salmon issues. He said today's federal action to protect the Reach's wild chinook run complements an array of state actions designed to protect and restore salmon populations.

For example, Locke has:

Obtained $247 million in federal, state and local funds for salmon recovery.

Personally negotiated an end to the 10-year salmon dispute with Canada, allowing thousands of wild chinook and coho to return to their native Washington rivers.

Produced the Statewide Salmon Recovery Strategy - a long-term vision and road map for restoring wild salmon populations.

Established a Salmon Recovery Funding Board, chaired by Bill Ruckelshaus, to provide citizen oversight over salmon recovery funding. The board has awarded $13 million to 84 projects statewide so far.

Negotiated, and obtained funding for, the Forests and Fish Agreement, which protects water and salmon in 60,000 miles of streams on eight million acres of private forests.

Brought Washington's agriculture community into negotiations aimed at protecting salmon from farm practices and keeping state water clean. Locke is the only governor in the country to do so.

Updated shoreline management guidelines to save salmon and prevent millions of dollars of damage to private property in storms and floods.

Collected nearly $3 million in water pollution fines, a 75 percent increase over the previous administration.

Assisted the organization of 37 watershed planning groups in 62 of the state's watersheds, and provided them $14 million in grants as part of the most comprehensive planning effort anywhere in the country.

Established the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program that makes up to $200 million in federal funds available to farmers who protect salmon habitat.

Provided nearly $6 million to 21 local groups working to identify and remove obstacles to salmon recovery in their areas.

Locke emphasized state salmon recovery efforts are partnerships with local citizens and are active in the state's farm, forest and urban communities.

"We've reached agreement with Seattle that will protect 90,000 acres in the Cedar River watershed for salmon and clean water in state's largest metropolitan area," he said. "If we can put together a successful agricultural agreement, we could assure 90 percent of the irrigated lands in eastern Washington meet federal clean water and Endangered Species Act standards while maintaining a viable agricultural economy."

Locke said small projects also are important for salmon. In the Elwha River's forested watershed, for example, the governor cited efforts by the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe to reconstruct a logjam that will restore the river's most important salmon spawning and rearing channel.

State and local cooperation has removed 50 key culverts and other barriers that have barred salmon from migrating past state and county roads. Another 100 barriers have been repaired to allow fish passage on state lands, the governor said.

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