>>> HERE TONIGHT PRESENTED FOR
SEATTLE CITY LIGHT WILL BE CRAIG
SMITH, DENNIS McLAREN, STEVE
GRABOSKI. IS ERIC McCONAGHY
HERE?
ERIC'S NOT HERE, BUT HE WILL BE
HERE.
HE WORKS HERE AT CITY HALL
AND IS PART OF CENTRAL STAFF.
FROM TRIBAL LEADERSHIP
AND PLEASE CORRECT ME IF I MISS
SOMEBODY, WE HAVE A MIX
HERE WHERE SOME LEADERSHIP WILL
BE
GIVING PUBLIC COMMENT.
FROM THE -- WE'LL HAVE
KEVIN LENON AND -- WE HAVE
SWINSON
TRIBAL COMMUNITY.
WE HAVE -- THE WILDLIFE
PROGRAM MANAGER WILL ALSO BE AT
THE
TABLE.
FROM UPPER SKAGIT INDIAN
TRIBE WE HAVE SCOTT SCHUYLER WHO
IS THE POLICY LEAD AND TRIBAL
MEMBER.
AND MR. DAVID HAWKINS, WHO
IS THEIR LEGAL COUNSEL.
WITH THAT, LET'S MOVE
ONTO PUBLIC COMMENT.
MR. CLERK, YOU WANT TO MAKE
SOME STATEMENTS?
WE'LL OPEN IT UP TO HYBRID AND
WHOEVER'S IN CHAMBER FOR PUBLIC
COMMENT.
NOW MY CLERK SAYS LET ME HAND
IT OVER TO HIM.
>> CURRENTLY WE HAVE EIGHT
IN- PERSON SPEAKERS SIGNED UP
AND
TEN REMOTE SPEAKERS.
>> LET'S START WITH OUR EIGHT
PEOPLE.
BECAUSE IT'S UNDER 30,
EVERYONE WILL HAVE TWO MINUTES.
START READING OUT THE NAMES.
>> DO YOU WANT ME TO READ
THE PUBLIC COMMENT RULES?
>> YOU GET TWO MINUTES, BE
NICE, BE RESPECTFUL, DON'T CALL
US
NAMES.
I THINK THAT PRETTY MUCH WRAPPED
IT
UP.
>> IT IS CITY COUNCIL
PRACTICE TO FIRST RECOGNIZE
ELECTED OFFICIALS AND THEN CALL
ON
THOSE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK
STARTING WITH
IN-PERSON AND THEN REMOTE.
IN- PERSON OFFICIALS
THAT ARE FIRST SIGNED UP ARE
GOING TO BE
TREASURER JJ WILBUR FROM
SWINOMISH --
>> ARE YOU DOING TWO FIRST IN
CHAMBERS?
LET'S DO TRIBAL LEADERSHIP
FIRST.
THEN WE'LL WORK WITH THE
REST.
>> YEAH.
SWINOMISH SENATOR WILBUR.
>> WHO'S AFTER HIM?
>> COUNCIL MEMBER KEVIN
LENON.
>> WHO'S AFTER THAT?
>> WE'LL MOVE TO THE REMOTE
TRIBAL
LEADERS.
>> WE'RE NOT GOING TO GO TO
REMOTE.
WHO ELSE IS IN CHAMBERS?
>> ALL THE TRIBAL
PEOPLE.
>> GO AHEAD.
>> TOOK AWAY ALL THE FUN.
WE DON'T GET TO CALL ANYBODY
NAMES.
>> NO, YOU DON'T, I KNOW.
>> GREETINGS.
I'M SWINOMISH COUNCIL MEMBER JJ
WILBUR.
-- IS MY TRADITIONAL NAME.
I FELT IT IN MY HEART TO COME
UP AND ACKNOWLEDGE SOME FOLKS
TODAY.
I KNOW THIS HAS BEEN A
HARD PROCESS FOR A LOT OF FOLKS
TO
GO THROUGH.
IT WASN'T EASY.
I WANT TO THANK OUR RELATIVES
FROM SAUK-SUIATTLE.
I'D LIKE TO THANK FOR
THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE
CONVERSATION.
YOU KNOW, GETTING ALL OF US
TO AGREE ON CERTAIN TERMS AND
IDEAS ISN'T EASY SOMETIMES, BUT
FOR
US TO BE ABLE TO STAY IN
THAT CONVERSATION
EVEN WHEN THE TIMES GET
DIFFICULT, THEN
THE CONVERSATION GETS
CHALLENGING.
FOR US TO FIND COMMON
GROUND IN THE NAME OF OUR HOME
THE SKAGIT
WATERSHED.
IT'S HOME TO US.
FOR UZ S TRIBES IT'S BEEN THAT
WAY
SINCE TIME IMMEMORIAL.
SKAGITONIANS CALL IT HOME.
THIS IS A WIN FOR
EVERYBODY INCLUDING THE SALMON,
MOST
IMPORTANTLY THE SALMON.
SWINOMISH TAKE PRIDE IN
CALLING OURSELVES THE PEOPLE OF
THE
SALMON.
MUCH OF
OUR CULTURE REVOLVES AROUND
SALMON AND SALMON
FISHING.
IT'S VERY IMPORTANT.
WITHOUT SALMON, OUR TREATY
RIGHTS WILL NO LONGER EXIST.
WE TAKE THAT VERY SERIOUSLY.
I'D LIKE TO THANK
SEATTLESEATTLE
LIGHT AND THE CITY OF SEATTLE
FOR THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS ALSO
IN STAYING IN THE CONVERSATION.
I KNOW THAT THE SEATTLE
CITY LIGHT TEAM DEALING WITH
THE THREE TRIBES AND THE COUNTY
AND
OTHERS INVOLVED, YOU
KNOW, SOMETIMES WASN'T THE
EASIEST
PROCESS TO GET THROUGH, BUT
THEY STUCK THROUGH IT AND CAME
OUT
ON TOP FOR A WIN FOR EVERYBODY.
THANK THE CITY
OF SEATTLE AND ITS MEMBERS.
>> THANK YOU.
>> THAT MUST BE MY
TIME.
>> YEAH.
UNLESS YOU WANT TO ADD MORE.
IS THAT IT?
>> I TRIED TO FIT AS MUCH
AS I COULD IN TWO MINUTES, BE
RESPECTFUL. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
I'LL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO
SAY MORE DOWN THE ROAD.
THANK
YOU.
>> THANK YOU,
SIR.
>> NEXT IS COUNCILMEMBER KEVIN
LENNON FROM
THE SAUK-SUIATTLE INDIAN TRIBE.
>> HE'S GOING TO BE
ON THE PANEL, NOT PUBLIC
COMMENT.
>> WOULD YOU LIKE TO MOVE TO
REMOTE TRIBAL LEADERSHIP?
>> YEAH.
I'M GOING TO GO WITH THE
LIST THAT YOU HAVE.
I KNOW SOME OF IT CHANGED BUT GO
WITH WHAT YOUR LIST IS.
>> FIRST ON THE REMOTE TRIBAL
LEADERSHIP WILL BE VICE
CHAIRMAN PORTER FROM THE
SWINOMISH.
YOU'LL HEAR A TONE SAYING
YOU'RE
UNMUTED.
PLEASE PUSH STAR SIX AND IT
WILL ALLOW YOU TO
SPEAK.
>> THIS IS WHO AGAIN?
>> VICE CHAIRMAN BRIAN
PORTER.
>> FROM SWINOMISH, CORRECT?
IS HE ON THE LINE?
I DON'T SEE HIM.
>> COUNCILMEMBER BRIAN
PORTER, WOULD YOU PLEASE PUSH
STAR SIX TO SPEAK?
>> OKAY.
THERE YOU ARE.
>> WE GOT
YOU NOW.
>> THANK YOU, EVERYBODY.
THANK YOU CHAIR
AND COUNCILMEMBERS FOR THIS
TIME.
I REALLY APPRECIATE THE
EFFORT THAT WE HAVE TO IMPROVE
OUR WATERSHED AND IMPROVE THE
SKAGIT RIVER ECOSYSTEM.
I REALLY APPRECIATE THE
CITY LIGHT TEAM AND THEIR
OPENNESS
TO WORK WITH THE TRIBES AND
WORK WITH THE AGENCIES TO GET
THIS
PROCESS, THIS LONG PROCESS
THROUGH.
THE ULTIMATE GOAL HERE IS TO
GET AN AGREEMENT AND TO GET A
COMPREHENSIVE
SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT APPROVED
HERE.
I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT TO
ALL OF US.
LIKE WAS SAID BEFORE, WE'RE
THE STEWARDS OF THE SKAGIT
RIVER.
WE TAKE THAT VERY SERIOUSLY.
WE HAVE CULTURAL AND CULTURAL
SIGNIFICANCE WITH THE RIVER.
WE USE SALMON AS A STAPLE.
IT'S LIKE I SAID WE ARE THE
SALMON PEOPLE.
I'M JUST TRYING TO
GO OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD HERE
BUT IT'S
TWO MINUTES.
I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT
THAT WE HAVE A VOICE AT THE
TABLE.
AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT
THAT OUR LEADERSHIP HAS A VOICE
FOR
OUR FUTURE GENERATIONS.
I EMPHASIZE THE IMPORTANCE
OF THIS COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
BUT THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
TEN SECONDS.
THAT WILL BE ALL.
>> THANK YOU, SIR.
I SHOULD ADD, TRIBAL
LEADERSHIP, YOU CAN GO OVER TWO
MINUTES.
YOU TAKE AS LONG AS YOU NEED.
I APOLOGIZE.
I SHOULD HAVE SAID THAT ON THE
OUTSET.
ANYTHING ELSE YOU WANT TO ADD,
COUNCILMEMBER?
>> THAT'LL BE
ALL.
>> THANK YOU, SIR.
GO AHEAD, PAUL.
WHO'S NEXT?
>> NEXT ON REMOTE
TRIBAL LEADERSHIP WILL BE
SENATOR BARBARA JAMES, SENATOR
FRED
CAIOU, SENATOR BAILEY,
SENATOR CONTESSA AND SENATOR
GREG
EDWARDS.
FIRST SENATOR BARBARA
JAMES.
>> THOSE ARE ALL FROM THE
SWINOMISH NATION?
>>
YEAH.
>> OKAY.
>> YOU'LL HEAR A PROMPT
ASKING TO UNMUTE.
PLEASE PUSH
STAR SIX, SENATOR BARBARA JAMES.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON.
I'M BARBARA
JAMES. MY TRADITIONAL NAME IS --
THANK YOU FOR PUTTING ME ABLE TO
SPEAK
TODAY.
IN REGARDS TO OUR TRIBE, OUR
PEOPLE, I AM SPEAKING ON
BEHALF OF HOW I'VE BEEN BROUGHT
UP BY
A GRANDMOTHER WHO TAUGHT US
AND MANY OF OUR ELDERS WHO
TAUGHT
US THE ONES THAT WE DESCEND
FROM HAVE TAUGHT US TO TAKE CARE
OF OUR LANDS AND PROPERTY AND
THE
WATER, NATURE, ALL OF IT.
WE START AT HOME BY TEACHING
THIS TO OUR CHILDREN AND TO
PURSUE ALL OF THIS -- TO DO
THIS.
ALL ASPECTS OF LIFE, THE BEAUTY
OF OUR SURROUNDINGS, AND
WE START FROM THE LAND AND
THE WATER AND WHERE WE GATHERED
FROM.
SO AS TO PROTECT ALL OF
THAT, HOW THE RIVER FLOWS.
AND WE'RE GRATEFUL FOR THIS
TIME TO BE ABLE TO CARRY IT ON
FOR
THE GENERATIONS BEYOND US
FOR THE FUTURE, FOR OUR
GRANDCHILDREN, OUR GREAT
GRANDCHILDREN AND EVERYONE.
SO I'M HERE TODAY TO
SUPPORT THAT AND TO -- JUST
GRATEFUL
FOR WHAT WE HAVE, AS ONE OF
OUR ELDERS IN OUR COMMUNITY, I
THANK YOU ON BEHALF OF OUR
PEOPLE, THANK YOU ON BEHALF OF
OUR ELDERS WHO ARE HERE WHO
HAD WITNESSED A LOT OF THE WORK
AND THE TEACHINGS THAT WE HAVE
HAD THROUGHOUT THE GENERATIONS.
AND I APPRECIATE EACH AND EVERY
ONE. AND ANYTHING THAT'S OUT
THERE --
WE KNOW THE THINGS THAT WE
TAKE CARE OF WILL TAKE CARE OF
ALSO OTHERS BECAUSE OF THE AREA
THAT'S AROUND US.
EACH ONE, WE HAVE TO HAVE
THE BEAUTIFUL HEART OF THIS IN
LIFE, AND WE'RE SO GRATEFUL ON
BEHALF OF ALL OF OUR PEOPLE.
WE CERTAINLY APPRECIATE
THE TIME. TIME
AND BEING ABLE TO VISIT WITH
US AND TALK TO US.
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY.
>> THANK YOU, BARBARA.
>> NEXT IS FRED CAIOU,
SENATOR FRED CAIOU.
IT LOOKS LIKE YOU'RE NOT
PRESENT.
IF YOU WANT TO
TRY CALLING BACK IN, WE CAN COME
BACK TO YOU.
WE MOVE TO SENATOR ARLEA
BAILEY, IF YOU WANT TO PUSH STAR
SIX.
>>
THERE SHE IS. GO AHEAD, SENATOR.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON.
MY NAME IS ARLEA BAILEY.
MY INDIAN NAME IS --
VERY HONORED TO HAVE THIS
OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS THE
COUNCIL.
100 YEARS IS A LONG TIME, IT
SEEMS, BUT NOT REALLY.
BEING ABLE TO COME TO THIS NEXT
PHASE OF OUR LEASE AGREEMENT,
50 YEARS, MOST OF US WON'T BE
HERE
IN THAT TIME FRAME.
I ALSO SERVE NOT ONLY AS
A SENATOR FOR THE SWINOMISH
TRIBE,
BUT I ALSO SERVE AS A CULTURE
DIRECTOR. MY JOB IS TO PRESERVE
OUR
CULTURAL TRADITION AND
OUR LANGUAGE PRACTICES.
AND MUCH OF THAT IS ROOTED
AROUND THE LAND, OUR
TERRITORY, OUR HOME OF OUR
ANCESTORS.
WE GREW UP IN FISHING VILLAGES
ALL
UP AND DOWN THE SKAGIT RIVER.
PROVIDING FOOD, PROVIDING
CLOTHING, PROVIDING
TRANSPORTATION, PROVIDING
SHELTER. THAT'S THE CRUX OF WHO
WE ARE
AS NATIVE PEOPLE.
I'M VERY HONORED THAT WE'VE
BEEN ABLE TO MAKE IT THIS FAR IN
THIS AGREEMENT.
I LOOK FORWARD TO FUTURE
ENDEAVORS WITH THE CITY
COUNCIL, WITH ALL OF OUR
OTHER NEIGHBORING RELATIVES, AS
WAS
STATED IN THE BEGINNING.
YOU KNOW, MOST IMPORTANTLY, AS
A TRIBAL LEADER, I PRAY FOR
OUROUR
FUTURE GENERATIONS TO BE ABLE
TO UPHOLD THESE CULTURAL
PRACTICES THAT WERE LEFT TO US
BY
OUR GRANDPARENTS AND OUR GREAT
GRANDPARENTS.
MY GREAT GRANDCHILDREN, MY GREAT
GREAT GRANDCHILDREN WILL BE
ABLE TO SEE A SALMON, TO BE ABLE
TO GATHER CEDAR BARK, BE ABLE TO
BUILD BASKETS, TO UNDERSTAND
NOT ONLY THE LANGUAGE, BUT LIVE
BY
THE LANGUAGE OF OUR NATIVE
PEOPLE.
AND I REALLY APPRECIATE
THE OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS YOU
TODAY, THANKING YOU FOR
GIVING US THE OPPORTUNITY TO
COME
TOGETHER, TO HONOR AND
RESPECT ONE ANOTHER, BUT MORE
IMPORTANTLY TO ADDRESS THE NEEDS
OF BOTH SIDES AND HOW WE COME
TO THAT AGREEMENT THAT I KNOW
WE'RE
VERY CLOSE TO THE FINISH LINE
ON THIS.
AND I REALLY HOPE AND PRAY
WE CAN CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD
IN A GOOD WAY.
IN MY GRANDFATHER'S LANGUAGE I
SAY --
[ SPEAKING IN A GLOBAL LANGUAGE
]
THANK YOU MY FRIENDS.
THANK YOU FOR COMING TOGETHER
AND HAVING THIS -- WITH A GOOD
FEELING.
AGAIN --
>> THANK YOU, SENATOR BAILEY.
WHO'S NEXT, PAUL?
>>
NEXT WE HAVE SENATOR GREG
EDWARDS.
IT LOOKS LIKE NEITHER
ARE CURRENTLY PRESENT, TO THAT
WOULD
BE THE END OF TRIBAL LEADERSHIP.
>> WHAT ABOUT SENATOR BRUCE
JAMES?
HE'S ON MY
LIST.
>> HE WAS NOT
AVAILABLE.
>> OKAY.
AND SENATOR ALAN --
>> ALSO NOT, YEAH.
>> OKAY.
SO WITH THAT, WE GOT TRIBAL
LEADERSHIP, SO YOU WANT TO
FINISH?
OKAY.
>> MOVE TO IN- PERSON PUBLIC
COMMENT.
FOR IN- PERSON PUBLIC
COMMENT WE'LL HAVE IN THIS
ORDER WILL
HANA, SIMON THORNTON, MICHAEL
THORNTON, THOMAS O'KEEFE,
ELAINE MEADOWS AND AMY TRAINER.
YOU'LL HAVE TWO MINUTES TO
SPEAK.
YOU'LL HEAR A DING AT
TEN SECONDS REMAINING IN YOUR
TIME.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON, CHAIR
JUAREZ, COUNCILMEMBERS.
WILL HONING.
I REPRESENT SKAGIT COUNTY
AND ITS BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS.
WE FOREGO THE INTENSIVE
DEVELOPMENT THAT HAS
BROUGHT SEATTLE IMMENSE WEALTH.
I WANT TO THANK THE SKAGIT
TRIBES WHO HAVE ALL HERE
TODAY, BECAUSE WITHOUT THEM
THERE WOULDN'T BE FIVE FISH TO
CATCH IN THE SKAGIT RIVER.
I THINK WE ALL UNDERSTAND THAT.
THE 1855 TREATY OF POINT
ELLIOT GUARANTEES THE SKAGIT
TRIBES THE
RIGHT TO ABUNDANT FISHERIES
RESOURCE TO SUSTAIN CULTURE AND
ECONOMY.
THAT PROMISE HAS NOT
BEEN ADEQUATELY KEPT.
WE'RE EAGER TO SEE
THIS SETTLEMENT COMPLETED SO WE
CAN GET TO WORK TOGETHER WITH
THE CITY OF SEATTLE.
THAT MEANS STRATEGIC
ESTUARY RESTORATION ON THE
SKAGIT DELTA.
THESE ARE MAJOR
MULTIFACETED CIVIL WORKS
PROJECTS THAT
CENTRALLY INVOLVE OUR
CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE AND THE
PRIME FARMLAND WE WORK AS A
COMMUNITY TO PROTECT.
SKAGIT COUNTY'S
ELECTED LEADERSHIP HAS
PUBLICLY COMMITTED TO ESTUARY
RESTORATION. FISH PASSAGE AT
SEATTLE'S
DAMS IS ALSO IMPORTANT TO OUR
COMMUNITY.
IT'S THE CENTER OF THIS
BARGAIN.
IT'S AN UNDERTAKING
THAT REQUIRES CITY LIGHTS'
CONSISTENT GOOD FAITH AND
DILIGENCE.
OUR COMMUNITIES SHOULD
MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS
SETTLEMENT
BUT IT'S ALSO THE CASE NO
CONTRACT IS WORTH THE PAPE R
IT'S
PRESENTED ON WITHOUT GOOD FAITH.
THERE'S BEEN SOME RECENT
CHANGES.
THE BOARD WOULD LIKE TO ASK THAT
SEATTLE'S POLITICAL LEADERSHIP
PUBLICLY COMMIT TO GOOD FAITH
FISH PASSAGE IMPLEMENT TAKE
AS WELL AND JOIN US.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO
PARTNERING WITH THE CITY OF
SEATTLE ON THIS
SETTLEMENT.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU,
SIR.
>> NEXT, WE HAVE SIMON
THORNTON, FOLLOWED BY MICHAEL
THORNTON.
>> ALL COUNCILMEMBERS, GOOD
AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS SIMON
THORNTON
REPRESENTING -- I'M HERE TODAY
ASKING THE PARKS AND CITY
LIGHT COMMIT TO ADD TO THE
COMMUNITY THE -- RESOLUTION --
ENDORSED
BY THE SEATTLE LGBTQ COMMISSION.
THIS RESOLUTION ASKS THE CITY TO
RECOGNIZE DENNY BLAINE PARK
-- [ INDISCERNIBLE ]
THIS ATHERS OR OLLOW FOLLOWS IN
THE
FOOTSTEPS --
[ INDISCERNIBLE ] NOW WE ARE
ASKING YOU TO
GIVE THE COMMITTEE THE
OPPORTUNITY
TO HAVE
A PUBLIC CONSIDERATION SAL THAT
HAS BEEN
SUPPORTED BY THE MAYOR AND
LGBTQ COMMISSION AND PUT IT TO A
VOTE
SO THE HISTORY OF THIS PARK AND
OF THE
COMMUNITY --
[ INDISCERNIBLE ]
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, SIR.
>> NEXT WILL BE MICHAEL
THORNTON ED BY THOMAS '
KEEFE.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON.
I'D LIKE TO THANK EVERYBODY
HERE FOR THE WORK THEY ARE
DOING.
I'M HERE TO ASK THE COUNCIL
TO PLACE ON THE SCHEDULE
THE RESOLUTION TITLED
RESOLUTION RECOGNIZING DENNY
BLAINE AS
A PLACE OF HISTORIC SIGNIFICANCE
TO SEATTLE'S LGBTQ+
COMMUNITY AND SUPPORTING EFFORTS
TO PRESERVE AND INTERPRET
ITS CULTURAL HERITAGE.
THIS IS A
STRAIGHTFORWARD RECOGNITION
MEASURE
THAT ACKNOWLEDGES DENNY
BLAINE'S
LONG ROLE AS AN IMPORTANT
GATHERING PLACE FOR THE LGBTQ
COMMUNITY INCLUDING A SPACE
FOR TRANSGENDER AND GENDER
DIVERSE
RESIDENTS.
IT SUPPORTS EFFORTS TO
DOCUMENT AND INTERPRET THAT
HISTORY AND
ENCOURAGES APPROPRIATE
SIGNAGE RECOGNIZING THE
PARK'S HISTORICAL IMPORTANCE.
THIS RESOLUTION SHOULD NOT
BE LEFT SITTING IN COMMITTEE.
THE WASHINGTON STATE -- HAS
ALREADY RECOGNIZED THE PARK
FOR ITS SIGNIFICANCE WITHIN
THE LGBTQ+ HISTORY.
SEATTLE SHOULD MOVE ITS OWN
RECOGNITION MEASURE FORWARD
AND ALLOW IT TO BE CONSIDERED
OPENLY.
I'M ASKING YOU TO STOP LETTING
THIS STALL IN PARKS AND
CITY LIGHT COMMITTEE AND PUT IT
ON THE SCHEDULE.
IF THERE ARE VIEWS FOR OR
AGAINST, THOSE COULD BE HEARD
IN PUBLIC, BUT IT SHOULD NOT
BE DELAYED IN SILENCE.
PLEASE PLACE THIS RESOLUTION
ON THE SCHEDULE AND LET THE
COUNCIL ACT ON IT.
THANK
YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
>> NEXT IS THOMAS
O'KEEFE FOLLOWED BY ELAINE
MEADOWS.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON.
MY NAME IS THOMAS O'KEEFE.
I'M THE DIRECTOR OF
POLITICIAN AND SCIENCE FOR
AMERICAN WHITE
WATER ALSO RATE PAYER HERE AT
THE CITY OF SEATTLE AND WANT TO
PROVIDE COMMENT ON THE SKAGIT
HYDROELECTRIC AGREEMENT WE'RE
PARTY TO .
HYDRO POWER COME WITH
TREMENDOUS IMPACTS.
THEY ALTER SEDIMENT
MOVEMENT, WATER FLOW, WATER
TEMPERATURE, THEY FRAGMENT
HABITAT, THEY
BLOCK FISH MIGRATION, THEY
CHANGE RECREATIONAL USES AND
DISRUPT CULTURAL CHARACTER OF
RIVERS.
FOR RIVER COMMUNITIES,
THEY IMPACT LIVELIHOODS,
CULTURAL PRACTICES AND HAVE A
LONG- TERM
IMPACT ON ECOSYSTEM RECOVERY.
HYDRO POWER LICENSING UNDER THE
FEDERAL POWER ACT OFFERS US
AN OPPORTUNITY TO REASSESS
PROJECTS THROUGH MODERN SCIENCE,
UPDATED ENVIRONMENTAL STANDARDS
AND CURRENT COMMUNITY
PRIORITIES.
THESE PROCEEDINGS
DETERMINE WHETHER A PROJECT WILL
OPERATE FOR ANOTHER 30 TO
50 YEARS AND UNDER WHAT
CONDITIONS.
IN THE CASE OF THE SKAGIT RIVER,
GRATE
GREAT WEALTH HAS BEEN
EXTRACTED FROM THE RIVER BY THIS
COMMUNITY. AS A MEMBER OF THIS
COMMUNITY
WE NEED TO COME TO TERMS WITH
AND RECONCILE THE COST THAT
HAS RESULTED IN FOR COMMUNITIES
ALONG THE RIVER.
I PERSONALLY HAVE BEEN
INVOLVED IN DOZENS OF
REGULATORY PROCEEDINGS IN HYDRO
POWER LICENSING OVER THE PAST 30
YEARS.
I CAN'T PERSONALLY REMEMBER
ONE BEING AS COMPLEX AND AS
INVOLVED
AS THIS ONE.
TODAY WE HAVE A SETTLEMENT
THAT WE SUPPORT.
IT DOES NOT ADDRESS EVERY
ISSUE THAT WAS RAISED BUT IT IS
A GOOD
AGREEMENT
AND IT DOES IMPORTANTLY PROVIDE
A
FRAMEWORK FOR CONTINUED
COLLABORATION
AND COORDINATION IN THE SKAGIT
RIVER BASIN.
THIS IS NOT THE END BUT IT
IS THE BEGINNING OF THE PROCESS
TO
WORK TOWARDS IMPLEMENTATION
OF THIS AGREEMENT AND I URGE YOU
TO SUPPORT BOTH THE AGREEMENT
BUT ALSO THE RESOURCES FOR
SEATTLE CITY LIGHT TO CONTINUE
TO
ENGAGE AND PROVIDE THE STAFFING
THAT
IT WILL TAKE TO DO THIS.
SO
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU,
SIR.
>> NEXT IS EILEEN
MEADOWS FOLLOWED BY AMY TRAINER.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON,
COUNCILMEMBERS.
MY NAME IS ELLIE MEADOWS.
I'M REPRESENTING FRIENDS
OF DENNY BLAINE AS SECRETARY.
I SPOKE TO ECHO THE CALL MADE
BY SIMON FOR THE PARKS AND
CITY LIGHT COMMITTEE TO SCHEDULE
A VOTE ON THE
RESOLUTION ACKNOWLEDGING THE
UNIQUE
AND BEAUTIFUL HISTORY OF
DENNY BLAINE AS A CULTURAL TOUCH
STONE FOR
THE QUEER COMMUNITY. AS A QUEER
PERSON THE PARK
HAS BECOME AN IRREPLACEABLE PART
OF
MY LIFE.
SEEING THE PARK RECOGNIZED
AT THE STATE LEVEL FOR ITS
HISTORIC ROLE WAS PROFOUNDLY
MEANINGFUL TO ME.
IT'S EQUALLY IMPORTANT THAT THE
CITY TAKES THE INITIATIVE IN
ACKNOWLEDGING DENNY BLAINE
AND CELEBRATES
THE SPECIAL HISTORY. I URGE YOU
TO TAKE ACTION.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
>> LAST IN- PERSON
PUBLIC COMMENTER IS AMY TRAINER.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON,
COUNCIL, CHAIR JUAREZ.
MY NAME IS AMY TRAINER.
I SERVE AS THE DIRECTOR OF
ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY FOR
THE SWINOMISH TRADE.
FOR THE PAST SEVEN YEARS
I'VE HAD THE PRIVILEGE TO BE ON
A NEGOTIATING TEAM.
I WANT TO ECHO THE COMMENTS
OF OUR TRIBAL LEADERS TO THANK
THE CITY AND THE CITY LIGHT
TEAM.
THEY DID STICK IT OUT
ALL THROUGH SOME VERY TOUGH
TIMES.
THEY MAINTAINED JUST ABOVE
BOARD REALLY HONEST GOOD FAITH
NEGOTIATIONS.
I THINK WE'RE ALL THE BETTER
FOR IT.
I THINK THEY REALLY PUSHED FOR A
COMMITMENT TO THE WHOLE SKAGIT
RIVER. AND IN THE END THEY
WERE FUNDAMENTALLY AND
FAIRLY COMMITTED TO HONORING
AND UPHOLDING THE TRIBE'S
TREATY
RIGHTS.
THEY'VE BEEN GOOD PARTNERS.
WE'RE REALLY EXCITED TO
IMPLEMENT THE NEXT STEPS.
TO THEIR CREDIT, THEY
EMBRACE THE CALLS FROM THE THREE
TREATY TRIBES AND MANY OTHER
PARTNERS FOR AN ECOSYSTEM
APPROACH.
BECAUSE THEY UNDERSTAND THAT
THE ENTIRE RIVER FROM UP IN
THE RESERVOIRS THROUGHOUT
THE MAIN AND THE FLOODPLAIN ALL
THE
WAY TO THE ESTUARY HABITAT, ALL
OF THAT HAD AN ECOSYSTEM
APPROACH
THAT WE NEED TO RESTORE AND
RECOVER OUR CHINOOK SALMON AND
STEELHEAD AND BULL TROUT.
REMARKABLY THIS AGREEMENT IS
ROOTED AND GROUNDED IN SOUND
SCIENCE. BEST AVAILABLE SCIENCE
WILL BE A
COMPONENT OF IMPLEMENTATION
FROM BUILDING FISH PASSAGE,
STUDYING FISH PASSAGE TO MAKE
SURE WE
DO IT THE RIGHT WAY, MAKING
SURE WE HAVE ADAPTIVE MANAGEMENT
OVER
50 YEARS TO SHOW HOW NOT ONLY
THE RESTORATION PROJECTS WE
LOOK FORWARD TO DOING IMPROVE
THE RIVER BUT ALSO WE CAN ADAPT
TO CLIMATE CHANGE WHICH IS
REALLY IMPORTANT OVER THIS TIME
FRAME.
SO I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK
YOU TO THE CITY LIGHT TEAM,
THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONVERSATION
AND
RESPECTFULLY URGE YOUR SUPPORT.
THANKS.
>> THANK YOU.
>> THE FIRST SPEAKER WILL BE
JENNA FREEBL FOLLOWED BY LAURA
CLAUSE.
>> WHO'S NEXT, PAUL?
>> JENNA FREEBL.
>> I DON'T SEE --
>> REMOTE PUBLIC
COMMENTERS.
>> OH, THERE IT IS.
JENNA
FREEBL.
>> HI.
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY.
MY NAME IS JENNA FREEBL.
I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
OF THE SKAGIT CONSORTIUM --
SKAGIT
LOCAL GOVERNMENT, TOGETHER
WE REPRESENTATIVE OVER 60,000
ACRES OF GLOBALLY SIGNIFICANT
FARMLAND
OPERATING LEVEES
AND CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE.
THE FLOOD CONTROL AND
FISH PASSAGE WILL BE BENEFICIAL
TO OUR COMMUNITY.
HOWEVER, THE DRAINAGE CONSORTIUM
AND THE DIKE PARTNERSHIP
WILL NOT BE SIGNING THE
SETTLEMENT DUE TO HABITAT FUNDS
AND
CITY LEADERSHIP IS NOT
FULLY COMMITTED TO FISH PASSAGE
IMPLEMENTATION, SHIFTING
THE FULL BURDEN ONTO SKAGIT
FARMLAND AND OUR INFRASTRUCTURE.
UNDER THE SETTLEMENT CITY LIGHT
IS PLANNING TO SPEND
A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF RATE
PAYER FUNDS ON MAJOR HABITAT
PROJECTS THAT DIRECTLY INVOLVE
OUR
INFRASTRUCTURE AND OUR FARMLAND.
PRACTICALLY SPEAKING
THESE HABITAT PROJECTS ARE
NOT POSSIBLE WITHOUT OUR
COOPERATION.
AFTER YEARS OF BEING EXCLUDED
FROM THE CONFIDENTIAL
NEGOTIATIONS WE
NEED TRANSPARENCY FROM THE CITY
OF
SEATTLE.
CITY LIGHT COMMITTEE
THAT WILL BE DISPERSING THE
HABITAT
FUNDS NEEDS TO SHOW OUR
COMMUNITY
CITY LIGHT HAS NOTHING TO HIDE.
IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT THAT
CITY LIGHT AFFORDS SKAGIT TRIBAL
AND
LOCAL GOVERNMENTS THE SPACE
WE NEED TO SORT OUT
HABITAT PROJECTS INVOLVING OUR
LAND
INFRASTRUCTURE TO ENSURE
THIS FUNDING IS ALIGNED WITH
AND OPTIMIZED FISHERIES
RECOVERIES
GOAL. WE STAND BY TO DO THIS
WORK.
AS NOTED, RECENT CHANGES IN
CITY LIGHT LEADERSHIP HAVE
HEIGHTENED OUR CONCERNS AND WE
REQUEST
THAT THE CITY LEADERSHIP
PUBLICLY
COMMIT TO GOOD FISH PASSAGE
IMPLEMENTATION.
THANK YOU.
>> NEXT IS LAURA CLAUS.
PLEASE PRESS STAR SIX.
>> CHAIR JUAREZ,
COUNCILMEMBERS AND DISTINGUISHED
GUESTS,
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO
SPEAK.
I'M LAURA CLAUS,
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF
SKAGITONIANS TO
PRESERVE FARMLAND.
ALONG WITH SKAGIT
COUNTY'S FARMLAND LEGACY
PROGRAM WE WORK
TO CONSERVATIVE
THREATENED FARMLAND AND PREVENT
THE
PAVING OVER OF OUR VALLEY.
WE ARE DEEPLY CONCERNED THAT
THE SKAGIT HYDROELECTRIC PROJECT
SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT
WAS NEGOTIATED WITHOUT SKAGIT
COUNTY DIKE AND DRAINAGE
PARTICIPATION.
THE INFRASTRUCTURE THEY
MAINTAIN PROTECTS 60,000 ACRES
OF
WORLD CLASS FARMLAND AS YOU JUST
HEARD.
THE SIZABLE HABITAT FUND IN
THIS AGREEMENT YOU'LL HEAR
ABOUT TODAY IS NOT TIED TO THE
SKAGIT SHIN NOOK RECOVERY PLAN.
HUGE DOLLARS ON THE ESTUARY WILL
LIKELY LEAD TO OPPORTUNISTIC
RATHER THAN STRATEGIC
CONVERSION OF FARMLAND TO
HABITAT,
INCREASING LAND PRICES AND
NOT MOVING FORWARD IN A
MEANINGFUL WAY TO SALMON
RECOVERY.
THIS AGREEMENT ALSO
CONTAINS CRITICALLY A PATH TO
FISH PASSAGE AT THE DAMS.
TODAY DURING CITY SEATTLE
LIGHT'S PRESENTATION WE
ARE LOOKING TO HEAR THEIR
LEADERSHIP'S COMMITMENT
TO IMPLEMENT FISH PASSAGE
IN GOOD FAITH AND INCLUDING OUR
LOCAL
GOVERNMENTS AT THE
TABLE ESPECIALLY THE DIKE AND
DRAINAGE DISTRICT.
IT'S TIME TO TURN OVER A NEW
LEAF, STOP THE SECRECY AND
TAKE THE TARGET OFF
SKAGIT FARMLAND.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
>> NEXT IS ROBERT
LONDAL FOLLOWED BY DAVID HAINES.
PLEASE PUSH STAR SIX.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE.
MY NAME IS ROBERT LONDAL.
I'M THE PRODUCER OF A
FEATURE DOCUMENTARY FILM CALLED
"UNCONQUERING THE LAST
FRONTIER" WHICH WE LIKE TO SAY
IS
ABOUT THE EPIC DRAMA OF THE
DAMMING AND UNDAMMING OF THE --
RIVER.
SPEAKING TODAY
TOTALLY INDEPENDENTLY NOT ON
BEHALF OF
MY GROUP
ANY GROUP BUT ONLY IN THE
MEMORY OF TWO TRIBAL ELDERS
BEATRICE CHARLES AND ADDELINE
SMITH.
ALL OF THE DAMS NEED TO COME
OUT.
THE RIVER NEEDS TO RUN
ITS COURSE WITH THE DOWNSTREAM
IMPACTS MITIGATED.
THE PROPOSED $4 MILLION
SKAGIT SETTLEMENT IS A 50 YEAR
COMMITMENT TO A FAILING PATH.
WE'RE
TOLD WE NEED THIS POWER BUT
IT'S THE FAILURE OF THE
IMAGINATION.
THE DAMS ARE BECOMING STRANDED
ASSETS.
WE'RE ABOUT TO SINK A BILLION
DOLLARS INTO FISH PASSAGE A
SPECULATIVE TECHNOLOGY THAT
HAS NEVER SUCCESSFULLY RESTORED
A
SALMON RUN OF THIS SCALE.
IF IT FAILS AND THE SALMON
GO EXTINCT THE CITY REMAINS
LEGALLY
LIKE AND THE SALMON WILL BE
REMOVED ANYWAY.
THAT'S BILLIONS OF TAXPAYER
MONEY WASTED.
INSTEAD OF PATCHING UP A
100-YEAR- OLD ECOLOGICAL
DISASTER SEATTLE SHOULD HAVE A
MASSIVE
SOLAR BUILDOUT SOUTH OF THE
CASCADES.
WE CAN REPLACE IT WITH MODERN,
RELIABLE AND SALMON SAFE ENERGY.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
IT'S A PLEASURE TO BE A PART OF
THIS.
>> FINAL SPEAKER IS DAVID
HAINES. PLEASE PRESS STAR SIX.
>> THANK YOU.
DAVID HAINES.
FIRST, WE NEED TO FREE
DENNY BLAINE FROM THE CULTURALLY
INAPPROPRIATE EVIANT
PERVERT WHO IS WANT TO TAKE
THEIR PRIVATE PARTS AND SHOVE
THEM
IN EVERYBODY ELSE'S FACE IN A
PARK
THEY'RE RUINING.
SECONDLY WE NEED TO ADJUST THE
SETTLEMENT TO SER VERIFY THE
TRIBES WHO ALREADY OWN CASINOS
ARE
NOT ALLOWED TO INVEST ANY OF
THIS
MONEY IN THEIR CASINOS.
IT LOOKS LIKE THERE'S A
DETAIL THAT ALLOWS THEM TO DO
THAT.
I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHO'S
OVERSEEING THIS $972 BILLION TO
BUILD A ROAD THROUGH A PARK JUST
TO MOVE SALMON THAT ARE
GOING TO BE SHOCKED BY THE WHOLE
EXPERIENCE.
ARE THE WORKERS GOING TO BE PAID
MORE THAN A PAYCHECK-TO-
PAYCHECK WAGE?
BECAUSE IT SOUNDS LIKE
THEY'RE GOING TO BE DOING ALL
THE WORK.
OR IS IT GOING TO BE LIKE
THE WHITE MAN'S VERSION
OF CAPITALISM WHERE THE
BOSS DOESN'T DO MUCH.
IS THE CHIEF GOING TO BE
MAKING THE SAME AMOUNT AS THE
WORKER
DOING THE WORK OR IS
THE PRIVILEGE GOING TO GET THE
SIX FIGURE SALARY TO OVERSEE
THE TRAP AND HAUL?
THAT'S A LOT OF MONEY.
IT SEEMS LIKE SOME OF THE
TRIBES' MEMBERS SIMPLY NEED
SOME MONEY TO PURGE THE POVERTY
AND THE OPPRESSIONS.
I'M ALL FOR SAVING THE
REAL SALMON RUNS.
I WISH YOU ALL WOULD FOCUS ON
THE NEGATIVE IMPACTS OF
THE CRUISE BOATS THAT GET
DISCOUNTED PORT RATES AND GET TO
GO DUMP A
CITY AMOUNT OF SEWAGE IN
THE OCEAN 12 MILES OFF CHOKING
OFF
THE PATH SO ALL THE SALMON
HAVE TO SWIM
THROUGHTHROUGH THAT. [
INDISCERNIBLE ]
IT JUST SEEMS LIKE $972
MILLION IN PAYING PEOPLE TO SHIP
SALMON.
IS IT TRULY SUSTAINABLE?
I MEAN, YOU KNOW, YOU GOT TO
SAVE THE FARM LANDS FOR
THE PEOPLE TO EAT.
IS THIS GOING TO BE
ANOTHER GREEDY ASPECT WHERE THE
TRIBES
ARE GOING TO IMBIBE A BRIBE AND
GET PAID --
>> THERE ARE NO ADDITIONAL
SPEAKERS.
>> THANK YOU, MR.
HAINES. WE'RE DONE WITH IN
CLAIMERS
AND PUBLIC COMMENT.
AT THIS POINT PUBLIC
COMMENT WILL BE CLOSED.
WE'RE GOING TO GO TO ITEMS OF
BUSINESS.
I'M GOING TO HAVE THE CLERK
READ
IT INTO THE RECORD AND I'LL
TAKE
IT FROM THERE.
GO AHEAD, PAUL.
[ CLERK READS ]
>> COULD I PLEASE HAVE THE
PRESENTERS?
I'M GOING TO INVITE THEM TO
COME ONE THE CITY.
THE SEATTLE CITY
LIGHT PRESENTERS TO JOIN US AT
THE
TABLE.
THEN YOU CAN GO AHEAD AND HAVE
A SEAT.
ERIC'S HERE FROM CENTRAL STAFF.
ERIC McCONAGHY.
THEN AFTER WE HEAR AND GO
THROUGH THEIR POWER POINT
WE'LL HAVE A TRIBAL LEADERSHIP
AT THE
PANEL AT THE TABLE TO HEAR
FROM THEM AS WELL.
SO GO AHEAD AND GET SETTLED.
I'M GOING TO LET YOU
GUYS INTRODUCE YOURSELF,
THEN I'M GOING TO MAKE A FEW
COMMENTS BEFORE WE BEGIN.
I WOULD LIKE FOR THE VIEWING
PUBLIC AND FOLKS IN CHAMBERS TO
HEAR WHO YOU ARE.
WITH THAT, ONCE YOU'RE READY,
GO AHEAD AND
START.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON.
I'M CRAIG SMITH, INTERIM
GENERAL MANAGER AND CEO OF CITY
CITY
LIGHT.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON.
I'M MATT LOVE WITH
CASCADE LAW GROUP OUTSIDE
COUNSEL FOR THE
CITY.
>> MY NAME IS CHRIS TOWNSEND.
I'M THE DIRECTOR OF NATURAL
RESOURCES AND HYDRO LICENSING
AT SEATTLE CITY
LIGHT.
>> I'M DENNIS McLAREN.
>> STEVEN GRABOSKI.
>> [ INDISCERNIBLE ]
>> I'M GOING TO TAKE A POINT
OF PRIVILEGE HERE.
I NORMALLY DON'T DO THIS,
BUT I'M GOING TO DO IT FOR
THIS BECAUSE I'VE BEEN HERE
FOR SEATTLE CITY LIGHT SINCE
2016.
I'M GOING TO SET THE TABLE
NOT ONLY FOR OUR FRIENDS AND
VISUAL
-- VISITORS BUT THE VIEWING
PUBLIC.
WE'VE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO
REVIEW THE FEBRUARY
2026 SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT FOR
THE RELIANCING OF THE SKAGIT
RIVER HYDROELECTRIC PROJECT
WHICH
IS 25 PAGES.
WE ALSO GOT A MEMO FROM ERIC
McCONAGHY WHO WENT THROUGH THE
BACKGROUND, THE PARTIES, THE
OFF LICENSE AGREEMENTS AND
THE IMPACT ON OUR RATE PAYERS.
THANK YOU, CHRIS TOWNSEND.
WE GOT A MEMO FROM YOU,
YOUR SUMMARY AND FISCAL NOTE
DATED
DECEMBER 2025.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUMMARY AND
FISCAL NOTE BECAUSE
YOU OBVIOUSLY GAVE US THE
SUMMARY, THE BACKGROUND OF THE
LEGISLATION, THE DIRECT AND
INDIRECT IMPACTS TO THE CITY
OF SEATTLE AND ALSO KIND
OF OUTLINED FOR US THE $42
MILLION IN SETTLEMENT PAYMENTS
AND
THE EARLY IMPLEMENTATION ACTIONS
COST.
I KNOW YOU'RE GOING TO
BE DISCUSSING THIS, BUT I WANT
TO SET THE TABLE FOR PEOPLE WHO
ARE
WATCHING.
WE WILL BE DISCUSSING WE BELIEVE
THERE WILL BE A 5% RATE
HIKE OVER A SIX- YEAR PERIOD
BEGINNING IN 2027 TO 2032.
I ALSO WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THE
WAY YOU PHRASED
THE SENSIBILITIES OF WHAT WE
HOPE
TO GAIN FOR THIS IF INDEED IT
DOES PASS THAT WE PRESERVE CITY
LIGHTS POWER PORTFOLIO,
THAT WE HAVE ACTIVE CERTAINTY IN
FINANCIAL FORECASTING
AND OF COURSE I REALLY WANT TO
THANK
YOU FOR GOING THROUGH THE
RACE AND SOCIAL JUSTICE
INITIATIVE, THE RSJI ANALYSIS,
WHICH IS
INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT.
I'M GOING TO PARAPHRASE
AND QUOTE SOME OF WHAT YOU
SHARED
WITH MY COLLEAGUES AND
CENTRAL STAFF THAT YOU ARE
RECOGNIZING THE TRADITIONAL
TERRITORY AND HOMELANDS OF MANY
TRIBES
INCLUDING SAUK-
SUIATTLE, SWINOMISH AND UPPER
SKAGIT.
BY ADDRESSING THE
UNIQUE INTEREST OF IMPACTED
TRIBES INCLUDING PROTECTION,
MITIGATION
AND ENHANCEMENT MEASURES RELATED
TO FISH, AUDIOCASSETTE WATTICS,
BOTANICALS, WILDLIFE NATURE
AND CULTURAL RESOURCES.
THAT STATED RECOGNITION IS IN A
FEDERAL STATE CITY
DOCUMENT PARTICULARLY IN THE
SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT IS REQUIRED
NEEDED
AND CRITICAL AND MUCH
APPRECIATED.
THANK YOU FOR THAT.
WE ALSO HAD A CHANCE TO LOOK
AT AND GO THROUGH YOUR NINE-
PAGE POWER POINT TITLED THE
SKAGIT
HYDROELECTRIC PROJECT ORDINANCE.
I WANT TO JUST QUICKLY GIVE A
LITTLE
BACKGROUND. THEN I'M GOING TO
HAND IT
OVER TO YOU.
I WANT TO SHARE THIS FOR
MY COLLEAGUES AS WELL.
I UNDERSTAND UNDERSTAND
THAT WE HAVE EIGHT KEY POINTS
GOING
BACK TO 1924.
AND THEN 1927 WHEN THE CITY
ACQUIRED THE LICENSE.
IN 1977 WHEN YOU STARTED
THE RENEWAL PROCESS.
AND THEN IN 1995 WHEN THE
CITY GOT THEIR 30- YEAR LICENSE.
AND THEN IN 2018 WHEN
YOU STARTED THE PROCESS OF THIS
RENEWAL.
AND THEN I UNDERSTAND
THAT OUR -- LICENSE HAS EXPIRED.
IT EXPIRED LAST YEAR.
NOW WE'RE HERE NOW AND
HOPEFULLY WE'LL HAVE A
POTENTIAL VOTE
NEXT COMMITTEE HEARING ON APRIL
1st OUT OF COMMITTEE FOR THIS
LICENSE.
THEN WE HAVE HOPEFULLY
AN ANTICIPATED FURK LICENSE IN
HAND FOR 2030.
WHEN I SAY SET THE TABLE,
I'M TRYING TO DO -- WE ARE
LOOKING AT A 50- YEAR
LICENSE. WE'RE LOOKING AT
POSSIBLY A
$4 BILLION PRICE TAG.
THERE ARE 16 PARTIES
INVOLVED, FIVE FEDERAL AGENCIES,
THREE
STATES, TWO DESCRIBES,
COUNTY AND FOUR ENVIRONMENTAL
GROUPS AND WE HAVE OFF
LICENSE AGREEMENTS TOTALING $350
MILLION.
I THINK THAT'S ON PAGE SEVEN OF
YOUR POWER POINT.
WITHOUT GOING INTO ANY MORE
DETAIL BECAUSE I WANT
YOU TO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO
TALK ABOUT WHAT ALL THAT MEANS,
JUST ON A PERSONAL NOTE FROM A
FORMER LIFE REPRESENTING TRIBES
AND
WORKING IN FURK AND THESE KIND
>> OKAY.
YOU GAVE US SUCH A
WONDERFUL INTRODUCTION AND
BACKGROUND.
I'M GOING TO FOREGO THE
OPENING COMMENTS I WAS GOING TO
PROVIDE IN THE INTEREST OF
TIME.
>> YOU STILL CAN DO IT.
IT'S
OKAY.
>> FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU
FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO JOIN YOU
TODAY.
WE'RE PLEASED TO BE HERE TO
BRIEF YOU ON THE SKAGIT
HYDROELECTRIC PROJECT
RELIANCING COMPREHENSIVE
SETTLEMENT
AGREEMENT.
THIS AGREEMENT IS
THE CULMINATION OF MORE THAN
EIGHT YEARS OF HARD WORK
AND COLLABORATION WITH OUR
LICENSE
PARTNERS.
THE SKAGIT HYDROELECTRIC
PROJECT IS A CORNERSTONE OF CITY
LIGHTS CLEAN ENERGY PORTFOLIO.
THIS AGREEMENT ENSURES IT
WILL CONTINUE TO BE AVAILABLE
FOR
THE NEXT 50 YEARS AS A
GENERATION
RESOURCE FOR CITY LIGHT AND THE
WESTERN.
TODAY YOU'LL HEAR FROM JUST
A FEW OF THE MANY CITY LIGHT
STAFF
AND CONSULTANTS WHO DEVELOPED
THIS COMPREHENSIVE
LICENSE PACKAGE WITH DIRECT
ENGAGEMENT OF THE TRIBES, STATE
AND
FEDERAL REGULATORY AGENCIES AND
OTHER KEY STAKEHOLDERS INCLUDED
IN
THE FURK RELIANCING PROCESS.
THIS HISTORIC AGREEMENT SUPPORTS
CONTINUED CRITICAL CLEAN ENERGY
GENERATION WHILE STRENGTHENING
ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP
AND LONG- TERM MANAGEMENT OF
THE SKAGIT WATERSHED.
I NOW WILL TURN IT OVER TO
CHRIS TOWNSEND, DIRECTOR OF
NATURAL
RESOURCES AND LICENSING
WITH SEATTLE CITY LIGHT.
>> THANK YOU.
CHRIS.
>> THANK YOU FOR THE
OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT TODAY.
BEFORE I GET STARTED I'D LIKE
TO
THANK THE STAFF MEMBERS THAT I
HAVE SITTING IN THE ROOM AND
MORE OF THEM
.
>>> THE FIRST SLIDE DOES JUST
SHOW THE SPECIFIC
PARTIES THAT HAVE BEEN
NEGOTIATING WITH
US FOR THE PAST EIGHT YEARS.
COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ HAS I
ENUMERATED THEM.
I'LL ADD A FEW OTHERS
NOT REPRESENTED ON THIS LIST.
THIS IS AN INTERNATIONALINTERNAT
IONAL
PROJECT. WE'VE BEEN WORKING
CLOSELY
WITH TWO BANDS OF FIRST NATIONS
AND OTHERS TO ADDRESS THE
CULTURAL IMPACTS TO THEIR
RESOURCES IN THE UPPER WATERSHED
WHERE ROSS
LAKE CROSSES OVER INTO
CANADA, ALSO ENGAGING THE
CANADIAN
GOVERNMENT. EXTREMELY COMPLEX,
LOTS OF
PARTIES. WE LOOK FORWARD TO
MOVING FORWARD TOGETHER WITH
THEM IN
IMPLEMENTATION.
I WAS ADVISED BY A
COUNCILMEMBER TO TALK AS IF I'M
PRESENTING TO
PEOPLE WHO HAVE NEVER HEARD OF
THIS, SO I'M GOING TO GO OVER
A SLIDE THAT I KNOW YOU'RE WELL
AWARE OF.
THE SKAGIT PROJECT IS A
SYSTEM OF THREE DAMS AND
THREE POWERHOUSES LOCATED
ENTIRELY WITHIN THE NORTH
CASCADES NATIONAL RECREATION
AREA.
IT ALSO EXTENDS ABOUT
TWO MILES INTO CANADA, THEREBY
MAKING IT A
TRANSBOUNDARY INTERNATIONAL
PROJECT. WE HAVE THE TOWN OF
DIABLO
WITH A TOWN CALLED HOLLYWOOD AND
WE
HAVE A TOWN CALLED NEW HALLEM
REAGREED WE
AGREED TO RENAME --
THE GENERATION CAPACITY OF THE
PROJECT IS 840 MEGA
WATTS WHICH IS ABOUT 20% OF
SEATTLE ICE
'S ELECTRICITY.
DEMAND IS INCREASING
EXPONENTIALLY AND OUR SUPPLY IS
NOT SO WE HAVE TO MAINTAIN OUR
EXISTING GENERATION
CAPABILITIES.
THIS LICENSE WILL ACHIEVE THAT
GOAL.
HERE IS A GENERALIZED MAP OF
THE AREA TO SHOW WHERE THE THREE
TRIBES ARE.
WE HAVE THE SWINOMISH TRIBAL
COMMUNITY LOCATED NEAR
MT. VERNON IN LACONNOR.
AND THE UPPER SKAGIT TRIBE,
THEIR OFFICES ARE LOCATED
OUTSIDE OF -- AND
THE SAUK-SUIATTLE IS LOCATED
NEAR
THE TOWN OF DERINGTON.
THEY ALL HAVE VARIOUS RIGHTS AND
HISTORY IN THE BASIN AND
WERE THE CORE OF THE PARTIES
THAT
WE WORKED WITH ON THE
RELIANCING.
IT WAS THEIR INTERESTS THAT WERE
THE MOST IMPORTANT IN
DRIVING THE NEGOTIATIONS FOR
THIS NEW
LICENSE.
AND WE WORKED CLOSELY WITH THEM
AS WELL AS
THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WHO HOLD
THEIR
TREATY RIGHTS IN TRUST.
SO WE COLLECTIVELY
AS DEMONSTRATED BY THE
SIGNATURES WE'VE ALREADY
COLLECTED ON THE
AGREEMENT BELIEVE THIS MEETS
AS MANY OF THE
INTERESTS AS POSSIBLE AND ALSO
THE REGULATORY
AUTHORITIES AND REQUIREMENTS OF
THE FEDERAL AGENCIES.
SO THIS IS A GENERALIZED
TIMELINE. ILY AND THANKFULLY
WE'RE
NEAR THE END.
I WANT TO DRAW YOUR ATTENTION TO
THE FIRK DEADLINE.
WE NEED A LITTLE BIT MORE
TIME TO GET THROUGH THE
SIGNATURE
PROCESS.
THEY ARE FINE WITH THAT.
WE ANTICIPATE HAVING
THE AGREEMENT SIGNED IN EARLY
APRIL WHICH WOULD BE THE
EFFECTIVE
DATE FOR THE BEGINNING OF
THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE EARLY
ACTIONS.
IT WILL ALSO BE THE DATE
BY WHICH WE SUBMIT
THE COMPREHENSIVE SETTLEMENT
AGREEMENT TO FIRK AND AN
UPDATED LICENSE APPLICATION SO
THEY
CAN BEGIN THEIR ENVIRONMENTAL
REVIEW
PROCESS.
AFTER WE SUBMIT THE AGREEMENT IN
APRIL, WE WILL BEGIN
IMPLEMENTING EARLY ACTIONS,
WHICH INCLUDES THE FIRST THINGS
THAT WE NEED TO DO ON THE
IMPLEMENTATION OF THE
FISH PASSAGE PROGRAM, SO THAT
SHOWS A
GOOD FAITH EFFORT IN
GETTING MOVING ON THAT.
SO WE CAN BEGIN CONSTRUCTION
ON THE UPSTREAM FACILITY.
I'LL TALK MORE ABOUT THE
FISH PASSAGE PROGRAM IN A
MINUTE. BUT THE UPSTREAM
FACILITY
BEGINNING TO ACHIEVE ACCESS
TO THE DOWNSTREAM FACILITY IN
ROSS
AS WELL AS THE SCIENCE NEEDED
TO ENSURE WE'RE IMPLEMENTING A
FISH PASSAGE PROGRAM THAT WILL
BE SUCCESSFUL AND ACHIEVE THE
GOALS WE'VE SET OUT TO DO.
AGAIN, JUST TO REMIND EVERYONE
WE'RE HOPING WE HAVE A
LICENSE IN HAND BY 2030.
WE'LL OPERATE UNDER
ANNUAL LICENSES UNTIL THAT
POINT.
WE HAVE FOUR PRIORITIES BY WHICH
WE OPERATE THE SYSTEM NOW, THE
HYDROELECTRIC SYSTEM NOW AND
THOSE ARE CARRIED FORWARD INTO
THE COMPREHENSIVE
SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT WE'RE
ASKING YOU
TO CONSIDER TODAY.
THE FIRST PRIORITY IS FLOOD
RISK MANAGEMENT.
THAT'S IMPORTANT TO THE ENTIRE
VALLEY.
IT'S ONE OF THE FIRST ISSUES
WE DEALT WITH IN
CLOSE COLLABORATION WITH SKAGIT
COUNTY AND THE DRAINAGE AND
DIKING DISTRICT AND THE ARMY
CORPS OF
ENGINEERS.
I'M EXCITED ABOUT THE NEW
AGREEMENT.
IT ENGAGES LOCAL PARTNERS
IN DECISION MAKING ON HOW TO
MANAGE
THE FLOOD POCKET DURING
THE RAINY SEASON.
THE PICTURE, BY THE WAY, IS A
PICTURE OF ROSS RESERVOIR DRAWN
DOWN.
THAT'S ESSENTIALLY A VISUAL OF
WHAT OUR FLOOD POCKET LOOKS
LIKE.
SO THE FLOOD POCKET THAT
WE MANAGE THIS YEAR IN DECEMBER
WE HAD AN ATMOSPHERE RIVER COME
THROUGH.
IF THAT FLOOD POCKET WAS NOT
THERE, THE TOWN OF MT.
VERNON AND OTHER
COMMUNITIES WOULD HAVE BEEN FOUR
ADDITIONAL FEET
UNDERWATER. IT REALLY IS AN
IMPORTANT FACILITY TO THE
COMMUNITIES IN THE LOWER RIVER.
AND WE'RE EXCITED TO
MOVE FORWARD WITH THEM IN
IMPLEMENTING THE NEW FLOOD
RISK MANAGEMENT MEASURES.
THE SECOND PRIORITY IS FISH.
AND WE HAVE THREE COMPONENTS OF
OUR FISH PROGRAM IN
THE COMPREHENSIVE SETTLEMENT
AGREEMENT.
THE FIRST AND FLASHIEST AND MOST
EXPENSIVE IS THE FISH
PASSAGE PROGRAM THAT YOU'VE
HEARD A LOT
ABOUT.
THAT PROGRAM INCLUDES THREE
FEASIBILITY CRITERIA IN ORDER
TO IMPLEMENT.
ONE WOULD BE SUFFICIENT
ACCESS TO BUILD THE
DOWNSTREAM COLLECTOR AT ROSS.
RIGHT NOW IT'S AN
ISOLATED RESERVOIR IN THE
WILDERNESS
WITH THE ONLY ROAD ACCESS
BEING THROUGH CANADA.
SO WE'LL BE WORKING CLOSELY
WITH THE PARK SERVICE TO DO AN
ACCESS FEASIBILITY ASSESSMENT
THAT WILL
INCLUDE A ROAD AND I WILL
REQUEST THAT IT INCLUDE A SKY
UKRAINE
CRANE AT THE REQUEST
OF COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS AND
ANY OTHER VIABLE METHOD TO MAKE
SURE WE CAN BUILD AND OPERATE
THAT FACILITY FOR THE NEXT 50
YEARS.
THE SECOND FEASIBILITY CRITERIA
WOULD BE THAT WE CAN MEET
OUR GOALS AND OBJECTIVES.
WE ARE DOING FISH PASSAGE TO
ASSIST IN THE RECOVERY
OF ENDANGERED SPECIES
ESPECIALLY IN THE FACE OF
CLIMATE CHANGE.
OUR WATER IS COLD BECAUSE IT'S
A GLACIAL DOMINATED SYSTEM AND
THE LOWER RIVER IS HEATING UP.
THE THINKING IS THAT THE UPPER
RESERVOIRS CAN PROVIDE
COLDCOLD WATER FOR ENDANGERED
SPECIES.
AND THE SECOND GOAL AND
OBJECTIVE IS THAT THIS
COULDCOULD
INCREASE TRIBAL HARVEST
OPPORTUNITIES.
SO THE SECOND FEASIBILITY
CRY TIER -- CRITERIA IS RELATED
TO
ACHIEVING THOSE TWO GOALS. THE
THIRD CRITERIA IS THE
COST OF THE ENTIRE SYSTEM.
WE HAVE AGREED TO PAY UP TO $979
MILLION FOR A FISH PASSAGE
PASSAGE
PROGRAM. THAT WILL BE DIRECTED
BY THE FISH MANAGERMANAGERS, THE
COMANAGERS WHICH INCLUDE THE
TRIBES AND THE
STATE, DEPARTMENT OF FISH
AND WILDLIFE AND THE NATIONAL
MARINE FISHERIES SERVICE.
THEY WILL BE DIRECTING US ON
THE SPECIES TO PASS AND ASKING
US
TO CONSIDER
DIFFERENT CONFIGURATIONS OF FISH
PASSAGE WE CAN ACHIEVE WITHIN
THATTHAT
LIMITATION.
I THINK THAT ALSO PROVIDES
CITY CITY OF SEATTLE RATE PAYERS
WITH
SOME CERTAINTY AND RISK
MANAGEMENT
WHICH I THINK IS A WIN FOR THE
CITY.
I THINK ALL THE PARTNERS
WE NEGOTIATED WITH UNDERSTOOD
WE NEEDED SOME WAY TO PROTECT
OUR RATE PAYERS WITH
THE IMPLEMENTATION OF FISH
PASSAGE.
THE SECOND COMPONENT OF THE FISH
PROGRAM IS A ROBUST HABITAT
PROGRAM.
WE'VE AGREED TO SPEND
$200 MILLION ON HABITAT IN THE
MAIN
STEM AND THE ESTUARY OF
THE SKAGIT RIVER.
THIS IS CONSISTENT WITH OUR
ECOSYSTEM APPROACH LOOKING
AT WHERE WE CAN DO THE MOST GOOD
AND GET THE MOST VALUE OUT
OF OUR RATE PAYER DOLLARS.
THE ESTUARY PROGRAM WE'VE
WRITTEN SPECIFIC LANGUAGE IN AT
THE REQUEST OF SKAGIT COUNTY
WILL BE GUIDED BY THE SALMON
RECOVERY PLAN AND OTHER
PLANS THAT THE FARMING COMMUNITY
AND THE FISH COMMUNITY IN
SKAGIT COUNTY HAVE DEVELOPED
TO PRIORITIZE
AREAS FOR RESTORATION.
WE'VE ALSO COMMITTED
WITH SPECIFIC LANGUAGE AT THE
REQUEST
OF THE SKAGIT COUNTY
DRAINAGE AND DIKING
DISTRICTS VOLUNTARY LAND
ACQUISITION.
WE WILL NOT CONDEMN LAND
IN SKAGIT COUNTY.
WE SAID THAT IN THE
AGREEMENT AND ALSO WE DON'T
HAVE
THE ABILITY TO DO THAT.
THE PARTIES WANTED US TO
CONFIRM THAT SO WE DID INCLUDE
THAT
LANGUAGE IN THE AGREEMENT.
THE THIRD ELEMENT IN THE
FISH PROGRAM ARE FLOW MEASURES.
THAT HAS TO DO WITH THE USE OF
WATER.
FOR EXAMPLE, RAMPING RATES,
HOW FAST WE TURN THE RIVER UP
AND DOWN WHEN PRODUCING POWER,
WE WANT TO DO THAT IN A WAY
THAT DOESN'T JEOPARDIZE THE
HEALTH
OF SPAWNING BEDS AND JUVENILE
SALMON. OUR THIRD PRIORITY IN
THE AGREEMENT IS RECREATION.
AGAIN, WE'RE ENTIRELY WITHIN
THE RECREATION AREA.
THE CENTERPIECE OF THE
RECREATION PLAN IS
THE ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION
CENTER, WHICH IF YOU READ THE
AGREEMENT
CAREFULLY YOU'LL NOTICE
THAT WE ARE NOW CALLING THE
OUTDOOR SCHOOL LEARNING CENTER
AT THE
REQUEST OF THE
CURRENT ADMINISTRATION SO THAT
THERE IS
A SLIGHT CHANGE IN THE
NAME IN THE AGREEMENT BUT IT
WILL
ALSO BE THE ENVIRONMENTAL
LEARNING CENTER TO US AND OUR
PARTNER NORTH CASCADES INSTITUTE
WHO HAS BEEN OPERATING AN AWARD
WINNING PROGRAM FOR THE PAST 20
YEARS SERVING FIFTH GRADERS AND
OTHER YOUTH IN SKAGIT AND WATT
COME
COUNTY, A DISPROPORTIONATE SHARE
OF THEM DISADVANTAGED YOUTH.
SO IT'S A REALLY IMPORTANT
PROGRAM.
WE'RE PROPOSING TO CONTINUE
SUPPORTING THOSE PROGRAMS AND
MAINTAINING OUR EDUCATION
FACILITIES IN THE RECREATION
AREA.
THE SECOND PART OF THE
AGREEMENT IS AN OFF LICENSE
AGREEMENT WITH
THE NATIONAL PARK THAT'S
WORTH ABOUT $90 MILLION.
THEY HAVE BROAD DISCRETION
ON THE APPLICATION OF THAT
MONEY.
WE'RE HOPING THEY'LL USE
THAT FOR THE OPERATIONS AND
MAINTENANCE OF THE
FACILITIES WITHIN THE NATIONAL
PARK
AND THEY'LL ALSO USE IT
FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT
IMPROVING TRANSPORTATION AND
OTHER
MEASURES.
THE FOURTH PRIORITY FOR US
MAY BE A SURPRISE TO YOU IS
POWER
GENERATION.
BUT IT IS A FACT THAT WE LOOK
AT THESE OTHER FACTORS BEFORE
WE LOOK AT HOW WE USE THE
REMAINING WATER TO GENERATE
POWER FOR
THE CITIZENS OF SEATTLE AND
WE'VE
NEGOTIATED AN AGREEMENT WHERE
WE STILL HAVE THE FLEXIBILITY
AND
ABILITY TO PROVIDE POWER TO
THE CITY OF SEATTLE WHEN THEY
NEED
IT.
SO THAT'S THE CORE OF WHAT
WE'VE
AGREED TO.
I'LL TALK ABOUT THE OFF
LICENSE AGREEMENTS WITH THE
TRIBES HERE AS I'M TALKING
ABOUT THE COSTS.
YOU'VE HEARD THIS IS ABOUT A
$4 BILLION AGREEMENT.
THAT'S A LOT OF MONEY.
WE RESPECT THAT, AND WE
ALSO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT IT'S FOR
A
50- YEAR PERIOD.
$1. 8 BILLION OF THAT $4
BILLION WOULD GO TO MAINTAINING
THE DAMS
AND THE POWERHOUSES AND
THE TRANSMISSION LINES FOR 50
YEARS.
THOSE ARE NOT PART OF THE
MITIGATION MEASURES
NEGOTIATED AS PART OF THE
LICENSE.
AGAIN, $979 MILLION FOR FISH
PASSAGE. THE $350 MILLION IS
THE OFF LICENSE AGREEMENTS WITH
THE
TRIBES.
THE TRIBAL OFF
LICENSE AGREEMENTS INCLUDE UP
FRONT PAYMENTS UPON SIGNATURE OF
THE COMPREHENSIVE SETTLEMENT
AGREEMENT, ADDITIONAL LUMP
SUM PAYMENTS WHEN THE LICENSE
IS ISSUED AND THEN SOME FORM OF
ANNUAL PAYMENT DURING THE
LIFE OF THE LICENSE.
IT ALSO INCLUDES
SPECIAL MEASURES INCLUDING A
CULTURAL CENTER IN THE TOWN OF
NEW
HALLEM FOR THE UPPER
SKAGIT TRIBE AND
CONTRIBUTION TO THE CONSTRUCTION
OF A NEW ADMINISTRATION BUILDING
FOR THE SAUK- SUIATTLE TRIBE ON
THEIR RESERVATION NEAR
DERINGTON.
EACH TRIBE ARE SOVEREIGN
ENTITIES AND THEY
WERE NEGOTIATED IN CONFIDENCE
BETWEEN EACH TRIBE AND CITY
LIGHT.
SO I THINK THOSE ARE
MEANINGFULLY ADDRESSED MANY OF
INTERESTS THE TRIBES BROUGHT TO
THE
TABLE.
>> CHRIS.
THERE'S FIVE
OFF LICENSE
AGREEMENTS.
>> THERE ARE.
>> THERE'S TWO CATEGORIES.
>> THE $350 MILLION IS FOR
THE THREE TRIBAL OFF LICENSES.
THERE'S 90 MILLION FOR THE PARK
SERVICE AND 28 MILLION FOR THE
FOREST SERVICE.
THE FOREST SERVICE IS IN
WILDEN SCENIC RIVER
AREA.
>> GO
AHEAD.
>> YOU'LL SEE MY NUMBERS
DON'T ADD UP TO $4
MILLION.
>> I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY
THAT.
>> THERE ARE OTHER PROTECTION
MET GAS MITIGATION ENHANCEMENT
MEASURES.
AGAIN, SUMMARIZING WHAT
CHAIR JUAREZ STATED EARLIER,
WE ANTICIPATE THAT THIS
WILL REPRESENT ABOUT A . 5% RATE
INCREASE OVER THE NEXT SIX YEARS
BETWEEN 2027 AND 2032.
THE IMPACTS TO RATES AFTER
THAT ARE DIFFICULT TO
ESTIMATE BECAUSE MUCH OF THAT
WILL
BE RELATED TO THE IMPLEMENTATION
OF THE CAPITAL PROJECTS.
THAT'S REALLY UNCERTAIN AT
THIS TIME HOW THAT WILL UNROLL.
AND IT WILL HAVE
DIFFERENT IMPACTS ON THE RATES
AS WE MOVE
FORWARD.
JUST A
SUMMARY OF BENEFITS, AGAIN, A
50- YEAR LICENSE IS
INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT TO THE
CITY ESPECIALLY IN THE FACE OF
INCREASING DEMAND.
IT RESTORES AND HAS
THE OPPORTUNITY TO RESTORE
THE ENTIRE SKAGIT RIVER
ECOSYSTEM.
THE SKAGIT RIVER, BY THE WAY,
IS THE LARGEST RIVER IN PUGET
SOUND.
IT HAS 40% OF ALL THETHE
NOOK LEFT IN PUGET SOUND.
WE THINK WILL MAKE
SIGNIFICANT STRIDES IN
RECOVERING ENDANGERED
SALMON.
ALL SPECIES OF SALMON THAT
OCCUR IN PUGET SOUND
OCCUR IN THE SKAGIT RIVER TOO.
REALLY IMPORTANT SYSTEM.
WE HOPE IT WILL RESPECT TRIBAL
TREATY FISHING RIGHTS AND
THEIR ABILITY TO HARVEST SALMON
AND SUPPORT THEIR
CULTURAL, SPIRITUAL AND ECONOMIC
WAYS OF
LIFE.
IT WILL ALSO IMPORTANTLY
ADDRESS IMPACTS TO THE
COMMUNITIES SURROUNDING THE
HYDROELECTRIC
PROJECT.
THE CITY OF SEATTLE HAS
DRAWN VALUE FROM THE SKAGIT
RIVER SYSTEM FOR A HUNDRED
YEARS,
AND THIS NEGOTIATED AGREEMENT
WILL
RETURN A GREAT DEAL OF
BENEFIT TO THE
COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE BEEN MOST
IMPACTED.
IT ALSO HAS THE ABILITY TO
CREATE A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER
OF JOBS THROUGH THE
IMPLEMENTATION OF THE CAPITAL
PROJECTS
THROUGHOUT THE WATERSHED.
SO THE NEXT STEPS WOULD BE
IN APRIL OR MAY, A SIGNING
CEREMONY
AT CITY HALL.
WE HAVE TO COORDINATE WITH THE
KEY TRIBAL CALENDARS AND THE
MAYOR'S CALENDAR.
WE WILL THEN FILE THE
AMENDED LICENSE APPLICATION WITH
THE FEDERAL ENERGY REGULATORY
COMMISSION AND
BEGIN IMPLEMENTATION OF
OUR EARLY ACTION ITEMS.
THE FIRK PROCESS WILL INCLUDE A
PUBLIC REVIEW, PUBLIC COMMENT
PERIOD.
IT MAY RESULT IN REQUESTS
FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AND
THEN
THEY'LL DO A START --
CONSULTATION AND THE OTHER
STANDARD ENVIRONMENTAL MEASURES.
AGAIN, WE HOPE TO HAVE
LICENSE BY 2030.
WITH THAT,
I WILL OPEN UP THE FLOOR FOR
QUESTIONS.
>> DO ANY OF MY COLLEAGUES
HAVE ANY QUESTIONS?
I'LL START WITH YOU FOLKS UP
HERE WITH ME.
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR.
I DON'T HAVE A QUESTION BECAUSE
I GOT A BRIEFING.
I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR ALL THE
CONTEXT.
IT IS REALLY IMPORTANT
CONTEXT YOU PROVIDED.
THIS WAS A VERY LONG PROCESS.
I REALLYREALLY THE CONTEXT
IN RELATION TO OUR RELATIONSHIPS
WITH THE TRIBAL NATIONS THAT ARE
INVOLVED AND THE IMPORTANCE OF
THAT.
SO I'M ALWAYS HUMBLED
BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT I DON'T
KNOW AND A
LOT I'M LEARNING.
I APPRECIATE LEARNING THAT FROM
YOU AND FROM OUR TRIBAL PARTNERS
WHOM I HAVE MET WITH AND
FROM OUR STAFF.
FRANCESCA, I'M LOOKING AT YOU
OVER THERE.
I SO APPRECIATE THE EDUCATION,
THOUGH I MAY NOT HAVE ALL OF THE
BACKGROUND AND INFORMATION, I
DO HAVE THE HEART AND
WILLINGNESS
TO LEARN IT ANDAND I
THE IMPORTANCE OF IT.
THAT I DO KNOW.
I'M REALLY HUMBLED.
I'M SO GLAD YOU ALL
WORKED TOGETHER TO COME UP WITH
AN AGREEMENT THAT EVERYONE
COULD FEEL THEY COULD WALK AWAY
FROM IN A POSITIVE WAY.
THAT IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO
OUR CITY AND MOST IMPORTANTLY TO
OUR
TRIBAL PARTNERS.
THAT IS CRITICAL TO OUR CITY.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP
BECAUSE YOU'VE BEEN WORKING ON
THIS FOR QUITE SOME TIME.
YOU LEFT, YOU
CAME BACK, STILL WORKING ON IT.
I SO APPRECIATE THAT.
THANK YOU FOR EVERYONE
INVOLVED AND THANK YOU FOR OUR
TRIBAL PARTNERS FOR BEING HERE
TODAY AND THOSE WHO CALLED IN.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR
CONTINUAL EDUCATION YOU HAVE
PROVIDED
ME IN MY TIME HERE.
THANK YOU SO
MUCH.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
RIVERA.
GO AHEAD, COUNCILMEMBER
SAKA.
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR.
I TOO JUST WANTED TO
QUICKLY ACKNOWLEDGE THE HARD
WORK
THAT WENT ON BEHIND THE
SCENES FOR MANY YEARS.
THIS IS A COMPLEX MULTI- YEAR,
MULTIPARTY EFFORT.
SO I JUST WANT TO START OFF
BY THANKING OUR TRIBAL PARTNERS
FOR
BEING HERE TODAY AND YOUR HARD
WORK AND NEGOTIATIONS YOU
HAVE DONE IN GOOD FAITH TO GET
THIS
DEAL DONE AND ACROSS THE FINISH
LINE TO THIS POINT WE'RE AT
NOW.
AND CHAIR, YOUR LEADERSHIP.
LONG BEFORE MY TIME
HERE, YOU WERE WORKING ON THIS
HUGELY
IMPACTFUL AND STRATEGIC
EFFORT FOR THE CITY OF
STEELT.EATTLE.
I WANT TO THANK YOU AS WELL.
AND IMPORTANTLY, THE
SEATTLE CITY LIGHT TEAM FOR
NEGOTIATING
SO HARD, SO LONG DAY TO
DAY. AS SOMEONE WHO BEFORE I
BECAME
A LAWMAKER IN CITY
GOVERNMENT, I WAS A
TRANSACTIONAL INTELLECTUAL
PROPERTY ATTORNEY, SO I
NEGOTIATED MY FAIR SHARE
OF COMPLEX LICENSING DEALS BUT
NEVER ONE WITH -- I DON'T EVEN
WANT TO TALLY THE NUMBER
OF PARTIES INVOLVED IN
THIS. SO ALL THIS TO SAY I
REALLY DO
APPRECIATE THE WORK EFFORT AND
COMPROMISES THAT WENT INTO THIS
DEAL.
APPRECIATE ALSO THE MULTIPLE
BRIEFINGS THAT ME AND MY
OFFICE HAVE RECEIVED FROM THE
CITY LIGHT TEAM OVER THE LAST
COUPLE
YEARS AS WELL.
HERE WE ARE.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER.
YOU HAVE THE ADDED PLEASURE OF
HAVING THREE LAWYERS UP HERE, SO
YOU'RE WELCOME.
IF THERE AREN'T ANY MORE
QUESTIONS, THANK YOU GUYS.
I'LL SEE YOU ALL AGAIN, I'M
SURE.
HOPEFULLY WE'LL KEEP MOVING
THIS FORWARD.
I DON'T SEE ANYTHING
FROM COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE.
SO I THINK WE'RE GOOD ON THERE.
I DID NOT KNOW THE SKAGIT
RIVER WAS THE LARGEST RIVER.
YOU SURE ABOUT THAT?
I THOUGHT THE COLUMBIA WAS
BIGGER.
>> IN PUGET
SOUND.
>> IN PUGET SOUND, OKAY.
>> LOTS OF ORCA FOOD.
>> THANK YOU GUYS FOR YOUR HARD
WORK.
I APPRECIATE IT.
THANK YOU FOR A SHORT
POWER POINT OF NINE PAGES WITH
PAGE
NUMBERS. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
ALL RIGHT.
SO WITH THAT, WE ARE GOING TO
DO OUR SECOND, WHICH WE ARE
SO HONORED TO HAVE.
I CAN COUNT
ON ONE HAND HOW MANY TIMES WE'VE
HAD ELECTED TRIBAL
LEADERSHIP.
I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE TO THE
TABLE THE TRIBAL LEADERS
FROM THE SAUK- SUIATTLE, THE
SWINOMISH INDIAN TRIBAL
COMMUNITY AND
THE UPPER SKAGIT INDIAN TRIBE.
I'M GOING TO READ WHAT'S
IN FRONT OF ME, THEN I'LL LET
YOU FOLKS INTRODUCE YOURSELVES.
FROM THE SAUK- SUIATTLE
INDIAN TRIBE WE HAVE THE
CHAIRMAN NINO
MALTIS JR.
BRIAN PORTER.
FROM UPPER SKAGIT WE HAVE SCOTT
SCHUYLER AND THE POLICY LEAD MR.
DAVID HAWKINS.
IF I COULD HAVE YOU FOLKS --
FRANCESCA THANK YOU FOR
HELPING US WITH TRIBAL
LEADERSHIP.
SHE IS THE TRIBAL LIAISON
FROM THE
MAYOR'S OFFICE WHICH IS
WONDERFUL AND A TRIBAL
MEMBER. YOU GUYS
TAKE A SEAT WHEREVER YOU DEEM
FIT.
THE WAY I HAVE THIS LINED UP
AND I THINK THEY DID IT
BY ALPHABETICAL ORDER.
SAUK- SUIATTLE, SWINOMISH
AND UPPER SKAGIT.
HOWEVER YOU WANT TO START,
YOU TELL ME.
WE'LL GO FROM THERE.
DO WE HAVE ENOUGH SEATS FOR
EVERYBODY?
YOU'RE THE LAWYER.
YOU CAN SIT AT THE END.
YOU'RE OKAY.
WE ARE GOING TO START WITH
SAUK-SUIATTLE.
I'LL LET YOU -- YOU
CAN INTRODUCE YOURSELVES AND
YOUR
TITLES.
GO AHEAD,
CHAIR.
>> I'LL START.
GOOD AFTERNOON.
MY NAME IS NINO MALTOS II.
I'M CHAIRMAN OF THE SIDEWALK
SIDEWALK --
SAUK-SUIATTLE DESCRIBE.
THANK -- TRIBE.
THIS LICENSING PROCESS HAS
BEEN A LOT FOR EVERYONE
INVOLVED.
THERE WERE MANY DIFFERENT NEEDS,
WANTS AND FACTORS TAKEN
INTO CONSIDERATION DURING THE
RELY
RELICENSING.
THIS IS THE SAME RIVER MY FATHER
FISHED AT A YOUNG AGE AND
THE SAME RIVER I ALSO LEARNED
TO FISH ALONG MYSELF WITH MANY
OTHERS.
IT IS AN HONOR TO ADVOCATE FOR
SOMETHING SO IMPORTANT.
WHAT WE HAVE ON THE TABLE
SUBJECT TO YOUR APPROVAL IS A
MONUMENTAL AGREEMENT.
IT SOLIDIFIES THE CITY OF
SEATTLE'S DEDICATION TO
GIVING BACK TO THE RIVER WHILE
MAKING AMENDS FOR YEARS OF POWER
GENERATION.
THIS SHOWS AN UNDERSTANDING OF
MUTUAL AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE
TRIBES AND OTHER PARTIES
INVOLVED.
IT TOOK A LOT TO GET TO THIS
POINT, A LOT OF COMPROMISES AND
COMMITMENTS WERE MADE TO GET US
TO WHERE WE ARE TODAY.
THIS IS BY NO MEANS TO BE
CONSIDERED TOTAL MITIGATION
TO THE IMPACTS OF THE DAMS,
BUT IT IS A START.
THERE WAS A CONSIDERABLE
AMOUNT OF TIME, EFFORT AND
MAJOR COMPROMISES FOREGONE BY
THE SAUK- SUIATTLE TRIBE TO GET
US
TO THIS POINT FOR THE GREATER
GOOD
TO HAVE THE RELICENSING
AGREEMENT.
WITH THAT BEING SAID, WE WOULD
LIKE TO SEE THE
AGREEMENT APPROVED FOR THE SAKE
OF ALL.
IT IS OUR DUTY TO PROTECT THE
RIVER THAT PROVIDED
FOR GENERATIONS OF FISHERMEN IN
THE STATE OF WASHINGTON, TRIBAL
AND
NON- TRIBAL FISHERS WILL USE
THIS RIVER FROM NOW UNTIL THE
END OF
TIME. THIS IS YOUR OPPORTUNITY
TO HELP
US CONTINUE THAT TRA TRADITION.
THANK
YOU.
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR.
I FORGET TO INTRODUCE
COUNCILMEMBER MR. JACK
-- [ INDISCERNIBLE ]
>> SAUK- SUIATTLE COUNCIL.
THANK YOU FOR HAVING US HERE
TODAY.
IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME COMING.
I'LL YIELD OUR TIME TO
OUR
COUNSEL.
>> THANK YOU.
WE HAVE JACK FIANDER.
[ SPEAKING IN A GLOBAL
LANGUAGE ]
>> MY NAME IS JACK FIANDER.
I'M FROM THE OTHER SIDE OF
THE MOUNTAINS BUT I'VE BEEN
WITH SAUK- SUIATTLE
TRIBE -- I'M THEIR GENERAL
COUNSEL -- OFF AND ON
SINCE 1983, TO THE POINT WHERE
THEY ADOPTED ME AS A MEMBER
OF THEIR TRIBE IN
2014. SO UNFORTUNATELY THEY MADE
ME
NUMBER 001.
I TRIED TO GET THEM TO WAIT SO
I COULD BE 007.
THEY'RE THE TRIBE CLOSEST TO
THE PROJECT.
I WANT TO RESPOND TO THE
PREVIOUS SPEAKER
TELEPHONICALLY AND DISSUADE
UNDERSTANDING
THAT THIS IS SOME KIND OF
JUST A BENEFIT OR GIVEAWAY TO
THE
TRIBES.
IT'S NOT.
WE'RE NOT JUST AGREEING TO
THIS FOR OUR BENEFIT.
IT'S SOMETHING THAT BENEFITS
THE WHOLE REGION.
JUST AS CITY LIGHT AND
SEATTLE IS NOT, IF YOU APPROVE
THIS
AGREEMENT, JUST FOR THE
BENEFIT OF LOW POWER RATES.
SALMON ARE THE SIGNATURE
SPECIES OF THE PACIFIC
NORTHWEST,
FOR THE STATE OF WASHINGTON AND
THE CITY OF SEATTLE THE REVENUE
GENERATED TO OUR ECONOMY FROM
SALMON, FROM THE RESTAURANTS,
FROM PROCESSING PLANTS, FROM
RECREATIONAL PERMITS IS BILLIONS
OF DOLLARS TO THE ECONOMY.
SO BY APPROVING THIS
AGREEMENT, YOU'RE NOT JUST
DOING IT TO KEEP
POWER RATES LOW.
YOU'RE NOT JUST DOING IT FOR
A MONEY GRAB.
OUR RIGHTS ARE SHARED WITH ALL
PEOPLE IN THE REGION.
THEY'RE IN COMMON.
IF YOU APPROVE THIS AND
SEATTLE LIVES UP TO ITS PROMISE
TO
PROVIDE MORE SALMON
HABITAT, THAT DOESN'T JUST
BENEFIT US.
BECAUSE SALMON ARE
MIGRATORY, THESE SPECIES MIGRATE
CLEAR
UP TO SOUTHEAST ALASKA.
YOU'RE BENEFITTING EVERYONE AND
AND ALSO THIS AGREEMENT DOESN'T
JUST BENEFIT LOW POWER RATES.
SOME OF THE THINGS MR. TOWNSEND
DISCUSSED THAT WE
NEGOTIATED, YOU KNOW, THE
OUTDOOR LEARNING
SCHOOL, WE WILL HAVE
A SPACE WITHIN THAT SO THAT THE
TRIBAL HISTORY AND PERSPECTIVE
WILL BE
PRESENTED WITHIN THAT LEARNING
CENTER, NOT JUST
PROPAGANDA ABOUT HOW GOOD
ELECTRICITY
IS AND HOW GOOD DAMS ARE.
TO US, THAT WAS A MAJOR
BENEFIT WE NEGOTIATED FOR.
IT'S NOT MONETARY.
BUT IT DOES BENEFIT US, BECAUSE
ONCE THAT EDUCATION IS OUT
THERE THAT SEATTLE IS WILLING
TO PROVIDE THROUGH ITS
CULTURAL CENTERS THAT GO ALONG
WITH THIS
AGREEMENT, IT'S GOING TO
REDUCE THE BACKLASH THAT WE AS
TRIBAL
PEOPLE ALWAYS GET BECAUSE
WE'RE THE MOST VISIBLE WHEN
WE'RE
ON THE RIVER FISHING.
SO WE ABSORB AS MUCH
HOSTILITY FOR BEING THERE FOR
EXERCISING
OUR RIGHTS.
AS DOES THE CITY FOR HAVING A
DAM.
AS FAR AS ADDRESSING THAT
SPEAKER, I SUPPOSE IT COULD
BE CONSIDERED A LARGE AMOUNT OF
MONEY, BUT IT'S NOT.
JUST CONSIDER IT PAST DUE RENT.
THOSE THREE DAMS HAVE BEEN THERE
FOR ALMOST 100 YEARS.
AND IT HAS AFFECTED US
PARTICULARLY AT THE
SAUK-SUIATTLE TRIBE, THE
UPPER SKAGIT TRIBE, THE
SWINOMISH TRIBE COMMUNITIES.
SO IT'S JUST PAST DUE RENT FOR
USING OUR TERRITORY.
AND APOLOGIES IF SOME OF OUR
SPEAKERS AND ME FEEL SKEPTICAL
ABOUT WHETHER SEATTLE CITY
LIGHT IS ACTUALLY GOING TO MEET
ITS
COMMITMENT AND ITS AGREEMENT TO
PROVIDE THE FISH PASSAGE
PAST THE DAM SO THEY CAN
GENERATE
AND INCREASE.
THAT'S ONLY BECAUSE WE'VE BEEN
LIED TO FOR 150 YEARS.
THAT'S NOT YOUR FAULT, BUT
IT'S
A WORKAROUND FOR YOU GUYS.
YOU'RE GOING TO FACE THAT AND
WE TRIED TO FACE THAT
COOPERATIVELY
THROUGH THIS NEGOTIATION
PROJECT. I HOPE YOU'LL APPROVE
IT.
IT BENEFITS NOT JUST CITY LIGHT.
IT BENEFITS NOT JUST THE TRIBES.
IT BENEFITS OUR WHOLE REGION.
THAT'S KIND OF THE LEADERSHIP
WE
LIKE.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, JACK.
THE SWINOMISH TRIBE NOW.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON,
CHAIRWOMAN JUAREZ AND BOARD
MEMBERS.
MY NAME IS STEVE EDWARDS.
I'M THE CHAIRMAN OF THE
SWINOMISH TRIBE.
I'D JUST LIKE TO SAY THANK
YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME TO HEAR
US
OUT.
THANK YOU, STAFF.
YOUR STAFF -- YOU HAVE A GREAT
STAFF. THANK THE LEADERSHIP.
THANK THE LEADERSHIP HERE.
THANK ALL THE AGENCIES
FOR COMING TO THE TABLE.
THIS WAS A LONG PROCESS.
YOU KNOW, IT WAS -- THERE
WERE GOOD DAYS AND THERE WERE
BAD
DAYS, BUT YOU KNOW WHAT?
THAT'S PART OF NEGOTIATION.
BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY WE
WERE ABLE TO SIT AT THE
TABLE AND HAVE THESE
CONVERSATIONS.
THERE WERE TIMES WE
WEREN'T ALLOWED TO SIT AT THE
TABLE, BUT
HERE WE ARE, WE'RE AT THE TABLE.
BUILDING RELATIONSHIP WITH EACH
OTHER, THAT'S IMPORTANT.
AND I SPEAK ON BEHALF OF
MY PEOPLE THANKING YOU FOR THIS
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, WHAT
IT MEANS TO MY PEOPLE.
I CAN'T SPEAK FOR OTHER TRIBES.
I CAN ONLY SPEAK FOR MY TRIBE.
THE RIVER SYSTEM, THE
SKAGIT WATERSHED IS VERY
IMPORTANT TO
US.
THERE'S A HISTORY
THERE, THOUSANDS OF YEARS.
TRADITIONAL FOOD IT'S IMPORTANT
TO OUR PEOPLE.
WE FEED OUR ELDERS
EVERY WEDNESDAY A SALMON MEAL.
THAT'S HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO
US.
THIS IS WHO WE ARE.
THIS IS OUR IDENTITY.
THIS IS WHAT WE TEACH OUR
PEOPLE.
THIS IS WHAT WE TEACH OUR KIDS.
I MYSELF HAVE BEEN A FISHERMAN
FOR OVER 50 YEARS.
I'VE ENJOYED EVERY MOMENT OF
IT, THROUGH THICK AND THIN,
CRITICIZED.
THAT'S OKAY.
I'M GOING TO BE THE BIGGER,
BETTER PERSON.
AND FIND BETTER WAYS TO MOVE
FORWARD, BUILD BETTER
RELATIONSHIPS.
THROUGH THIS RIVER SYSTEM AND
THIS AGREEMENT, IT'S GOING TO
BRING LIFE, LIFE BACK TO THIS
RIVER, MORE LIFE.
LIFE TO OUR PEOPLE.
WE THINK SEVEN GENERATIONS
AHEAD, AND THAT'S WHAT WE
WANT TO PROTECT.
WE WANT TO SET THE TABLE
FOR SEVEN GENERATIONS.
THAT'S WHO WE ARE.
AND BY HAVING THIS AGREEMENT IN
PLACE, I KNOW THERE'S A FUTURE.
MY PEOPLE WILL ALWAYS HAVE
SALMON.
THE TABLE WILL ALWAYS BE
SET. THAT'S IMPORTANT TO US.
I CAN'T THANK SEATTLE CITY
LIGHT
FOR HAVING RESPECT FOR OUR
TREATY RIGHTS, RESPECT FOR OUR
PEOPLE, RESPECT FOR
OUR
LEADERSHIP. THAT'S IMPORTANT.
AND I JUST WANT TO END BY, YOU
KNOW, SAYING THAT I HOPE
THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU WILL
CONSIDER
SUPPORTING THIS, THIS .
THIS RELATIONSHIP DOESN'T END
JUST TODAY.
THIS LICENSE IS FOR 50 YEARS.
WE HAVE TO KEEP
THAT RELATIONSHIP ALIVE.
AND I HOPE WE CAN.
I HOPE YOU WILL JUST TAKE
THIS TO HEART AND REALLY TAKE
THIS
AGREEMENT AND, YOU KNOW, TRUST
WHAT WE PUT OUT ON THE TABLE.
ESPECIALLY YOUR STAFF.
SO THANK YOU.
MY HANDS GO UP TO YOU, MY HANDS
GO UP TO EVERY PARTY THAT'S
HERE
IN THE ROOM. YOU KNOW, MANY
BLESSINGS TO
EVERYBODY HERE.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR.
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR
JUAREZ, MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE
FOR
THE OPPORTUNITY TODAY TO SPEAK
ON BEHALF OF MY
COMMUNITY. I ALSO WOULD LIKE TO
EXPRESS GRATITUDE TO THE --
NATIONS
FROM WHICH LAND I SPEAK ON
TODAY.
THIS HAS BEEN A LONG ROAD, AND
IT'S BEEN A TOUGH ROAD AT
TIMES.
AND I WILL ECHO THE
SENTIMENT THAT WE OWE EXTREME
GRATITUDE
TO OUR TRIBAL PARTNERS FOR
STANDING
TOGETHER.
TOGETHER WE'RE INCREDIBLY
STRONG AND MOVE THE NEEDLE IN A
WAY
THAT HASN'T BEEN DONE BEFORE.
AS A NATURAL
RESOURCES MANAGER -- MY
TRADITIONAL NAME.
AS A NATURAL RESOURCES MANAGER,
WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING
FOR MITIGATION OR THINGS THAT,
LIKE, DON'T SAVE SALMON, BUT
STOP THE
DEGRADATION OF SALMON.
WE'RE NOT LOOKING FOR THE
SILVER BULLET.
WE'RE LOOKING TO AVOID THE
STRAW THAT BREAKS THE CAMEL'S
BACK
AND ENDS OUR EXISTENCE IN TERMS
OF OUR CULTURAL IDENTITY.
THIS IS THE FIRST TIME IN
MY CAREER AND IN MY LIFE WHERE
WE HAVE A POSITIVE OUTLOOK GOING
FORWARD.
I THINK WHEN YOU LOOK AT IT
IT'S A BIG PRICE TAG, THERE'S
A LOT
OF GLAMOROUS NUMBERS IN THERE
THAT AREN'T GLAMOROUS AT ALL.
THEY ARE A FRAGMENT OF THE
REPRESENTATION OF THE
EXTRACTION THAT'S HAPPENED OVER
THE LAST
100 YEARS AND REPRESENT A
LEVEL OF ACCOUNTABILITY, AND WE
APPRECIATE THAT ACCOUNTABILITY,
BECAUSE RELATIONSHIPS ARE
BUILT AT THE SPEED OF TRUST.
AND THAT TRUST HAS A
TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF FRAGILITY.
WITH THAT FRACTURED TRUST WITH
100 YEARS OF HISTORY, WITHOUT
EVER BEING ALLOWED TO BE AT THE
TABLE OR TO ESTABLISH
THAT RELATIONSHIP BUILT ON
TRUST, THIS IS A SMALL PRICE TO
PAY.
WE ASK THAT YOU MOVE
FORWARD FROM A POSITIVE WAY AND
SUPPORT
THIS.
IT HAS BEEN A COMPROMISE BY ALL.
IT'S JUST BEEN -- I'VE HAD THE
BLESSING OF BEING IN
THE TRENCHES FOR THE LAST SEVEN-
PLUS
YEARS. WE APPROACH THIS AS
PRAGMATIC
REALISTS, RIGHT?
WE DIDN'T LOOK AT THIS AS
AN OPPORTUNITY TO TRY TO
PUSH SOMETHING THAT'S REALLY
OUT OF
THE REALM OF POSSIBILITY, BUT AS
PRAGMATIC REALISTS AND TRY
TO BUILD A FUTURE FOR
GENERATIONS.
IN THAT, IT'S BEEN A TON OF
JUST
HARD WORK BY PEOPLE.
THE TRUST I SPOKE OF EARLIER, I
THINK YOUR STAFF AT SEATTLE CITY
LIGHT HAS JUST BEEN BEYOND
AMAZING THROUGH SOME TOUGH
TIMES.
I MEAN, I APOLOGIZE FOR SOME
OF THE EMOTION, BUT IT'S JUST
BEEN AN INCREDIBLY DIFFICULT
ROAD.
AND THE TRUST HAS BEEN
BUILT, AND THE TRUST IS WHAT WE
HAVE
TO CARRY OVER AND HAND DOWN
IN TERMS OF OUR INHERITANCE TO
THE FUTURE GENERATIONS.
THE ONLY WAY WE CAN DO THAT IS
WITH THE APPROVAL OF THIS
SETTLEMENT. YOU HEAR THE SAYING
WATER IS
LIFE, RIGHT?
BUT THIS IS A MANAGED SYSTEM OF
WATER.
WITH THAT, WE DON'T SAY THAT
SAYING, WE LIVE THAT SAYING.
WATER IS PART OF OUR CORE
EXISTENCE. WHEN YOU CONTROL THE
WATER, YOU
CONTROL OUR LIFE.
AND AS HEAVY OF A BURDEN AS THAT
IS, THINK OF IT AS
A BLESSING AND OPPORTUNITY TO
MOVE FORWARD
AND DO THE BEST WITH THE TRIBAL
COMMUNITIES ON THE RIVER.
I'LL STOP THERE.
I HAVE SO MUCH TO SAY,
BUT I WANT TO BE RESPECTFUL OF
BOTH YOUR TIME AND MY COLLEAGUES
HERE TO MY RIGHT.
APPRECIATE YOUR TIME, APPRECIATE
YOUR LISTENING AND LOOK
FORWARD TO FUTURE CELEBRATIONS
THATTHAT I WE
HAVE IN STORE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>> THANK YOU.
CHAIR.
>> HONORABLE CHAIR AND
COMMITTEE, MY NAME IS SCOTT
SKYLAR. I'VE FISHED THE SKAGIT
RIVER MY
ENTIRE LIFE.
MY FAMILY COMES FROM THE SKAGIT
RIVER.
MY GRANDPARENTS LIVE IN A LITTLE
CABIN WITH NO ELECTRICITY.
THEY LIVED OUT THEIR LIVES THERE
FISHING AND MEETING WITH
THE REST OF OUR FAMILY.
I'D LIKE TO TALK A LITTLE
BIT ABOUT THE HISTORY HERE.
IN OUR LIFETIME, IN MY LIFETIME
I'VE SEEN THE DEMISE OF
THE SALMON ON THE SKAGIT.
I'VE SEEN THE LAST SPRING SHIN
A
NOOK FISHERY FOR WILD FISH IN
1988, THE LAST SUMMER FALL
WILD SHIN NOOK FISHERY IN 2007.
AGAIN, IN 2026 WE'RE NOT
FISHING STEEL HEAD.
THIS IS A LEGACY THAT WE HOPE TO
CHANGE THROUGH THIS
AGREEMENT AND BRIGHTEN OUR
FUTURE.
YOU KNOW, BACK WHEN THE
FIRST DAMS WERE BUILT OR THE DAM
WAS BUILT IN 1921 OR '20,
PEOPLE
ASK US WHERE WERE YOU?
WHY DIDN'T YOU GUYS EXPRESS
YOUR DISAPPROVAL OF HAVING
THIS DAM
BUILT? WELL, WE WERE
IMPOVERISHED
AT THE TIME.
OUR PEOPLE WERE DIMINISHED.
WE WEREN'T EVEN
CONSIDERED CITIZENS AT THE TIME.
SO OUR PEOPLE WERE IN WHAT WE
CALL SURVIVAL MODE.
THEY WERE JUST TRYING TO
FEED THEMSELVES AND LIVE.
IT WAS ILLEGAL FOR US TO FISH
AT THE TIME BY THE STATE OF
WASHINGTON. BUT WE STEP AHEAD TO
2026.
SO I'M HERE TODAY TO SUPPORT
THIS LANDMARK AGREEMENT,
THE SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT, WHICH
WILL PROVIDE FIRST- TIME
MEANINGFUL
MITIGATION FOR THE CULTURAL
NATURAL RESOURCE
IMPACTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE
THREE
HYDROELECTRIC DAMS
WHILE AFFORDING THE CITY
OF SEATTLE WITH A CERTAINTY OF A
NEW
FEDERAL OPERATING LICENSE.
THIS AGREEMENT IS
THE CULMINATION OF OVER SEVEN
YEARS
OF INTENSIVE NEGOTIATIONS
WITH THE CITY OF SEATTLE.
BUT FROM UPPER SKAGIT
STANDPOINT, THIS HAS BEEN
100 YEARS IN THE MAKING TO GET
TO
THIS POINT BECAUSE THESE
IMPACTS WERE HERE WE BORE THE
BURDEN
OF THESE IMPACTS, OUR PEOPLE
DID FROM OUR PERSPECTIVE.
WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO MOVING
FORWARD. WE WALKED INTO THE
LICENSE
NEGOTIATIONS EYES WIDE OPEN
WITH VERY SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES
THAT WERE IMPORTANT TO US.
YOU KNOW, FIRST AND FOREMOST,
WE WANTED TO SEE THE RIVER
RETURN.
THAT'S ANOTHER THING I'VE
NEVER SEEN IN MY LIFE, THE RIVER
FLOWING IN ITS NATURAL
BANKS. WE WANTED TO PRESERVE AND
PROTECT, BRING BACK THE
SALMON AND ALL THE CREATURES
THAT
ARE IMPORTANT TO US THROUGH
THESE MITIGATION MEASURES.
AT THAT TIME, IT WAS TIME
TO ADDRESS THE DEGRADATION OF
UPPER SKAGIT'S UNIQUE CULTURE
AND HISTORY BY THE PROJECT AND
RETURN OUR NAMESAKE RIVER,
PROTECT OUR SALMON AND
OTHER CREATURES HOWEVER SMALL
THEY'RE PART OF THE LANDSCAPE.
AS YOU MAY
KNOW, THIS WAS THE ANCESTRAL
HOME OF THE UPPER
SKAGIT, SOMETIMES REFERRED TO
AS THE VALLEY OF THE SPIRITS.
OUR ANCESTORS LIVED IN WHAT
WE CALL TODAY THE
SEATTLE CITY LIGHT PROJECT AREA.
THINK ABOUT THAT FOR ONE MEN.
THE DEGRADATION THAT OCCURRED ON
THESE VILLAGE SITES CONTAIN
THE GRAVES OF OUR ANCESTORS.
MOST TRIBES SUE WHEN
THE DEGRADATION OCCURS.
UPPER SKAGIT DID NOT.
WE STUCK IT OUT THROUGH
THIS PROCESS AND NEGOTIATED IN
GOOD
FAITH WITH THE SEATTLE CITY
LIGHT TEAM.
THIS PROJECT AREA WAS
WORTH DEFENDING BY OUR
ANCESTORS.
IN FACT, OUR ANCESTORS DEFENDED
THE SEATTLE CITY LIGHT
PROJECT AREA FROM INTRUSION FROM
THE
NORTH.
IF YOU KNOW THE SKAGIT RIVER,
WE DEFENDED THE RIVER FROM
UPSTREAM.
IT WAS IMPORTANT AND SKA
SACRED TO US.
THESE ADDRESS SPECIFIC ISSUES
INCLUDING THE CULTURAL
APPROPRIATION OF UPPER
SKAGIT'S UNIQUE IDENTITY AND
AFFILIATION WITH THE PROJECT
AREA.
IT'S HARD TO DESCRIBE
THE EMOTIONS THE UPPER SKAGIT
PEOPLE WILL EXPERIENCE WHEN THE
DAY FINALLY ARRIVES WHEN THE
RIVER IS FINALLY RETURNED TO ITS
BANKS OR WHEN THE VERY FIRST
SALMON RETURNS HOME AFTER 100
YEARS.
WE DO KNOW THAT THE ANCESTORS
WHO GUIDED OUR
ACTIONS THROUGHOUT WILL BE
LOOKING
DOWN AND SMILING UPON US BECAUSE
OF
THESE ACTIONS.
BECAUSE OF THIS
AGREEMENT, THERE IS MUCH NOW TO
BE THANKFUL
FOR FOR OUR CHILDREN'S AND
CHILDREN WILL REAP THE BENEFIT
OF A
HEALTHY RIVER BECAUSE
THE PARTIES FOUND THE WISDOM TO
FIND COMPROMISE THROUGHOUT THE
NEGOTIATIONS.
BUT TODAY OUR HANDS
AGAIN, WE RAISE OUR HANDS IN
THANKS FOR
NOT ONLY ALLOWING THE RETURN
OF OUR NAMESAKE RIVER, ALLOWING
OUR
BROTHERS AND SISTERS THE
SALMON TO RETURN HOME, WE CAN
FINALLY CALL OUR
HOME OUR HOME. UPPER SKAGIT
CULTURE AND
HISTORY AND THE FINAL
RESTORATION
ACTION WILL BE THE RETURN OF THE
UPPER SKAGIT PEOPLE TO NEW HEY
LEM.
WE THANK THE CITY FOR ALL THOSE
MITIGATIVE MEASURES AND
LOOK FORWARD TO A BRIGHTER
FUTURE
FOR OUR PEOPLE AND THE RIVER.
WITH THAT, I WOULD LIKE MY
COUNTERPART
TO CONCLUDE FOR US.
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR.
>> RESPECTFULLY, CHAIRWOMAN
JUAREZ, THERE'S ABSOLUTELY
NOTHING THAT I AS A NON-
TRIBAL MEMBER COULD ADD TO
WHAT'S BEEN
SAID HERE.
I PREPARED REMARKS BUT THEY'RE
MEANINGLESS TO THE WORDS
YOU'VE HEARD HERE.
SO I DON'T WANT TO TAKE
AWAY FROM WHAT'S ALREADY BEEN
SPOKEN.
>> THANK YOU. IT'S VERY SELDOM
I SEE
THE ATTORNEYS EVEN THOUGH I'M
AN
ATTORNEY FOR TRIBAL COUNTRY.
THANK YOU FOR THAT.
YOU UNDERSTAND THEIR WORDS
AS ELECTED LEADERS AND THOSE
WHO LIVE AND DIE ON THE RIVER,
THANK YOU FOR THAT.
I APPRECIATE THAT.
I WANT TO SAY A FEW
THINGS BEFORE WE MOVE ON.
GOING BACK TO WHAT YOU SAID,
SCHUYLER SCOTT BECAUSE I
KNEW YOUR MOM, BACK IN THE s
THE STATE FLOODED OUR DAM, WE
HAD
TO FIGHT TO GET IT BACK.
YOU CAN TALK TO -- TRIBES,
I'VE BEEN THROUGH TWO
GOVERNORS,
FOUR MAYORS AND NOW I THINK
MAYBE FOUR CEO GMs AT STEELT
EATTLE CITY
LIGHT.
SOMETIMES THE CREATOR GIVES
YOU THE LESSON OVER AND OVER
UNTIL YOU GET IT.
I'M NOT TRYING TO BE NEGATIVE.
I'M JUST TRYING TO SAY THAT
YOUR WORDS CARRY SO MUCH WEIGHT
THAT THIS ISN'T JUST ABOUT THAT
YOU
FISH FOR SPORT.
THAT'S WHAT UNCLE BILLY USED TO
SAY. YOU LIVE AND DIE ON THIS
RIVER.
YOU GET YOUR NAMES FROM THIS
RIVER.
THIS SOIL IS YOURS.
THAT'S HOW THE WORLD WORKS.
IN INDIAN COUNTRY WE
BELIEVE POWER IS LAND BASED.
SO I WOULD RATHER HAVE LAND
BACK THAT A LAND ACKNOWLEDGMENT.
DOESN'T DO ME ANY GOOD TO
TELL ME YOU'RE ON STOLEN LAND.
I REALLY DON'T CARE.
I WANT TO KNOW IF YOU'RE
GOING TO GIVE IT
BACK. I ALSO WANT YOU TO UPHOLD
THE
TREATIES WHICH
IS THE SUPREME LAW OF THE LAND.
I SHOULD HAVE INTRODUCED MYSELF.
MY NAME IS -- HOLY MOUNTAIN
WOMAN. I RAISE MY HANDS TO YOU
AND I
APOLOGIZE FOR NOT DOING MY
RIGHT AND HONORABLE
ACKNOWLEDGMENT.
WITH THAT, IT IS SO
IMPORTANT THAT WE MOVE FORWARD
ON THIS.
I ALSO WANT TO THANK MY
COLLEAGUES AND
ALSO COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE WHO'S
HERE AS WELL.
IT MAY NOT LOOK LIKE IT BUT
WE REALLY ARE PAYING ATTENTION.
WE UNDERSTAND THE WEIGHT OF
THIS AGREEMENT.
TRUST ME, WE KNOW ABOUT ALL
THE FIGHTS GOING ON BETWEEN THE
WATER, THE LAND AND I
UNDERSTOOD WHAT SOME OF -- I'VE
HEARD IT.
AS YOU KNOW, I WAS ONE OF
THE TRIAL LAWYERS IN U.S. V
WASHINGTON ON THE SHELLFISH
SIDE.
I REMEMBER DEPOSING ALL
THOSE PROPERTY OWNERS AND WHAT
THEY
THOUGHT ABOUT US AND TREATIES.
KIND OF LIKE YOU, YOU WANT TO
TAKE THE HIGH ROAD AND SAY
OKAY I GET IT.
IN THE MEANTIME WE'RE GOING TO
GO TO COURT.
A TREATY
RIGHT DOESN'T MEAN ANYTHING
UNLESS THERE'S FISH
THERE.
A RIGHT TO FISH DOESN'T MEAN
ANYTHING UNLESS YOU HAVE ACCESS.
FOR US TO BE HAVING THESE
DISCUSSIONS AT SEATTLE CITY
HALL UNDERNEATH CHIEF SEATTLE,
WHICH BY THE WAY THAT'S A
PLAINS
INDIAN, I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU
FOR THAT.
I WANT YOU TO KNOW YOU ARE
MORE THAN JUST SEEN AND YOU'RE
MORE
THAN JUST HEARD, BUT YOUR
VOICES, FOR ME, IS WHAT CARRIES
THESE TYPE OF AGREEMENTS WHERE
I CAN SAY IF THE TRIBES ARE
GOOD WITH THIS THEY'RE
INCREDIBLY
SOPHISTICATED.
YES, THEY HAVE LAWYERS.
YES, THEY HAVE LOBBYISTS BUT
THEY HAVE SOMETHING THAT'S EVEN
GREATER.
YOUR RELATIONSHIP OF THE
LAND, OF THE SOIL TO ME IS HOW I
WAS
TAUGHT. %
THAT'S WHAT THIS MEANS TO ME.
IF YOU CAN EMBODY THAT HERE
WITH SEATTLE CITY LIGHT -- AND
YOU
KNOW, AGAIN,
I REPRESENTATIVED -- WHEN WE
SUED TACOMA CITY LIGHT AND I
REPRESENTED CAT ED CALLUS BELL
WHEN WE
SUED PONDERA.
WE DON'T WANT TO END UP IN
FEDERAL COURT BECAUSE
NOT EVERYONE GET WHAT IS THEY
WANT.
I THINK YOU REMEMBER THE FAMOUS
WORDS.
I THINK MARTY IS OUT THERE.
HE'S GOING TO CORRECT ME.
IT WAS IN U.S. V
WASHINGTON OR -- IT'S BASICALLY
YOU
DON'T HAVE A RIGHT TO FISH FOR
THE
LAST SALMON, YOU KNOW?
I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY WAYS
WE CAN SAY THAT.
WITH THAT, I'M HONORED THAT
YOUYOU
CAME.
I WANT TO OPEN IT UP TO
MY COLLEAGUES AND THEN I HAVE
A STATEMENT THAT I NEED TO
READ THAT COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS
ASKED ME TO READ TO YOU FOLKS
AFTER YOU WERE DONE SPEAKING.
SO I'M GOING TO HAND IT OVER TO
MY TWO COLLEAGUES IF
THEY HAVE ANYTHING THEY WANT TO
ADD.
>> CHAIR, JUST TO THANK YOU ALL
FOR BEING HERE.
YOUR WORDS ARE VERY,
VERY MEANINGFUL TO ME.
I REALLY APPRECIATE AND
IT MATTERS A LOT THAT YOU CAME
HERE TO SAY YOU ARE IN SUPPORT
OF
THIS.
AND I WILL SAY ALSO IT'S
MEANINGFUL THAT YOU CAME TO SAY
THAT, NOT JUST THAT WE HAVE OUR
STAFF FROM CITY LIGHT RE SAYING
THAT ON YOUR BEHALF.
YOU ACTUALLY CAME TO SAY THAT.
THAT IS MEANINGFUL IN A WAY
I CAN'T REALLY ARTICULATE.
SO I'LL JUST SAY
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE
AND I
LOOKLOOK FORWARD TO MOVING THIS
FORWARD
WITH YOUR APPROVAL AND YOUR
BLESSING.
THANK
YOU. I'M HUMBLED.
SO I'M SPEECHLESS, AS YOU CAN
SEE.
BUT THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE
AND THANK YOU FOR COMING HERE TO
ASK
FOR OUR APPROVAL ON THIS.
I'LL TURN IT OVER TO BACK TO
CHAIR.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER.
COUNCILMEMBER SAKA HAS SOME
WORDS.
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR.
FIRST WANT TO START OFF
BY THANKING AGAIN OUR
TRIBAL LEADERS AND ELDERS THAT
HAVE JOINED US TODAY IN PERSON,
IN
CHAMBERS AND VIRTUALLY TO SHARE
THEIR PERSPECTIVES ON THE CALL
AS WELL.
SO IN PARTICULAR, I WANT
TO ACKNOWLEDGE AND EXPRESS
MY APPRECIATION TO THE
SWINOMISH, THE UPPER SKAGIT
INDIAN TRIBE
AND SAUK-SUIATTLE.
PARDON MY ANGLESIZED --
>> YOU DID GOOD.
>> I HAVE SOME WORK TO DO.
TO OUR SKAGIT TRIBES,
PARTNERS AND ELDERS HERE, I
REALLY
DO APPRECIATE YOU ALL BEING
HERE, YOUR THOUGHTFUL ENGAGEMENT
OVER THE COURSE OF SEVEN- PLUS
YEARS TO ALLOW US AS A REGION TO
GET TO THIS POINT TODAY.
HOW DOES A $4 BILLION
DEAL SEEMINGLY FAR AWAY ON A MAP
FROM
THE CITY OF SEATTLE BENEFIT TAX
RATE PAYERS IN SEATTLE?
WELL, IT'S MORE
THAN JUST 4 BILLION AND A 50-
YEAR DEAL.
WHAT WE'RE PROVIDING HERE,
ALL OF US, ALL PARTIES, 13-
PLUS,
ALL OF US ARE PROVIDING
GENERATIONS OF IMPACT, IMPACTING
CULTURE, IMPACTING OUR CLIMATE,
IMPACTING
NATURE AND OUR ENVIRONMENT,
HELPING TO PRESERVE HISTORY AND
SO MUCH MORE.
IS THIS DEAL THE END ALL BE ALL?
IS IT SOMETHING THAT, YOU
KNOW, WE SHOULD SLAP HIGH FIVES
AND
CELEBRATE AND SAY WE SOLVED
A HUNDRED YEARS OF TENSION?
NO.
THERE'S CLEARLY WORK TO BE
DONE.
BUT IT IS A
STRONG STARTING PLACE, AS I
HEARD, FROM WHICH TO
CONTINUE TO BUILD UPON.
SO ALL THIS TO SAY THANK YOU
AGAIN FOR BEING HERE.
I REALLY DO LOVE THE FORMAT
OF THIS AND THE STRUCTURE OF
THIS WHERE WE HAD OUR CITY LIGHT
PARTNERS AND WE INVITED OUR
SOVEREIGN TRIBAL
REPRESENTATIVES HERE AS WELL TO
SHARE THEIR
PERSPECTIVE.
I TRY TO PRACTICE AN ATTITUDE
OF GRATITUDE DAILY IN MY LIFE.
THIS KIND OF FORMAT AND
STRUCTURE AND BEING ABLE
TO LISTEN TO YOU ALL IS A GOOD
REMINDER FOR ME PERSONALLY
WHY DO I THAT.
SO THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
SAKA.
AT THIS POINT, I WANT TO
READ THE STATEMENT FROM
COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS, WHO ALSO
CHAIRS THE
INDIGENOUS ADVISORY COUNCIL BUT
WE COULDN'T BE HERE TODAY.
HE SAYS I'M SORRY FOR
NOT MEETING WITH YOU TODAY AS I
TEND
TO MY RESPONSIBILITY TO
REPRESENTATIVE THE CITY
OF SEATTLE ON THE SOUND TRANSIT
BOARD IN TACOMA.
THANK YOU TO OUR TRIBAL LEADERS.
THANK YOU FOR LETTING US BE YOUR
GUEST TODAY IN CHAMBERS AND THE
SKAGIT RIVER WATERSHED.
THE SKAGIT RIVER IS ONE OF THE
HEALTHIEST RIVERS AND HAS THE
HIGHEST SALMON RUN IN
PUGET SOUND BECAUSE OF
YOUR STEWARDSHIP AND
YOUR CONSERVATION IN THE LAST
CENTURY AND THE POSITIONS YOU
EVER HELD
IN THE LAST DECADE OF
NEGOTIATING THIS LICENSING
AGREEMENT.
MY, MY FAMILY AND
FUTURE GENERATIONS ARE INDEBTED
TO
YOU AND WHAT YOU HAVE
ACCOMPLISHED FOR US.
THE LAST LICENSE CONSERVED SO
MUCH LAND.
THIS AGREEMENT GOES EVEN
FURTHER.
YOUR WILLINGNESS TO WORK WITH
US IN AN OFF LICENSE AGREEMENT
AND YOUR COMMITMENT TO HOLD US
TO ACCOUNT IS WHAT MAKES THIS
MOMENT INCREDIBLY SPECIAL,
IS WHAT MAKES THIS AGREEMENT
HISTORIC.
WE WILL LIVE BETTER LIVES
AND OUR FUTURE GENERATIONS WILL
BE
BETTER OFF BECAUSE OF THE
AGREEMENTS WE'RE IN THE
PROCESS OF MAKING TODAY.
FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY
HEART, THANK YOU.
WHILE I'M NOT ABLE TO JOIN
THE MAYOR ON HER VISIT WITH YOU
THIS WEEK AND NEXT, I LOOK
FORWARDING TO COMING TO YOU TO
MEET AND
DISCUSS WHERE WE GO FROM HERE.
SINCERELY, COUNCILMEMBER
STRAUSS.
WITH THAT, BEFORE WE MOVE TO
ADJOURNMENT --
>> CHAIR, I THINK
COUNCILMEMBER KETTLE IS
ONLINE.
>> I'M SORRY.
DID HE PUT HIS HAND UP?
>> YEP.
I HAVE SOMETHING I'D LIKE TO
ADD AFTER IF THAT'S OKAY.
>> ABSOLUTELY.
HE'S MY VICE CHAIR.
WHERE IS HE?
I DON'T SEE HIM ON THE
SCREEN.
>> I'M
HERE.
>> SORRY.
I FLIPPED YOU AWAY.
SORRY.
GO AHEAD, VICE
CHAIR.
>>
OKAY. I DID WANT TO SPEAK HERE
--
I DIDN'T WANT TO SPEAK IN THE
EARLIER SESSION AS THE
ONE COMMITTEE MEMBER WITHOUT A
JD, NOT BEING A LAWYER.
BUT ON THIS ONE, IT WAS REALLY
IMPORTANT.
FIRST, I WANT TO THANK YOU,
CHAIR, FOR THIS TRIBAL PANEL.
I THINK THIS WAS REALLY
IMPORTANT, VITAL ACTUALLY.
BUT I ALSO WANT TO ESPECIALLY
THANK THE TRIBAL GOVERNMENT
LEADERSHIP AND
THE REPRESENTATIVES THAT WE
HAVE TODAY AND ALL THOSE THAT
HAVE
BEEN SUPPORTING THEM TO INCLUDE
THE CITY AND OTHERS.
I'M STRUCK BY THE
MULTIPLE REFERENCES OF WATER IS
LIFE.
CHAIR, I RECOGNIZE YOUR POINTS
ABOUT THE LAND.
AS A RETIRED NAVAL OFFICER,
I DID WANT TO SPEAK ABOUT THE
WATER.
YOU KNOW, IN THE NAVY
WE'RE BROUGHT UP TO RESPECT THE
WATER.
IT'S SO IMPORTANT.
A KEY TAG LINE FOR THE
NAVY HAS BEEN FORGED BY THE SEA.
FOR ANYBODY WHO'S BEEN OUT AT
SEA, PARTICULARLY IN DIFFICULT
CONDITIONS, THEY KNOW THAT
THEY DO GET FORGED BY THE SEA.
AND OF COURSE THERE'S THE
FAREWELL OF FAIR WINDS AND
FOLLOWING SEAS.
SO THE WATER IS VITAL
TO SOMEBODY WITH MY BACKGROUND
OR
SIMILAR, COAST GUARD AND THE
LIKE.
AND I THINK WE SHOULD SPEAK
TO THE WATER MORE.
BECAUSE AS A CITY, WE'RE
DOING THIS AGREEMENT WHICH HAS
NOTED IT'S INCREDIBLY COMPLEX
WITH
SO MANY PARTICIPANTS,
ORGANIZATIONS, GOVERNMENT AND
NON-GOVERNMENTAL AND ALL THE
PIECES. AND THEN WITH THE
HISTORY
AS NOTED IN THE COMMENTS, THE
VERY POWERFUL COMMENTS, BUT THIS
WAS JUST ONE PART.
YOU KNOW, AS A CITY, THIS
IS REALLY IMPORTANT.
BUT AS A CITY, AS A COUNTY, AS A
STATE AND MOST IMPORTANTLY AS A
NATION, WE REALLY NEED TO
BE THINKING ABOUT THE
WATER, BECAUSE AS THE SKAGIT
RIVER
OR THE OTHER RIVERS THAT GO
INTO THE PUGET SOUND, THAT'S
ONE
THING, BUT THE IMPACTS ON THE
WATER, THE IMPACTS ON THE
OCEAN, THE ONE OCEAN ARE
IMMENSE.
YOU KNOW, I THINK OF THE
IMPACTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE, THE
ACIDIFY
CASE, INCREASING LEVELS,
ALL THESE DIFFERENT PIECES THAT
WE
HAVE IN TERMS OF WHAT IS
HAPPENING TO OUR WATER AND WHAT
THE IMPACT WILL BE ON THE
TRIBES, ON OUR NATIVE
COMMUNITIES AND ON ALL OF US.
AND I THINK WHILE WE
SHOULD CELEBRATE THIS, WE SHOULD
ALSO LOOK AT THIS ECOSYSTEM AS
PART OF A LARGER ECOSYSTEM
THAT'S UNDER STRESS AND THE
IMPACTS OF
WHICH MAY DECIMATE ALL THE
GOOD WORK WE'RE LOOKING TO DO
HERE. SO I LIKE THE FOCUS OF
WATER,
I LIKE THE POINT THAT WATER IS
LIFE AND THERE'S MORE WORK TO
BE DONE BECAUSE THIS IS JUST
BUT ONE SMALL STEP IF YOU
THINK ABOUT IT.
AS HARD AS IT'S BEEN, IF
YOU THINK IN THE CONTEXT OF THE
ONE
OCEAN AND THE IMPACTS LIKE
WITH CLIMATE CHANGE, IT
COULD DECIMATE EVERYTHING THAT
WE'VE
BEEN TALKING ABOUT THAT
WE'RE TRYING TO RESTORE, THAT
WE'RE TRYING TO REVIVE.
I THINK WE REALLY NEED TO BE
ADVOCATING, AGAIN, AT THE CITY,
AT THE COUNTY, AT THE STATE,
AS A NATION IN PARTNERSHIP WITH
OUR
TRIBAL GOVERNMENT PARTNERS TO
LOOK FOR THOSE WAYS THATTHAT
CAN ASSURE THAT A HUNDRED YEARS
FROM NOW THAT THE WATER WILL BE
THERE
FOR US, FOR AS NOTED AGAIN
WATER IS LIFE.
THANK YOU, CHAIR.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
KETTLE. COUNCILMEMBER,
RIVERA.
>> I WANTED TO
ACKNOWLEDGE SOMETHING THAT
COUNCILMEMBER
FIANDER SAID IN RESPONSE TO
COMMENTS THAT YOU HEARD, I
HOPE -- I'M JUST GOING TO
SAY THIS AND I HOPE IT DOESN'T
COME OUT WRONG, BUT I DON'T --
IT
IS SAD TO ME THAT YOU ARE PUT IN
A POSITION THAT YOU HAVE TO
JUSTIFY WHAT WE'RE TALKING
ABOUT HERE AND THAT SOMEHOW
SOMEONE WOULD SEE THIS AS A
MONEY GRAB.
I JUST WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT
IS NOT HOW I SEE IT, AND I
WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT YOU
FELT COMPELLED TO SAY THAT,
BECAUSE
OTHERS MAY SEE IT THAT WAY.
I THINK IT'S THIS CONSTANT
HAVING TO EXPLAIN TO PEOPLE AND
JUSTIFY, YOU KNOW, WHAT IS
IMPORTANT TO OUR TRIBAL PARTNERS
IS DIFFICULT -- IT IS DIFFICULT
TO WITNESS SOMETIMES.
SO I WANTED TO JUST ACKNOWLEDGE
IT, BECAUSE YOU SAID IT
AND BECAUSE THAT IS NOT HOW I
SEE
IT.
THAT'S NOT HOW WE SEE IT.
I JUST THINK IT'S IMPORTANT
TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT'S HOW YOU
FELT
AND THAT IS IMPORTANT.
I THINK THAT IS A PREVAILING
FEELING.
AND I WILL SAY AS A LATINA
WOMAN, I UNDERSTAND THAT
FEELING OF HAVING TO JUSTIFY
YOURSELF TO
FOLKS, FOR ME IN DIFFERENT
SPACES FOR DIFFERENT
REASONS, BUT IT'S THAT
CONSTANT JUSTIFICATION THAT'S
REALLY DIFFICULT THAT I'VE HAD
TO DO
IN MY OWN LIFE.
I'M NOT TRYING TO TAKE
SOMETHING AWAY FROM YOU.
PLEASE KNOW THAT WHEN I SAY
THAT IT'S MORE THAT I WANT TO
ACKNOWLEDGE THIS STATEMENT
THAT YOU MADE AND THANK YOU FOR
MAKING THEM.
I FOR ONE FEEL REALLY SAD
THAT YOU FELT COMPELLED LIKE YOU
HAD
TO.
THAT GOES TO THE WORK TO BE
DONE.
THERE IS A LOT OF WORK TO BE
DONE.
I WANTED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT.
THEN I JUST WANT TO MAKE A
COMMENT ABOUT I SIT ON THE --
SALMON RECOVERY REGIONAL
COMMITTEE.
AS PART OF THAT I'VE LEARNED A
LOT ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE
OF SALMON TO OUR REGION AND
MORE IMPORTANTLY TO OUR TRIBAL
PARTNERS AND WHAT THAT REALLY
MEANS.
IT IS NOT A COMMODITY.
IT IS SOMETHING THAT IS REALLY
MEANINGFUL.
AND I AM SO GRATEFUL FOR
SITTING ON THE REGIONAL
COMMITTEE,
BECAUSE I DIDN'T EVEN
REALIZE WHEN I WAS ASSIGNED TO
SIT
ON THE COMMITTEE HOW MUCH I
WOULD LEARN AND THE IMPORTANCE
THAT THE REGIONAL COMMITTEE --
THE IMPORTANCE OF THE REGIONAL
COMMITTEE TO SALMON
RECOVERY EFFORTS FOR ALL THE
CITIES
THAT ARE INVOLVED IN THE
REGION AND
MORE IMPORTANTLY JUST
LEARNING ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF
SALMON TO ALL OF YOU, OUR
TRIBAL PARTNERS AND THE MEANING
BEYOND JUST WHAT SOMETIMES
PEOPLE THINK
OF IT.
SO I DID WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE
THAT.
IT IS AN IMPORTANT COMMITTEE.
I KNOW THAT SOME OF OUR
TRIBAL PARTNERS SIT ON THAT
COMMITTEE, AND IT IS SO
IMPORTANT.
ANYWAY, I WANTED TO NOTE THAT AS
WELL.
>> THANK YOU .
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
RIVERA. BEFORE WE CLOSE, I JUST
WANT TO
SAY A FEW THINGS, AND THEN
WE'LL GO TO ADJOURNMENT.
I MADE A JOKE LAST WEEK IN
CHAMBERS AND A COUPLE
OF MY COLLEAGUES CAME UP TO ME
LATER AND ASKED ME.
I SAID I ACTUALLY GREW UP ON THE
BANKS AT THE FRANK'S LANDING
INDIAN
COMMUNITY. UP UNTIL I WAS 13 OR
14
I THOUGHT THAT FISH AND WILDLIFE
I HAD NEVER SEEN THEM TURN ON A
FLASHLIGHT.
I JUST SAW THEM HIT US WITH THEM
AND THROW US IN THE BACK OF THE
CAR AND TAKE MY MOM AND UNCLE
BILLY AND MASON BRIDGES AND AL
BRIDGES.
I GREW UP WATCHING THAT.
SO I UNDERSTAND WHAT IT
MEANS FOR WHEN WE LEARNED FROM
AND
I'M GOING TO MENTION SOME
ELDERS
BECAUSE THIS IS WHAT WE DO
IN INDIAN COUNTRY.
I'M SO GLAD TO HAVE MY NATIVE
BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN THIS
SPACE, IN THIS PEOPLE'S
HOUSE WITH ME, WHAT I LEARNED
FROM JOE
DELACRUZ AND ALLISON GODFREDSON
AND RAMONA BETIT AND -- I'M A
MEMBER OF THE BLACKFOOT NATION.
YES, A PLAINS INDIAN SAVED
YOURYOUR
SHELLFISH.
YOU'RE WELCOME.
MY STEPDAD WAS YAKIMA.
I GREW UP WITH UNDERSTANDING
A SENSIBILITY THAT YOU ALL
EXPRESSED TODAY THAT I
HOPE THE VIEWING PUBLIC HEARS.
THAT'S WHY I'M GLAD WHAT YOU
SAID.
WE OFTEN HEAR THESE COMMENTS OH
TRIBES HAVE CASINOS, IT'S A
LAND GRAB.
SOMETIMES I WISH THEY
WOULD UNDERSTAND THE
SENSIBILITIES
THAT AMERICA IS OURS.
THIS IS OUR SOIL.
IT'S KIND OF IRONIC THAT
THEY HAVE THE GUY FROM KLAHOMA
WHO MIGHT BE HEAD OF
THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND
SECURITY. HE'S AN ENROLLED
MEMBER OF
THE CHEROKEE NATION.
THAT WILL BE INTERESTING.
THAT SAID, I APOLOGIZE FOR
GOING OFF SCRIPT BUT YOUR
WORDS HAVE
INSPIRED ME TODAY. I WANT TO
THANK ALL OF YOU FOR
BEING HERE.
IT REALLY MEANS A LOT.
WITH THAT, LET ME LOOK DOWN HERE
AT MY SCRIPT. SO WE REACHED THE
END OF
TODAY'S AGENDA.
I'M GUESSING THERE'S NO MORE
COMMENTS FROM MY COMMITTEE
MEMBERS.
IS THERE ANY OTHER BUSINESS TO
COME BEFORE COUNCIL? NOT SEEING
ANY.
WITH THAT, THERE IS NO FURTHER
BUSINESS.
IT IS NOW 4:00, AND WE ARE
ADJOURNED.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR.
>> THANK YOU.