“I applaud our lawmakers for committing to efficient and targeted investments that will greatly support our collective efforts to save salmon and orcas from extinction, preserve the cultural value of kelp and eelgrass for Tribal Nations, and enhance the outdoor economy that so many communities rely on in Washington.

 

“My team at DNR has set bold goals to ensure Washington’s waters are cleaner and safer, such as our newly released Watershed Resilience Action Plan in support of salmon recovery in the Snohomish Watershed, and this funding from the Legislature will supercharge key aquatics efforts.

 

“Both the declining kelp forests and eelgrass meadows, as well as the steady stream of derelict and abandoned vessels, are increasingly putting aquatic habitat at risk, and the Legislature is providing the critical support we need to keep up with the pace of these fast-moving threats to our waters.”

 

 

House Bill 1700 deposits 25% of the watercraft excise tax, or approximately, $7.5 million, into DNR's Derelict Vessel Removal Account (DVRA) per biennium. This reliable, consistent funding will ensure that the Derelict Vessel Removal Program can remove significantly more vessels each year without having to ask for annual additional Capital Budget appropriations.

 

Since the derelict vessel program began in 2002, DNR has removed more than 1,000 derelict or abandoned vessels from Washington’s waterways, with another 277 currently identified as vessels of concern. The bill passed the Senate on a 45-3 vote after unanimously passing the House Jan. 28.

 

Senate Bill 5619 increases funding for DNR’s programs to proactively assess and prioritize areas for coordinated conservation and restoration of kelp forests and eelgrass meadows throughout Puget Sound and along the Washington coastline. SB 5619 will conserve or restore 10,000 acres of these forests and meadows by 2040. Recent analyses show a decline of more than 90% in bull kelp in the south and central Puget Sound in the last 150 years, along with similarly disturbing trends among other kelp and eelgrass species. The bill was passed unanimously by the House March 2 after receiving unanimous support from the Senate last month.

 

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Communications Manager

360-902-1000