The Washington State Senate unanimously approved a bipartisan bill from Rep. Kevin Waters on Wednesday that would give a big boost to the state’s efforts to remove fish barriers in Washington.
House Bill 2045 would facilitate the removal of fish barriers on lands owned by local governments by creating the “Adopt a Fish Barrier” program, through which local governments may receive private donations.
The legislation would coordinate with current fish barrier programs to pair donations with grant applications already in progress. The Recreation and Conservation Office would keep a list of projects suited to receiving private donations so a person could choose to which project they donate.
Waters, R-Stevenson, explained why his legislation is so important: “We all know fish barriers are a serious problem when it comes to salmon and steelhead recovery in Washington, and we want to fix it. However, we don’t have the necessary financial resources to completely address this issue.
“This bill would help that cause greatly by allowing private businesses and community members to partner with the state to remove fish barriers on local government property. By allowing donations from the private sector, the state would have a lot more resources to overcome this problem.”
Donations of $10,000 or more would be recognized with a sign at the corrected barrier. Donations of $100,000 or more would also receive a plaque signed by the governor with their name, the location of the project, the amount and year of the donation, and the fish species benefitting from their donation.
“This policy would make a big difference in the state’s efforts to remove fish passage barriers. It’s that simple,” said Waters. “People are passionate about this issue, and they are ready to donate. There’s no reason we should tell them no. I look forward to seeing this legislation become law.”
House Bill 2045 now heads to the governor’s desk to await his signature.
The 2024 legislative session is scheduled to end on March 7.
# # #