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Making the Habitat Recovery Pilot Program Permanent

January 9th, 2025

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Today’s Speakers:

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  • Gina Piazza, Habitat Recovery Pilot Program Coordinator, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. Gina has a Masters degree in Conservation Biology and has been a biologist for the department of Fish and Wildlife for over 17 years. She is dedicated to protection and restoration of Washington’s natural resources and passionate about helping those also working towards the same goal.
  • Don Gourlie, Legislative Policy Director for the Puget Sound Partnership. With both a marine science degree and a law degree, Don has spent his career connecting science to policy in support of the environment. In his current role, Don is a dedicated liaison between the Puget Sound recovery community and the state legislature. He works to ensure that state legislators understand what is needed for Puget Sound recovery and that the Puget Sound recovery community understands how the legislative process works.
  • Jason Griffith, Environmental Program Manager, Stillaguamish Tribe of Indians. Jason has worked as for the Stillaguamish Tribe of Indians since 2000, first as a fisheries biologist but now involved in nearly anything natural resource related. Most of Jason’s time is spent planning and implementing a wide range of restoration/acquisition projects, but he also serves on various salmon recovery related committees.

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Agenda:

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  • 12:00 - 12:05 - Welcome and Introductions
  • 12:05 - 12:15 - Gina Piazza, WDFW, program highlights
  • 12:15-12:25 - Don Gourlie, PSP, the upcoming legislative process
  • 12:25 - 12:40 - Jason Griffith, Stillaguamish Tribe, project example and benefits
  • 12:40 - 1:00 - Discussion

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Habitat Recovery Pilot Program

Gina Piazza

HRPP Coordinator

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Presented for the Lunch and Learn

January 9th, 2025

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Gina Piazza

WDFW HRPP Coordinator

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Agenda

Case Study

Overview

What’s New

Summary of Projects

Department of Fish and Wildlife

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Habitat Recovery Pilot Program (HRPP)

  • Multi-agency effort in WA
  • Streamline restoration
  • Benefit fish and their habitats
  • July 2021 – June 2025
  • RCW 77.55.480

Overview

Department of Fish and Wildlife

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Local Permits State Permits

Department of Fish and Wildlife

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Federal Permits

Department of Fish and Wildlife

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HPA

* except those minimally necessary for participation in a federal program

Limited project types

MAP Team

No project type limits

SEPA and Local Permits exempt

State

Permits

exempt*

Department of Fish and Wildlife

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Apply:

    • Hydraulic Project Approval (HPA) permit
      • Using the Aquatic Protection Permitting System (APPS)

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Complete application per:

    • RCW 77.55.021 and RCW 77.55.480
      • Supplemental application form
      • Restoration Program inclusion
      • DAHP letter
      • Appendix E

Send copy to:

    • Local government
    • MAP Team members
    • Affected federally recognized tribes

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Application Process

Department of Fish and Wildlife

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0

25

45

Application determined complete

Comments/Concerns

  • Public safety
  • Human health
  • Environment
  • Scope and complexity

Application decision deadline

Application Process

Department of Fish and Wildlife

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Local Permits State Permits

notified local jurisdiction, tribes, MAP team members

25 day comment period

30 day comment period for Tribes and DAHP

21 day public comment period posted on Ecology’s website

30 day public comment period published in local newspaper

21 day public comment period posted on Ecology’s website

Department of Fish and Wildlife

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Federal Permits

  • 30 day comment period published on website and sent to adjacent property owners and those signed up for public notice mailings for individual permits
  • Both nationwide and individual are sent to tribes

30 day comment period for Tribe and DAHP (unless “little likelihood” to effect)

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Department of Fish and Wildlife

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What’s New

  • Shore Friendly
  • Floodplain Review
  • APPS
  • Flow Chart

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*Zangle Cove Bulkhead Removal: Thurston Conservation District

Department of Fish and Wildlife

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What’s New

Department of Fish and Wildlife

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Initial Project Qualification

Joint Aquatic Resources Permit Application (JARPA)

Your project qualifies for HRPP review! Continue the permitting process. Next step: JARPA

Does the project �directly benefit freshwater, estuarine, or marine fish, or the habitat they rely on?

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Is the project one of �the four FHEP project types?

1

Continue with FHEP �streamlining process

1a

Is your project in the �Puget Sound?

4

Project does not �qualify for HRPP, go through the standard HPA process

2/3a

Has your project �been reviewed/approved/ funded by one of the 13 restoration programs listed in RCW 77.55.480 (2)(a)

3

Work with the �Multi-Agency Review Team (MART) to streamline the federal permitting process.�Contact Diane Hennessey

4a

NO

NO

YES

YES

NO

NO

YES

YES

YES

See the 13 approved restoration programs

Learn more about the MART

See if your project qualifies for FHEP and fill out application

Get more FHEP information

Get more FHEP information

Learn more �about HRPP

Contact your regional Habitat Bio �for early coordination. Use the information on the JARPA to contact the Army Corps of Engineers to apply for the proper Federal Permits or work with your contact at MART (see step 4a) to determine what Federal permits and applications are needed.

You will use your JARPA and complete plans and specs to apply for: Army Corps of Engineers (ACOE) Permits, Ecology 401 Certification, DNR Land Use Authorization, the HRPP/HPA.

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Ensure you have all the info you need �to fill out a JARPA:

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Habitat bio contact

You have completed your JARPA. Keep this for future steps

Sequential First Steps

Legend

Link

Need for final HRPP application

Need for JARPA

Time sensitive

Federal

State

Local

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Project Summary

Department of Fish and Wildlife

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Restoration Totals:

  • 310 ELJs installed

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  • 10,845 logs or key pieces installed

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  • 5.7 miles of side channel creation

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  • 476 acres of floodplain restored

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  • 199.2 acres of riparian planting

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  • Removed 7 fish passage barriers

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  • Removed 10,151 feet riprap armor

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*Riverbend Ranch Restoration Project: Thurston Conservation District

Department of Fish and Wildlife

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Restoration Totals:

  • Removed 46 piles, 2 docks, 1 boat ramp
  • Removed 13,962’ of bulkhead/dike/levee
  • 410 acres of Estuary restoration
  • 12.1 miles of tidal channel creation

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*Milltown Island Restoration: WDFW

Department of Fish and Wildlife

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Snow Creek Uncas Preserve Channel �Restoration Project

Department of Fish and Wildlife

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Snow Creek Uncas Preserve Channel Restoration Project

Project sponsor: North Olympic Salmon Coalition

  • Reduce bank erosion
  • Improve floodplain connectivity
  • Increase channel complexity

OBJECTIVES:

  • Winter Steelhead
  • Fall Chum
  • Summer Chum
  • Coho
  • Coastal Cutthroat

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Department of Fish and Wildlife

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Snow Creek Uncas Preserve Channel Restoration Project

Project sponsor: North Olympic Salmon Coalition

  • Standard permitting would have included: a Shoreline Development Permit Application, SEPA review, review under the Critical Areas Ordinance, and a Stormwater Management Permit

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  • County permit review in Jefferson County typically takes 1 year+

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  • Delay would have setback project implementation at least one year or more.

Department of Fish and Wildlife

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Snow Creek Uncas Preserve Channel Restoration Project

  • Estimated 6-12 months time savings and $20,000-$80,000 cost savings.

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  • Constructed: summer of 2023

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  • Restored 1.4 acres of floodplain by installing 39 log jams and 77 key pieces
  • Spawning and rearing stream habitat restored for Winter Steelhead, Hood Canal Summer Chum, Fall Chum, Coho, and Cutthroat

Project sponsor: North Olympic Salmon Coalition

Department of Fish and Wildlife

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The Future of HRPP

*Pallet Project: The Tulalip Tribe

Department of Fish and Wildlife

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*Piner Point , Maury Island Aquatic Restoration Project: King County Water and Land Resources

Thank You!

WDFW HRPP Webpage: http://wdfw.wa.gov/licenses/environmental/hpa/types/pilot

WDFW HRPP Email – HRPP@dfw.wa.gov

Department of Fish and Wildlife

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HRPP Pilot Legislation

Legislative intent = enable projects throughout the state to “advance to construction as quickly and efficiently as possible, thereby creating jobs and further bolstering the natural resources and natural resource economy of Washington.”

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Pilot expires June 30, 2025

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HRPP Pilot Legislation

Was legislative intent met? Yes

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Upcoming Legislative Efforts

  • Remove the expiration date
  • Other process improvements
    • reviewed, approved, or funded
    • state programs for eligibility
    • DNR authorizations sequencing
    • cultural resources requirements

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Upcoming Legislative Efforts

  • Stakeholder support? Opportunities?
    • salmon habitat project implementers
    • many local governments
    • many tribal governments
  • Stakeholder concerns? Challenges?
    • A county that isn’t comfortable with streamlining permits for projects.
    • Funding for state agency staff is cut from Governor’s budget

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What’s next?

  • SB 5155 and HB ####(TBD)
  • Public hearings and

legislative process

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Resources

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Stillaguamish Tribe’s experience with HRPP

  • Tribe’s primary pathway for large habitat restoration projects
  • Threads a balanced compromise between full permits and FHEP
  • Exempts restoration projects from substantial local permit fees:
    • For example: SEPA- $1k, Shoreline- $10k, Grading- $35k, plus misc smaller permit fees

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Trafton Floodplain Restoration

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zis a ba Phase II- Tidal Wetland Restoration