Chehalis Basin Partnership

Meeting Summary

September 26, 2014 Page 1 of 2

CHEHALIS BASIN PARTNERSHIP

Chehalis Tribe Lucky Eagle Casino, Black River Meeting Room

Rochester, Washington

September 26, 2014

9:30 a.m.

Meeting Summary

MEMBERS, ALTERNATES & GUESTS PRESENT

Mayor Bonnie Canaday, City of Centralia
Kahle Jennings, City of Centralia
Lyle Hojem, Lewis County Citizen
Terry Harris, City of Chehalis
John Lucas, Lewis County Farm Bureau
Patrick Wiltzius, City of Chehalis
Jim Hill, Lewis County Citizen
Wendy Buffett, Dept. of Ecology / Jane Atha, Chehalis Basin Partnership
Brady Engvall, Shellfish Grower, Grays Harbor
Happy Engvall, Brady’s Oysters
Jim Hill, Lewis County Citizen
Bob Burkle, WA Dept. of Fish and Wildlife
Amy Spoon, WA Dept. of Fish and Wildlife
Dustin Bilhimer, Dept. of Ecology

SUMMARY OF ACTION ITEMS:

Approval of Meeting Summary

/ No quorum. July and August meeting minutes not approved.

GENERAL PARTNERSHIP BUSINESS

Quorum requirement of 10 met:no.

MEETING AGENDA

1)New Oil Spill Response Plan for the Chehalis River presentation

Wendy Buffett presented to the group the latest effort from the Department of Ecology to develop a geographic response plan in the event of a hazardous spill in the Chehalis. Geographic response plans (GRPs) are a tool used after oil has been spilled. One is in development for the Chehalis River in advance of the proposed crude by rail projects. GRPs are a way of having an immediate response in the case of an oil spill – specifically oil that is floating on the water. There are different types of strategies such as containment strategies indicating where to put the boom and direction strategies for getting oil to a collection point or deflecting it, for example. For the Chehalis there will be locations up and down the river in high risk areas to deploy spill response actions. The Chehalis currently has no existing strategy so this will be done by scratch and completed by the end of the year. There will be public workshops and a public comment period to receive input regarding the plan and possible high risk spill origin points. The first workshop will be held at Centralia College October 7th.

Brady Engvall stressed that the proposed crude by rail will transport tar sands that sink in water and will therefore not be addressed appropriately by the geographic response plan. There was further discussion surrounding the costs of these plans, the contractors who will carry them out, and the general feeling that there needs to be more involvement from the companies transporting the hazardous materials to compensate local entities.

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2)Chehalis water quality update

Dustin Bilhimer presented to the group an account of water quality monitoring activities that have taken place in the Chehalis in the past as well as his plans for water quality effectiveness monitoring in the future. Bilhimer spoke of the amount of work and funding that has been allocated to water quality analysis and protection in the Chehalis to date and some of the protections afforded under the law. Bilhimer described each total maximum daily loading (TMDL) that has been in effect in the Chehalis and showed where each of them are located on a map of the watershed. Bilhimer expressed that he intends to use the Detailed Implementation Plan (DIP) of the CBP to help coordinate and evaluate monitoring data in the Chehalis. Bilhimer would like to tell a story of water quality improvements in the Chehalis. This will be done by first assessing current water quality, considering new sources of potential impairment, make some comparisons, try to correlate water quality improvements with BMPs in the basin, and revise allocations as needed. Bilhimer intends to use Habitat Work Schedule and funding from different sources such as the Flood Authority to implement some of the discussed goals. Bilhimer stressed the importance of collaboration to successfully monitor and achieve water quality implementation goals.

3)Chehalis Watershed Festival

Jane Atha gave the Partnership an update and a reminder of the upcoming Chehalis Watershed Festival taking place October 4th, 2014 at the Rotary Log Pavilion in Aberdeen. Atha will be visiting several elementary schools in advance of the festival with FIN, and otherwise getting the word out about the festival. Atha distributed posters to the group for them to hang in their respective towns.

4)Grays Harbor Stream Team update

Atha updated the group on the final work that Jarred Figlar-Barnes completed for the Grays Harbor Stream Team. The Stream Team will have a booth at the Chehalis Watershed Festival and will be signing up volunteers for and upcoming trash clean-up to be held on Fry Creek October 18th. Figlar-Barnes is back in school at Grays Harbor College full time and has invoiced the Partnership for his work this summer.

5)Agenda items for October 24thmeeting and future meetings

Eric Delvin with the Nature Conservancy will give an update on the Washington Coast Restoration Initiative. Miles Batchelder will most likely give an update on the Washington Coast Sustainable Salmon Partnership and its regional activities for salmon recovery.

ADJOURNMENT

With there being no further business, Chair Bonnie Canadayadjourned the meeting at12:00pm.