Oregon Coastal Salmon Restoration Initiative

Oregon Economic Development Department

OEDD1 - Regional Strategy Board Review Of Projects To Avoid Adverse Impacts On Salmon.

Summary of Measure: Regional Strategies boards will review project applications to ensure those funded have no adverse effects on fish habitat or populations.

Background: The Oregon Economic Development Department (OEDD) allocates lottery funds each biennium to local Regional Strategy boards, with which the boards fund projects that support specific industries. Economic Development does not have policy or decision-making authority over the boards, but the Department is able to encourage boards to consider the needs of salmon. The Department has educated the boards about salmon and will provide them with a checklist of potential impacts on salmon habitat to which boards and project applicants can refer when they review projects. Economic Development has developed the checklist in partnership with the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife and the National Marine Fisheries Service.

Objective: Ensure that Regional Strategies projects do no harm to salmon habitat.

Implementation

• Regional Strategy boards will be able to use the checklist to identify and avoid potential environmental impacts on Coho.
• No legal authority is required.
• No policy citation is applicable.
• The use of the checklist will occur in the 1997-99 biennium. 1995-97 funds were committed prior to development of checklist.

Results

• The effect of this action will be across the whole of the coastal watersheds.
• The scope of the impact will be limited at first, as boards become familiar with the needs of fish. As they become more familiar, the impact should increase. Eventually, it is conceivable that boards will favor projects that in some way improve fish habitat or increase populations.
• The action depends on cooperation with, and assistance from, the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, the National Marine Fisheries Service, and boards and their customers.
• The effect is not expected to be a major improvement, but will add to general awareness of and responsiveness of the needs of fish. This prediction is based on a qualitative assessment.

Funding: No new funding is required for this action.

Schedule: The action is underway and will be fully implemented in the 1997 round of regional strategies awards.

Responsible Staff: Bill Campbell (Rural Development Manager) and Joan Rutledge (Regional Strategies Program Manager).

OEDD2 - Reviewing Water And Wastewater Project Applications To Ensure Those Funded Have No Adverse Effect On Fish Habitat Or Populations.

Summary of Measure: Applicants for water or wastewater project funding are filling out a form that indicates whether a proposed project could have an adverse impact on fish habitat o