Marbled Murrelet Long-Term Conservation Strategy
   

Marbled Murrelet Conservation Strategy Adopted

The Board of Natural Resources adopted a long-term conservation strategy for the marbled murrelet at its meeting Tuesday, December 3, 2019. The adopted murrelet conservation strategy is the product of more than two decades of research and collaboration with scientists and community members throughout western Washington to develop a conservation plan for the federally threatened species. 
 
Below are the Final Amendment to the 1997 State Trust Lands Habitat Conservation Plan, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) decision documents related to that decision, and the Board of Natural Resources’ Resolution to adopt the Final Amendment. 
 
 
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has listed the marbled murrelet as a threatened species since 1992. DNR signed a Habitat Conservation Plan with the Fish and Wildlife Service in 1997 that contained an interim strategy for the marbled murrelet. The Final Amendment adopted Tuesday will replace this interim strategy.
 

Interactive Story Map - October 2019

Explore the FEIS alternatives and DNR’s proposed HCP Amendment with this interactive story map.
 

 

Addendum Documents - October 2019

Revised Appendix P - Financial Analysis
Revised Appendix R - Taxing District Analysis
 

Final Environmental Impact Statement - September 2019

The final environmental impact statement (FEIS) evaluates seven alternative long-term conservation strategies and a no-action alternative (the current, interim strategy). Each action alternative provides a unique approach to marbled murrelet habitat conservation, designating varying amounts of habitat for conservation and applying conservation measures to ensure long-term protection of forestlands important to the marbled murrelet. 
 
Complete Final EIS (not including appendices)
 
Final EIS in sections
Opening Pages (Cover, Commissioner's Letter, Fact Sheet, Table of Contents)
Chapter 1 - Introduction
Chapter 2 - The Alternatives
Chapter 3 - Affected Environment
Chapter 4 - Environmental Consequences
Chapter 5 - Cumulative Effects
Chapter 6 - Literature Cited
Chapter 7 - Key Definitions
 
Appendices
Appendix A - Scoping Report 
Appendix B - Analytical Framework Focus Paper
Appendix C - Population Viability Analysis
Appendix D - Occupied Sites Focus Paper
Appendix E - P-Stage Focus Paper
Appendix F - Maps of Marbled Murrelet Conservation Areas by Alternative
Appendix G - Long-Term Forest Cover Focus Paper
Appendix H - Potential Impacts and Mitigation Focus Paper
Appendix I - Concurrence Letters
Appendix J - Fish Distribution in the Analysis Area
Appendix K - Rare Plants in Long-term Forest Cover
Appendix L - Wildlife Species and Associated Habitats in the Analysis Area
Appendix M - Data and Assumptions Used in the Socioeconomics Analysis 
Appendix N - Distribution List
Appendix O - Data Updates
Appendix P - Financial Analysis
Appendix Q - Final State Trust Lands Habitat Conservation Plan Amendment
Appendix R - Taxing District Analysis
Appendix S - Comment Summaries
Appendix T - Mitigation for Natural Disturbance
Appendix U - Changes in Operable Acres Used in the School District Analysis
 

Revised Draft Environmental Impact Statement

The revised draft environmental impact statement replaced the 2016 draft EIS. 
 
Explore the RDEIS and alternatives using this interactive story map.
 
 
DNR and USFWS released the RDEIS in September 2018 and invited the public to review the RDEIS and the proposed amendment, and provide comments and suggestions. The comment period was from Sept. 7, 2018, to Dec. 6, 2018. During that time, the following information was also made available:

RDEIS - September 2018

Complete RDEIS (18MB PDF)
 
RDEIS in Sections 
Opening pages (cover, commissioner's letter, fact sheet, table of contents)
Executive Summary
Chapter 1, Introduction
Chapter 2, The Alternatives
Chapter 3, Affected Environment
Chapter 4, Environmental Consequences
Chapter 5, Cumulative Effects
Chapter 6, Literature Cited
Chapter 7, Key Definitions
 
Appendices 
Appendix A, Scoping Report
Appendix B, Analytical Framework Focus Paper
Appendix C, Population Viability Analysis (Peery and Jones 2018)
Appendix D, Occupied Sites Focus Paper
Appendix E, P-stage Focus Paper
Appendix F, Maps of Marbled Murrelet Conservation Areas by Alternative
Appendix G, Long-term Forest Cover Focus Paper
Appendix H, Potential Impacts and Mitigation Focus Paper
Appendix I, 2007 and 2009 Concurrence Letters
Appendix J, Fish Distribution in the Analysis Area
Appendix K, Rare Plants in Long-term Forest Cover
Appendix L, Wildlife Species and Associated Habitats in the Analysis Area
Appendix M, Data and Assumptions Used in Socioeconomics Analysis
Appendix N, Distribution List
Appendix O, Data Updates
Appendix P, Sustainable Harvest Draft Financial Analysis
 

Draft Environmental Impact Statement

The Long-Term Conservation Strategy for the Marbled Murrelet DEIS documented the lead agencies' analysis of the proposal and provided an opportunity for government agencies, affected tribes and other members of the public to review the document and provide suggestions for improving the adequacy of the environmental analysis.

DEIS - December 2016

Complete Draft EIS (36MB PDF)
 
Draft EIS in Sections
Opening Pages (Cover, Commissioner's Letter, Fact Sheet, Table of Contents)
Chapter 1, Introduction
Chapter 2, The Alternatives
Chapter 3, Affected Environment
Chapter 4, Environmental Consequences
Chapter 5, Cumulative Effects
Chapter 6, Literature Cited
Chapter 7, Key Definitions
 
Appendices
Appendix A, Scoping Report
Appendix B, Analytical Framework Focus Paper
Appendix C, Population Viability Analysis (Peery and Jones 2016)
Appendix D, Occupied Sites Focus Paper
Appendix E, P-stage Focus Paper
Appendix F, Maps of Marbled Murrelet Conservation Areas by Alternative
Appendix G, Long-term Forest Cover Focus Paper
Appendix H, Potential Impacts and Mitigation Focus Paper
Appendix I, 2007 and 2009 Concurrence Letters
Appendix J, Fish Distribution in the Analysis Area
Appendix K, Rare Plants in Long-term Forest Cover
Appendix L, Wildlife Species and Associated Habitats in the Analysis Area
Appendix M, Data and Assumptions Used in Socioeconomics Analysis
Appendix N, Distribution List
 

Process

The graphic below outlines the SEPA/NEPA joint Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) process.
 
 

Scoping Phases

The planning process for the project began with establishing the scope of the environmental review under both state and federal processes. DNR expanded the scoping process into two phases. The use of expanded scoping is intended to enhance public and agency participation in identifying the scope of an EIS.

Phase One Scoping

The first phase focused on receiving input for the project's need, purpose and objectives, the environmental impacts that should be considered and existing environmental information relevant to analysis.
 
Public meetings were held in late April and early May 2012 in the four DNR adminstrative regions included in the proposal: Olympia, Sedro-Woolley, Cathlamet and Forks.
 
Phase One Scoping: Meeting Materials
 
Phase One Scoping

Phase Two Scoping

Phase Two scoping materials presented alternative concepts that represent distinct conservation approaches to a long-term conservation strategy, each of which would be consistent with the approved Need, Purpose, and Objectives. A No Action concept also was presented. These conceptual alternatives were described in the Phase Two scoping notice.
 
 
 

Final EIS

The final EIS will provide decision-makers with environmental information about a proposal to help them decide whether to approve the proposal, approve it with conditions (mitigation), or deny the proposal. It is the lead agency's record of environmental analysis conducted for the proposal.

Publications