11-20-2018
OLYMPIA, Wash. — On the heels of recommendations by state researchers, the Department of Natural Resources has submitted a $90 million budget request for their operations for 2019-2021.
The Commissioner of Public Lands says she requested the funds last month to support the work of the Southern Resident Killer Whale Task Force.
The Task Force reports the orcas numbers are at a thirty-year low, a decline they say is driven by vessel traffic and noise, contaminants in the water, and declining habitat and prey, though not all agree with these conclusions.
The funding proposal addresses these issues and more, which can be read about in detail here.
Lummi Nation Chairman Jeremiah Julius supported the proposal, saying, “The dire condition of the Salish Sea, the plight of the endangered salmon, the unimaginable extinction of our southern resident killer whales, and the denaturing of our fragile rivers, streams and creeks, all tell us about our own health. . . .we must put aside narrow self-interests and commit all the resources needed to restore the health and well-being of the Salish Sea and all our relations.”