Around the Sound

Written by Jane Roush | 01 January 2012

Redistricting

Local: Karen Herr, Mason County Auditor, in early spring, at the request of the Mason County Commissioners, put together a group of local residents to work on the county's redistricting problems. The group proposed the following changes to the area represented by the commissioners: Shelton and the surrounding area, eastern/northern Mason County and western/southern Mason County (the trees in the Olympic National Park and Forest are not counted). The county commissioners accepted the recommendations and local redistricting was completed. The new boundaries will take effect in January 2013. The local group also reduced the number of precincts from 57 to 37. Job well done.

Congressional: Late Thursday afternoon, December 29th, the WA State Redistricting Commission released their final maps on the new Congressional District #10. Surprise, Shelton and the Squaxin Island Tribe area are included in it. The area extends into Thurston County including Olympia, north into Pierce County including Fort Lewis, Lakewood, and Puyallup and south to include Rochester, Tenino and Yelm. This district will have a new congressional representative. The remainder of the county will stay in the 6th CD with Rep. Norm Dicks.
Legislative: This is the hardest one to understand. All of Mason County is still in the 35th LD. That is the good news. The most recent map released by the commission shows about the same boundaries for the district that currently exists. However the Redistricting Commission is working over the New Year weekend and final maps will not be out until after the New Year. In simple words, we simply are not sure at this time what other area is included in the 35th.

Water, water, everywhere
The Mason County Democratic Central Committee (MCDCC) has in its platform a statement in support of the environment and the need of governments to help fund projects to protect and save natural resources for future generations. At the same time MCDCC recognizes the need to support our economic resources, which include the fishing and shellfish industry.

On December 11, 2011, the WA Salmon Recovery Funding Board announced awards totaling $1,624,289 in 2012 from federal and state money to "repair damaged rivers and streams and protect the most pristine areas" in Mason County. It is hard to determine sometimes what they fund and what they don't.

1. Grant: $450,000 To: The Capitol Land Trust Purpose: to purchase 185 acres of wetland and shorelines on the upper Goldsborough Creek area, east of Shelton. The acreage is in three parcels and is next to two other parcels the trust already owns. The Creek is used by Coho, winter steelhead and cutthroat trout.
2. Grant: $325,139 To: Skokomish Tribe Purpose: to help remove barriers for juvenile fish migrating to the water in the area of the great bend of the Hood Canal. This is the 3rd year of this project and the Skokomish Tribe will contribute $605,688 from other federal and state grants to this project. The summer chum and coastal bull trout are the main fish to benefit from this project.
3. Grant: $300,000 To: Hood Canal Salmon Enhancement Group Purpose: to enable the group to breach 2 dikes at the Union river estuary. It will allow water to flood 32 acres to create a salt marsh. The summer chum, Coho and cutthroat trout will benefit from this project. The enhancement group will contribute a $1.5M grant from a federal award to this project.
4. Grant: $203,591 To: The Mason Conservation District and Skokomish Tribe Purpose: to purchase and restore land in the Skokomish River floodplain. The conservation district and tribe will donate $77,500 to this project, which will include removing buildings and installing new plantings.
5. Grant: $135,591 To: Long Live the Kings Purpose: to complete the design for restoring the Lilliwaup Creek Restoration project. In 2007 thousands of yards of gravel filled in the creek now partially blocking the flow of the river. Summer chum have normally used this creek.
6. Grant: $58,227 To: Mason Conservation District Purpose: to put old logs and tree roots in the lowest part of Cranberry Creek to slow down the flow of water. The district will plant trees also to help cool the water for juvenile salmon. The district will provide $10,276 from a local grant to help this project.
7. Grant: $78,981 To: Mason County Parks and Trails Purpose: to purchase 36.5 acres alongside the shoreline of Oakland Bay. It will be used as a day park for public use. It is the 3rd of 4 acquisitions of Oakland Bay to conserve land for wildlife and residents. Many organizations including Taylor Shellfish, Squaxin Island Tribe, Capitol Land Truest and others are supporting this effort. Mason County will contribute $400,000 from a private grant for this project.
8. Grant: $28,760 To: Mason County Purpose: to purchase 50 acres of tidelands, salt marsh and forest in the Coulter Creek estuary. Mason County will give $884,240 from a state grant to the project. It will remain undeveloped acreage and remain a forest.

The source of information for the news stories was news release by the Washington State Recreation and Conservation Office, Salmon Recovery Funding Board, dated December 11, 2011.

Water, water, everywhere and more information
A news announcement by the WA State Departments. of Commerce and Ecology and Puget Sound Partnership said that approximately $6.3 M from the EPA, as federal grants, will be used to protect and restore Puget Sound. Included in the list of projects was "retrofitting storm water infrastructure throughout the Hood Canal watershed to better manage surface water runoff, reduce pollution and boost rainwater infiltration".

Whenever I go to the web site listed for information on the grants, it only shows the 2011 information, so that is what I will report to you.
The Hood Canal Coordinating Council received two grants, totaling $550,000. The first project was for $300,000 to complete a watershed management plan.
The other project was to identify, prioritize and plan for retrofits of storm water infrastructure in the most important areas of the Hood Canal to protect the watershed. The grant was for $250,000. The Member organizations are Jefferson, Mason, Kitsap counties and Port Gamble and S'Klallam, and Skokomish Tribes.
The source of information for the news stories was a news release by the Puget Sound Partnership, dated December 22, 2011.