DNR & USFWSPUBLIC MEETING
TWO DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENTS (DEISs)
Marbled Murrelet Long-Term Conservation Strategy
Sustainable Harvest Calculation
January 2017 – Subject to Change
Tonight’s Meeting• Share general project information for the
Marbled Murrelet Long-Term Conservation Strategy and Sustainable Harvest Calculation DEISs
• Answer specific project questions at Information Stations for each project
• Provide you with options for submitting written comments on the projects
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January 2017 – Subject to Change
Department of Natural Resources
Manages & Protects
Trust Lands
• Forests
• Agriculture
Aquatic Lands
Conservation Lands• Natural Area Preserves
• Natural Resources
Conservation Areas
January 2017 – Subject to Change
Granted Trust Lands State Forest Trust Lands
Other
Common School, Indemnity & Escheat
Scientific School
University Original
University Transferred
Normal School
Agricultural School
Capitol Grant
Charitable, Educational, Penal & Reformatory Institutions
State Forest Transfer Trust
State Forest Purchased Trust
Community College Reserve and other DNR-managed lands
Benefits the state’s public schools, universities and other institutions
Benefits schools, counties and local services
Benefits Community Colleges and others
State Trust Lands
January 2017 – Subject to Change
• Generate revenue and other benefits for each trust, in perpetuity
• Preserve the corpus of the trust
• Exercise reasonable care and skill
• Act prudently to reduce the risk of loss for the trusts
• Maintain undivided loyalty to beneficiaries
• Act impartially with respect to current and future beneficiaries
Trust Mandate
As manager of state trust lands, DNR has legal fiduciary responsibilities under the State Constitution to:
January 2017 – Subject to Change
Proportional Acreage of Major Trusts on Westside
Common School trust
State Forest trusts
Capitol Building trust
Scientific School trust
University trust
Normal School trust
Charitable, Educational, Penal and Reformatory
Institutions trust
Agricultural School trust
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1.4 Million Acres of Total Forested Trust
Lands
Board of Natural ResourcesCommissioner
of Public Lands
University of Washington
Washington State
Superintendent of Public
Instruction
Timber County Commissioner
Washington State
University
Designee for Governor Jay
Inslee
January 2017 – Subject to Change
Marbled Murrelet Long-Term Conservation Strategy
Draft Environmental Impact Statement
Kristen Ohlson-Kiehn, DNRProjects and Planning Lead
Jennifer Davis, DNREnvironmental Planner
Mark Ostwald, USFWSFish and Wildlife Biologist
January 2017 – Subject to Change
Interim Strategy
• Temporary
• Complicated
• Uncertain
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Long-Term Strategy
• Certain
• Intentional
• Predictable
January 2017 – Subject to Change
US Fish and Wildlife Service• Implement Endangered Species Act and National
Environmental Policy Act• Issued Incidental Take Permit to DNR in 1997 to
implement Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) that allows “take” of listed species.
• This process is amending the take permit for the marbled murrelet only.
• There is no change to the remaining HCP conservation approaches
January 2017 – Subject to Change
Incidental Take Permit Issuance Criteria
• The taking will be incidental• Minimize and mitigate impacts of taking to maximum
extent practicable• Adequate funding to implement murrelet strategy• The taking will not appreciably reduce the survival and
recovery of the species in the wild• Other measures the USFWS may require
January 2017 – Subject to Change
Marbled Murrelet Summary of Biology, Distribution, and Status
USGS Photo
• A small marine bird that spends most of its life at sea, but nests in mature and old-growth forests.
• Feeds primarily on small fishes such as herring, sand lance, and anchovies, but will also feed on marine invertebrates such as krill.
Photos: PNW Research Lab
January 2017 – Subject to Change
Range of the Marbled Murrelet
Extends from Alaska to California.
Largest populations occur in Alaska and British Columbia.
Closely associated with coastal forests and nearshore marine waters during the summer nesting season.
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Nesting Biology
Marbled murrelets do not build a nest, but lay a single egg in moss or debris on a tree branch or other natural platform.
Photos from USFS Pacific Northwest Research Station
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Status of Marbled Murrelets• Listed as a threatened species under the
Endangered Species Act in 1992 in Washington, Oregon and California.
• Marbled murrelets in British Columbia are listed as threatened under Canada’s Species At Risk Act.
• Populations in Alaska are not listed as threatened or endangered, but available evidence indicates populations may have declined by as much as 70 percent over the past 25 years.
January 2017 – Subject to Change
Threats• Ongoing and historical loss of nesting habitat.
• Predation on murrelet eggs and chicks in their nests.
• Changes in marine conditions, affecting the abundance, distribution, and quality of murrelet prey species.
• Mortality in the marine environment (predation, gill-nets, oil-spills).
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Long-Term Strategy
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Generate revenue and other benefits
Minimize and mitigate take
Promote sustainable management
Provide flexibility
Feasible, practical, cost effective
Objectives of a Long-Term Strategy
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Six Alternatives
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An additional10 -151 thousandacres
would be protected
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A B C D E FOccupied sites
Occupied site buffers
Habitat identified under interim strategy
MM management areas
Emphasis areas
Special habitat areas
High quality habitat
Low quality northernspotted owl habitat
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alt A
alt D
alt B alt C
alt E alt F
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alt A alt B alt C
alt D alt E alt F
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How do they stack up?
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Affected Environment
Earth (Geology and Soils)
Climate
Vegetation
Aquatic Resources
Wildlife
Marbled Murrelet
Recreation
Forest Roads
Public services and utilities
Environmental justice
Socioeconomics
Cultural resourcesJanuary 2017 – Subject to Change
Affected Environment
Earth (Geology and Soils)
Climate
Vegetation
Aquatic Resources
Wildlife
Marbled Murrelet
Recreation
Forest Roads
Public services and utilities
Environmental justice
Socioeconomics
Cultural resources
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0
40,000
80,000
120,000
160,000
Alt A Alt B Alt C Alt D Alt E Alt F
Starting Habitat Ending Habitat
Ad
just
ed H
abit
at A
cres
Habitat Growth
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Acres of Conservation
Alt. B (-)
Alt. F
Alt E
Alt C
Alt D
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January 2017 – Subject to Change
Estimated Revenue
Alt F
Alt B (+)
Alt CAlt D (-)Alt E
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What’s next?
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NEPA/SEPA Joint EIS Process
Scoping Two phases of public comments, scoping summary
Draft EIS Public comment
Final EIS Comment summary with responses
January 2017 – Subject to Change
Approval Process
Board selects strategy and DNR submits application to USFWS
USFWS completes biological opinion, findings, record of decision
Board decides whether to adopt conservation strategy
January 2017 – Subject to Change
HOW TO COMMENTTONIGHT! Use our comment cards for brief comments and put in our comment box.
By e-mail: to [email protected]
By mail: DNR SEPA CenterP.O. Box 47015Olympia, WA 98504-7015
**Include file number 12-042001**
All comments are due by 5 p.m. on
March 9, 2017.
January 2017 – Subject to Change
Inaccuracies
Unidentified impacts
Reasonable alternatives
Impacts not adequately addressed
Merits of the alternatives and mitigation
Mitigation measures that could be added
UsefulComments
Public Comments
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Pro tips
Be specific
Identify possible solutions
Be clear, concise, and organized
Public Comments
January 2017 – Subject to Change
Find out moreby visiting
dnr.wa.gov/mmltcs
DEISMapsBoard PresentationsAppendices
January 2017 – Subject to Change