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Canada-U.S. Cooperation in the Salish : 2017-20 Action Plan -U.S. Cooperation in the Salish Sea: 2017-20 Action Plan Canada-U.S. Cooperation in the Salish Sea: 2017-20 Action Plan

Introduction: Toward Twenty Years Promoting Information Exchange of International Cooperation Promoting information exchange across the border The "Salish Sea" is a term that describes the is a foundational goal of the SoC. As explained inland marine waters of and British in the SoC, promoting information exchange Columbia comprised of , the Strait of can help participants identify priorities, as well Juan de Fuca, and the .1 as opportunities for effective coordination and Currently, a population of more than 7 million cooperation. Two ongoing activities under this people inhabits the Salish Sea and its shared commitment include supporting contributing watersheds, with some projections the Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference; and envisioning an increase to over 9 million people maintenance and dissemination of the Health of by the year 2025.2 The term also recognizes the the Salish Sea ecosystem indicators report. peoples who have inhabited the area The biennial Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference, .1 since long before Euro-Americans first arrived proposed in the original SoC, has become one of On January 19, 2000, the Administrator of the the largest, most comprehensive transboundary Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the ecosystem conferences in the , with more Minister for Environment and Climate Change than 1200 participants attending recent conferences. Canada (ECCC)3 signed a Joint Statement of Selected themes from the conference are captured in Cooperation on the Georgia Basin and Puget a series of articles synthesizing ecosystem research Sound Ecosystem (“Statement of Cooperation” or and management approaches in the Salish Sea. SoC “SoC”). The SoC outlines common goals for the Working Group members support the Conference health of the ecosystem and commits the two by participating in the Executive and Program agencies to work collaboratively to achieve these Committees and convening special sessions within goals. ECCC and EPA maintain a Working Group the Conference to explore and foster progress under the SoC which is advised by representatives on Action Plan Priority Action Items. Examples from Tribes and First Nations, of special sessions from the 2016 Conference Ministry of Environment, Washington State include “Cross-Border Exchange: Environmental Department of Ecology, Puget Sound Partnership, Review Processes for Projects with Transboundary and the Northwest Straits Commission. The Impacts” and “Cross-Border Local Leadership Working Group develops and periodically updates Exchange: Water Quality in Border Areas.” Action Plans to achieve SoC goals. The Health of the Salish Sea transboundary This document presents ECCC and EPA’s indicator report describes trends in indicators that 2017-20 joint Priority Action Items (PAIs) under can help identify priorities for future action across the SoC.4 For 2017-20, ECCC and EPA propose the entire Salish Sea. The indicators include: air that our Action Plan focus on implementing the quality (fine particulates), marine species at risk, shared priorities described below and summarized Chinook salmon, southern resident killer whales, in the table at the end of this document. toxics in the food web, freshwater quality, marine water quality, stream flow, shellfish beaches, and 1. From "Map of the Salish Sea (Mer des Salish) & Surrounding Basin" swimming beaches. These indicators help show website by S. Freelan at Western Washington University (http:// staff.wwu.edu/stefan/salish_sea.shtml) accessed 10/11/17. where we are seeing progress in sustainably 2. EPA-ECCC “Health of the Salish Sea Ecosystem Report,” http:// www2.epa.gov/salish-sea/executive-summary. managing the Salish Sea ecosystem and its valuable 3. In 2000, Environment and Climate Change Canada was known as resources, where conditions are declining, and Environment Canada. 4. In addition to efforts under the Statement of Cooperation, ECCC and where course corrections are needed. This work EPA currently collaborate in several program areas. These activities may involve other partners, such as Tribes and First Nations, as well as other organizations, and include transboundary coordination under regional hazard response agreements; and joint chairing of the International Airshed Strategy Coordinating Committee, whose aim is to address shared air quality management concerns in the transboundary Georgia Basin-Puget Sound region (https:// www.ec.gc.ca/air/default.asp?lang=En&n=D6F2B21E-1).

1 Canada-U.S. Cooperation in the Salish Sea: 2017-20 Action Plan has recently been described in an article found Strengthening Coordination at http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.108 Mechanisms 0/14634988.2014.980209#.VMq8jpU5AiQ. The original SoC recognized the many In addition to these two ongoing activities, the existing cross-border and other coordination Working Group convenes special meetings of mechanisms and stated the intention to members and guests to explore and spotlight issues “work through these cooperative mechanisms related to PAIs. For example, in June 2015, the to the fullest extent possible.” Working Group convened a special workshop on water quality issues in border watersheds, including Cross-border coordination mechanisms transport of pollutants in small agricultural within the Salish Sea region have evolved streams that cross the border in the Nooksack greatly since the original SoC was signed. River watershed, and transport of asbestos from Several major developments bear note. First, the Sumas Mountain landslide in the Sumas the Coast Salish Gathering has emerged as a River. Similarly, in November 2016, the Working unique forum in this region. The Gathering is Group invited Transport Canada, the Canadian an environmental policy platform where the Coast Guard, and the Pacific Pilotage Authority Tribal and First Nations governments, state, to give a presentation to the Working Group and provincial and federal governments can discuss guests on the Canadian marine safety system. environmental strategies and practices. For 2017-20 we reaffirm our commitment to Second, local, Tribal, federal, and state salmon strengthen information sharing across the border. and estuary recovery and protection efforts in We plan to continue supporting the Salish Sea the Puget Sound basin have converged into a Ecosystem Conference and the Health of the strong, coordinated Puget Sound ecosystem Salish Sea report. Our engagement in the Salish protection and restoration effort, coordinated by Sea Ecosystem Conference will be directly linked the Puget Sound Partnership, a state agency. to the priorities identified in this Action Plan. Third, the Washington State-British Columbia In addition, we intend to continue to convene Environmental Cooperation Council has focused information sharing activities relating activated working or task groups as needed to Priority Action Items, such as major U.S. or to target topical transboundary issues. Canadian federal initiatives in the Salish Sea. The SoC Working Group has worked to support Our Priorities for 2017-20 are to: these developments in targeted ways over the years. For example, as advisory members of the „ Support Salish Sea Ecosystem Working Group, staff coordinators of the Coast Conference (SSEC) planning. Salish Gathering have represented and conveyed „ Maintain or further develop the transboundary perspectives arising from this forum. The Working Salish Sea ecosystem health indicators. Group co-chairs have also supported ongoing activities of a BC-WA Water Quality Task Group, „ Support information sharing activities on contributing as observers to this new forum. major federal initiatives relevant to Salish Sea protection and identify opportunities We have also helped solidify transboundary where U.S. and Canadian interests intersect. representation within the Puget Sound 4 „ Support information sharing activities “Management Conference.” The Working Group 4 The Puget Sound Partnership (PSP) coordinates the Puget Sound region’s on transboundary environmental collective effort to protect and restore Puget Sound. PSP brings together assessment and notification processes for hundreds of partners to mobilize action and investments around a common agenda. PSP provides leadership through the collective development projects in the Salish Sea ecosystem. of a shared roadmap, measurements, and funding strategy. PSP’s four boards (Leadership Council, Ecosystem Coordination Board, Science Panel, and Puget Sound Salmon Recovery Council) support and guide PSP in its responsibilities. PSP, its boards, and the decision-making structure are also known as the Puget Sound Management Conference.

2 Canada-U.S. Cooperation in the Salish Sea: 2017-20 Action Plan

co-chairs worked with the Puget Sound Partnership Working Group Administration to recommend formal Canadian participation in the Puget Sound Management Conference. Two Routine administration of the SoC Working Group Canadian scientists now formally serve on the includes planning for and facilitating semi-annual Puget Sound Science Panel, and two Canadian Working Group meetings; developing and entities (Government of British Columbia and implementing Action Plans; implementing Working the Fraser Basin Council) participate as ex Group Terms of Reference; convening meetings officio members of the Puget Sound Ecosystem to spotlight topics of priority transboundary Coordination Board. In June 2015, the Canadian interest; and sharing information about each Science Panel participants reported to a Working agency’s relevant activities and protocols. Group meeting on their engagement on the Science Panel, affirming the value of their participation in fostering awareness of activities on both sides of the border, and making recommendations as to specific actions that could further strengthen the ongoing information exchange. For 2017-20, we will continue to support existing and emerging coordination mechanisms.

Our Priorities for 2017-20 are to: „ Support coordination mechanisms at the State/Provincial and Federal level. „ Support Tribal-First Nation coordination and information sharing mechanisms.

3 Canada-U.S. Cooperation in the Salish Sea: 2017-20 Action Plan

Environment and Climate Change Canada-Environmental Protection Agency Joint Statement of Cooperation on the Salish Sea Ecosystem 2017-2020 Commitments

Primary Priority Action Item Product Outcome Responsibility Support Salish Sea Ecosystem •WG member participation in the 2017-2020 Action Plan PAIs advanced WG advisory members, Conference (SSEC) Planning. Executive and Program Committees WG co-chairs. • Sessions supporting 2017-2020 Action Plan Priority Action Items. Maintain or further develop • Website updated with current Continued web presence for decision WG transboundary the transboundary Salish Sea information for existing or new support and for the public. Continued indicator leads. ecosystem health indicators. indicators relevant to the goals and information sharing and collaboration objectives of the SoC. with subject matter experts at all levels • Targeted information-sharing to facilitate integrated understanding of activities to support indicator transboundary ecosystem health and to updates, including summer inform ecosystem based approaches in streamflow. Salish Sea.

Support information sharing • Webinar(s) or other information Working Group members and their WG co-chairs and activities relating to major sharing activities on key elements stakeholders are well informed of Salish subject matter experts federal initiatives relevant of the Canadian Protection Sea protection initiatives through the to Salish Sea protection Plan (OPP), Ocean Strategy, and the OPP and the U.S. Federal Action Plan for and identify opportunities Puget Sound Federal Action Plan. Puget Sound. Potential areas for where US and Canadian • Information-sharing session(s) with transboundary collaboration are interests intersect. appropriate coordinating bodies (e.g., identified. the BC Federal Council; or the U.S. Federal Task Force for Puget Sound). Support information sharing • Periodic updates to WG, including Increased WG understanding of WG co-chairs and activities on environmental on (a) Canadian Federal EA review developments in transboundary EA subject matter experts, assessment (EA) and process, (b) BC-WA MOU on and notification processes. WG advisory members. notification processes for environmental review, and (c) other projects in the Salish Sea (including U.S. Federal, e.g., IAS) ecosystem. developments if any. • WG members share information about project EA processes they are aware of. Support coordination and • Support BC/WA Improved cross-border data-sharing WG co-chairs and subject information sharing Transboundary Water Quality Task and engagement on key water quality matter experts, BC and mechanisms at the Group (WQTG), including one issues in border watersheds. WA WG advisory State/Provincial and technical webinar and technical and members Federal level. policy contributions as identified by EPA and ECCC improve awareness of, WQTG. and coordination with, state/ • EPA technical staff will continue to provincial/local needs and initiatives communicate periodically with ECCC relating to water quality issues in staff regarding the Swift Creek/ border watersheds. Sumas Mountain Sediment Management Project. • EPA will continue to share with ECCC the content of outreach mailings EPA develops for local residents.

Support Tribal-First Nation • Continued active engagement ECCC and EPA have greater awareness Coast Salish Gathering coordination and by Coast Salish Gathering of Tribal and First Nation Salish Sea WG advisory members, information sharing Steering Committee interests and priorities, and activities WG co-chairs; other mechanisms. representatives as advisory of WG reflect this greater awareness. WG advisory members. members to the SoC WG. • ECCC, EPA, and WG advisory members participate and engage as invited in the annual Coast Salish Gathering and other key Tribal-First Nation coordination and information sharing forums.

4 Canada-U.S. Cooperation in the Salish Sea : 2017-20 Action Plan

'--n(_~~ Michelle L. Pirzadeh a Acting Regional Administrator Regional Director General, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Region JO West and North

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