Office of Governor Gary Locke
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - April 18, 2002
Contact: Governor's Communications Office, 360-902-4136
Alt Contact: Jim Fox, 360-902-3021 or Tammy Owings, 360-902-2637
“The funding of these projects clearly illustrates that we are making significant on-the-ground progress on salmon recovery,” Locke said. “Just as importantly, it shows what we can do when we work together. Thanks to the ongoing efforts of our congressional delegation, Senators Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell, and Representatives Norm Dicks, Jennifer Dunn and George Nethercutt, to secure federal funds for salmon recovery, we are ensuring that our children and grandchildren will enjoy salmon just as we have.”
Bill Ruckelshaus, chair of SRFB, said, “Our process is producing increasingly better projects. My overall impression of this grant cycle is that these are better projects, better justified, and will do better things for fish. We believe that the money we are investing benefits salmon, is cost effective and has strong local and public support.”
The SRFB funded 128 individual projects, including 21 projects that focus on the purchase of key salmon habitat and 59 projects that spotlight habitat improvements such as planting vegetation along streams for shade and removing fish passage barriers. Another 14 projects combine habitat acquisition and improvements. About one-quarter of the projects emphasize studies and plans to help identify priority projects for the future.
The SRFB depends on state, local and regional scientists and technical groups to help review all proposals. Local technical advisory groups define the type of science used in rating and ranking the projects, then local citizen committees review the technical groups’ recommendations and develop a final list of proposed projects for SRFB funding.
Once the board receives project lists from the designated local lead entities, a panel of scientists review and rate the local process and list of projects for benefit to salmon and certainty of project success. Through this level of scrutiny, the board seeks to fund projects that are both scientifically sound and locally supported.
“The level of scrutiny used in evaluating, ranking and rating these projects is amazing,” said Steve Tharinger, SRFB citizen member.
“I have been involved with the local side of the process for several years but the board adds an additional level of review,” Tharinger added. “It is clear that everyone involved in salmon recovery is continuing to make the process better and that the people in the watersheds are key to the ultimate success in salmon recovery.”
Jay Watson, chair of the Lead Entity Advisory Group, said, “This funding round has been a long and arduous process, but the result is that great things will happen in the form of protection and restoration projects for salmon habitat throughout the state of Washington. This work is the result of the efforts of many grassroots groups as well as the Salmon Recovery Funding Board and its Technical Advisory Panel.”
SRF board members include:
Five state agency directors also serve as ex-officio members:
The SRFB received 216 applications requesting a total of $57 <.ul>million. The SRFB will begin working on the next grant cycle at its meeting in Everett on May 23 and 24.
A summary and detailed listing of projects are available on the SRFB web site at www.wa.gov/iac/SRFBwhatsnew.html.
Related Links:
- Salmon Recovery Funding Board
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - April 18, 2002
Contact: Governor's Communications Office, 360-902-4136
Alt Contact: Jim Fox, 360-902-3021 or Tammy Owings, 360-902-2637
Gov. Locke announces $36.7 million in grants to purchase and improve salmon habitat
OLYMPIA – Gov. Gary Locke today announced that the Salmon Recovery Funding Board (SRFB) approved $36.7 million in grants to fund salmon recovery projects across the state. Combined with local matching funds, the total value of the approved project list is more than $57.6 million.“The funding of these projects clearly illustrates that we are making significant on-the-ground progress on salmon recovery,” Locke said. “Just as importantly, it shows what we can do when we work together. Thanks to the ongoing efforts of our congressional delegation, Senators Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell, and Representatives Norm Dicks, Jennifer Dunn and George Nethercutt, to secure federal funds for salmon recovery, we are ensuring that our children and grandchildren will enjoy salmon just as we have.”
Bill Ruckelshaus, chair of SRFB, said, “Our process is producing increasingly better projects. My overall impression of this grant cycle is that these are better projects, better justified, and will do better things for fish. We believe that the money we are investing benefits salmon, is cost effective and has strong local and public support.”
The SRFB funded 128 individual projects, including 21 projects that focus on the purchase of key salmon habitat and 59 projects that spotlight habitat improvements such as planting vegetation along streams for shade and removing fish passage barriers. Another 14 projects combine habitat acquisition and improvements. About one-quarter of the projects emphasize studies and plans to help identify priority projects for the future.
The SRFB depends on state, local and regional scientists and technical groups to help review all proposals. Local technical advisory groups define the type of science used in rating and ranking the projects, then local citizen committees review the technical groups’ recommendations and develop a final list of proposed projects for SRFB funding.
Once the board receives project lists from the designated local lead entities, a panel of scientists review and rate the local process and list of projects for benefit to salmon and certainty of project success. Through this level of scrutiny, the board seeks to fund projects that are both scientifically sound and locally supported.
“The level of scrutiny used in evaluating, ranking and rating these projects is amazing,” said Steve Tharinger, SRFB citizen member.
“I have been involved with the local side of the process for several years but the board adds an additional level of review,” Tharinger added. “It is clear that everyone involved in salmon recovery is continuing to make the process better and that the people in the watersheds are key to the ultimate success in salmon recovery.”
Jay Watson, chair of the Lead Entity Advisory Group, said, “This funding round has been a long and arduous process, but the result is that great things will happen in the form of protection and restoration projects for salmon habitat throughout the state of Washington. This work is the result of the efforts of many grassroots groups as well as the Salmon Recovery Funding Board and its Technical Advisory Panel.”
SRF board members include:
- Bill Ruckelshaus, of Seattle (chair)
- Frank L. “Larry” Cassidy, Jr., of Vancouver
- Brenda P. McMurray, of Yakima
- James L. Peters, of Olympia.
- Steve Tharinger, of Clallam County.
Five state agency directors also serve as ex-officio members:
- Doug Sutherland, of the Department of Natural Resources
- Tom Fitzsimmons, of the Department of Ecology
- Jeff Koenings, of the Department of Fish and Wildlife
- Douglas MacDonald, of the Department of Transportation
- Steven Meyer, of the Washington Conservation Commission.
The SRFB received 216 applications requesting a total of $57 <.ul>million. The SRFB will begin working on the next grant cycle at its meeting in Everett on May 23 and 24.
A summary and detailed listing of projects are available on the SRFB web site at www.wa.gov/iac/SRFBwhatsnew.html.
Related Links:
- Salmon Recovery Funding Board
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