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

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• 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:

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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

January 2017 – Subject to Change

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 sepacenter@dnr.wa.gov

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