DNR announces meetings on murrelet strategy

The Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and the US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) will hold four informational meetings on the proposed development of a long-term Marbled Murrelet Conservation Strategy for forested state trust lands in Western Washington. The meetings will take place June 5-19.

Once completed and adopted, the strategy will become an amendment to DNR’s State Trust Lands Habitat Conservation Plan.

At the meetings, DNR will provide information and gather input on the current proposal and the scope of environmental review. DNR and USFWS are conducting a joint environmental review process according to the State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) and National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).

These meetings, and the associated comment period, represent the second phase of an expanded two-phase public scoping process that will help guide the development of a joint environmental impact statement for the strategy. Phase One scoping took place in 2012 and included public meetings and a comment period.

Phase Two Public Meetings will be held:

1. Olympia, June 5, 5-7 p.m., Natural Resources Building, Room 175.

2. Sedro-Woolley, June 10, 5-7 p.m., DNR Northwest Region Office.

3. Forks, June 12, 5-7 p.m., DNR Olympic Region Office.

4. South Bend, June 19, 6-8 p.m., Pacific County Courthouse.

At the meetings, DNR and USFWS staff will give brief presentations to introduce the planning process and present three conceptual alternatives, which represent distinct conservation approaches to a long-term conservation strategy, consistent with the approved “Need, Purpose, and Objectives.” The agencies will also present a “No Action” concept, which represents what would happen if a long-term marbled murrelet conservation strategy is not developed. The agencies will have discussion stations with more detailed information, where people can talk to staff and ask questions. Participants should submit their Phase Two written comments by July 1.

A description of the proposal’s conceptual alternatives and the SEPA Scoping Notice are available on DNR’s SEPA webpage at 1.usa.gov/INErM0. All of these documents are also on DNR’s marbled murrelet website at 1.usa.gov/IkQJri.