AW has provided comment on the Puget Sound Partnership's draft Action Agenda for cleaning up Puget Sound in Washington State. The Puget Sound Partnership is a community effort of citizens, governments, tribes, scientists and businesses working together to restore and protect Puget Sound. The scope of this effort includes the headwater areas that flow into the Sound including nearly 100 recognized whitewater runs that are readily accessible to the paddlers of Western Washington and Southwest British Columbia.

The charge given to the Puget Sound Partnership by Washington's Governor Gregoire and the State Legislature was to create a real Action Agenda that turns things around and leads to a healthy Puget Sound including the health of rivers that flow into the Sound.

In our comments we focused on the need to utilize important river protection tools including Wild and Scenic Rivers and Outstanding Resource Waters. We noted the importance of addressing public access issues along rivers and echoed recommendations from previous regional planning efforts to provide public access at least every 8 miles. By providing access and opportunities to enjoy rivers the community becomes vested in their stewardship. We also commented on the need for innovative market-based tools such as Transfer of Development Rights (TDR) to advance conservation goals along waterways. With respect to restoration opportunities we provided comments on the need to deal with unmaintained Forest Service Roads that are in violation of Clean Water Act standards and the importance of investing in the Elwha River restoration through the removal of two outdated dams.

You can learn more about the partnership here:

http://www.psp.wa.gov