Coastal MRC Implementation Making Rapid Progress

There have been several regularly scheduled exploratory meetings held in Grays Harbor County in order to assist with the creation of a Marine Resources Committee (MRC) for coastal Grays Harbor in early 2009. To assist the exploratory process and to help ensure a strong foundation for the formation of this grass roots environmental committee, there have been three separate public work group meetings led by Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife's (WDFW) Brie Van Cleve, the Coastal MRC Program Coordinator. The following meeting summaries are helpful in understanding the progress being made thus far toward a coastal MRC for Washington. One more work group meeting will be held January 7, 2009 at Montesano City Hall from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. at which time the participants hope to solidify the pilot MRC's primary goals and objectives upon implementation.

MRC Work Group Meeting Summary-October 10, 2008

Welcome and Introductions
Brie Van Cleve, Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) coordinator for the WDFW coastal marine resource committee (MRC) program, welcomed meeting attendees and stated the meeting purpose was to explore the possible function of Lead Entities in the MRC process, review and revise the program priorities and benchmarks developed at the Sept 5 meeting, and to determine future MRC program advisory body needs. 28 people were in attendance.

Lead Entities and MRCs
A question was raised about whether LE project funds (SRFB) could be sources of MRC project funds. SRFB funds could be a source of funds, but only for those MRC projects with a salmon recovery focus. The group discussed and clarified the distinction between MRCs and LE (marine resource focused versus salmon recovery focused) and agreed that a salmon-focused MRC would be redundant and would not meet the intent of the MRC statutes. The group highlighted challenges of LEs serving as MRCs including possibly different interests and expertise of members of the two groups. An advantage of combining the groups to some extent is increased administrative funding to support for existing LE coordinators. The group agreed that partnerships and coordination between MRCs, LEs, and other groups and governmental agencies is essential for success.

MRC Program Parameters
The group discussed the desire to position MRCs to cover future pressing coastal issues – such as ocean energy, ocean gas and oil drilling, new Sanctuary management rules, ocean aquaculture – and provide real citizen input in future coastal changes. It was also suggested that these issues, including Doppler radar/weather forecasting, be included in the benchmarks.

MRC Program Priorities and Benchmarks
The group reviewed the draft priorities and benchmarks developed at the September 5 meeting making several changes to the priorities and agreed to adopt 12 priority statements. The group affirmed the desire to avoid specific mention of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in priority or benchmark statements and then went on to discuss changes to the goal/vision statement, however final language was not agreed on due to time constraints so an additional outer coast MRC work group meeting was planned.

Next Steps in MRC Program Development and Oversight
In light of the need by coastal counties to better understand the MRC opportunity, the group decided it was important to finish its work developing benchmarks. There was general agreement that an additional meeting be held to finish this work.

Grays Harbor County MRC Exploratory Committee Update
Lee Napier invited outer coast MRC work group members not already involved to attend and observe Grays Harbor County’s first Exploratory MRC (E-MRC) meeting Oct 22 at Montesano City Hall 9:30am -12:00pm. Lee also clarified that Grays Harbor County has not ruled out the possibility of participating in a coast-wide MRC, but are currently pursuing a county-based process to determine Grays Harbor County needs.

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MRC Work Group Meeting Summary-December 3, 2008 1 pm – 4 pm

Welcome and Introductions
Brie Van Cleve welcomed meeting attendees and stated the meeting purpose was to review and revise the program priorities and benchmarks developed at the Sept 5 and Oct 10 meetings. 27 people were in attendance.

Announcements
Brie announced that MRC briefing materials were distributed electronically to the Olympic Coast Sanctuary Advisory Committee for their Nov 21 meeting (see attached briefing memo). Brie also announced that four other coastal counties in Washington have expressed the desire to begin forming an MRC.

MRC exploratory meeting facilitators John Kliem and Debbie Holden summarized the last several meetings and progress being made. Through the last four of six meetings, the group has created a vision, identified barriers, explored strategies, and initiated a plan for strategy implementation.

Next there were several summaries of other counties' progress being made toward forming a coastal MRC. Tami Pokorny and John Richmond summarized Jefferson County’s activity. A first “exploratory” meeting was held with the Hoh River Residents’ Association in November and another outreach meeting is tentatively scheduled for January 6. Michael Nordin provided an update on Pacific County’s activities. As soon as the contract is in place with WDFW, Pacific County will begin outreach meetings and several meeting ideas have been developed. Rich Osborne summarized Clallam County’s activity and as soon as a contract is in place, Clallam will begin MRC outreach activities.

Agenda Additions
It was requested that the group discuss how decisions are made by this body and specifically how to decide on “final” priorities/benchmarks. There was also a request to clarify WDFW’s criteria for distribution of Coastal MRC Program funds.

Decision-making, External Communication, Funding Distribution Process
Since the Coastal MRC Work Group is not an official advisory committee compliant with all relevant WDFW policy direction, there is currently no formal decision-making or external communication process. Thus far, the group has operated by consensus and membership has been voluntary and in some cases fluid. Brie offered assurance to the group that WDFW recognizes the importance of the group and is committed to honoring the group’s decisions and products. The group did not decide on formal procedures/protocol, but agreed the topic was important to consider and revisit in the future. The group decided to accept changes to program priorities and benchmarks by consensus, but asked Brie to write a preamble explaining how the priorities/benchmarks were developed, how and when they might be amended, and the ability of counties to change or focus activity within specific benchmarks.

Brie clarified WDFW’s funds distribution policy to offer funds to counties interested in exploring establishing an MRC and additional funds for projects once an MRC has been established. There is no “application” for funds, but rather a negotiation of mutually agreeable terms, scope, and deliverables by WDFW and the county.

Revise Draft Benchmarks
The group first revised the program goal statement to everyone’s satisfaction and then reviewed and made several changes to the priority statements. The group also discussed the scope of MRCs and agreed that the scope is marine and estuarine focused, but does not preclude focus on a freshwater or terrestrial resource with direct marine or estuarine resource impacts. To illustrate the flexibility of the scope, Larry Bishop pointed out that the statute clearly reads that: the mission of a MRC…is to address, utilizing sound science, the needs of the marine ecosystem local to the county initiating the MRC.

Brie has reviewed the remaining benchmarks and inserted several comments for group consideration. The next Coastal MRC Work Group will focus exclusively on finalizing the program priorities and benchmarks. Brie will circulate updates and announcements by email.

Copies of meeting handouts are available by contacting Brie Van Cleve at brie.vancleve@dfw.wa.gov or (360) 902-2750.