The Land Grant University for the 21st Century
Washington State University - Agency 365
2009-2011 Operating Budget
Request
Performance Level Decision Package
–Policy Level "BW"
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Updated Aug. 25
Agency Recommendation Summary:
A $1 million biennial budget appropriation is
requested by Washington State University to sustain a proven seven-county
volunteer citizen model for Puget Sound water quality restoration and
environmental monitoring.
Fiscal
Details:
Package Description:
This proposal seeks permanent state funding for the existing WSU Beach Watchers
educators in seven counties (Island, Clallam, Jefferson, Skagit, Snohomish, San
Juan, and Whatcom). These educators train and oversee a locally intensive and
effective citizen monitoring program. New funding is required to continue this
vital program. Existing federal funding for this program is scheduled to expire
on July 1, 2009 and will not be renewed.
Beach Watchers is an educational, outreach and monitoring program which is cost
effective and comprehensive. It is operated under the WSU Extension Program. The
Beach Watchers program, as it exists in seven counties, builds upon the local
partnerships and expertise established with university experts, agencies,
tribes, government, schools, environmental groups, businesses and other
volunteer organizations. This program is cost effective and efficient because it
leverages hundreds of volunteers trained by the seven WSU county extension
program educators funded by the project. Costs for coordination across the seven
counties served by WSU Beach Watchers is not included in this request but is
provided by WSU Extension.
Narrative Justification and Impact Statement:
Trained WSU Beach Watcher volunteers will continue to align program delivery and
meet performance expectations identified by the Puget Sound Partnership. Some of
the functions and responsibilities of Beach Watchers volunteers include:
·
Provide consistent coverage in seven counties equipped with trained volunteers
and coordinated data collection and reporting system on beach monitoring to
protect functioning of near shore and freshwater habitat, including but not
limited to data collection on algae blooms, invasive species, noxious weeds,
shorebird and marine mammal health.
·
Provide trained volunteers to find, quantify and remove creosote debris and
other activities to prevent toxic contamination.
·
Provide for the protection of species diversity through volunteers trained to
track juvenile salmon in pocket estuaries.
·
Provide for the protection of threats to human health through data collection on
clams and shellfish and identifying potential toxins and by testing of water
samples at public beaches.
·
Educate and increase the accountability of shore-line home owners through
educational outreach leading to improved water quality and aquatic ecosystems.
Program Successes:
The program, WSU Beach Watchers, has addressed Puget Sound issues through
education, outreach, and public engagement for the past 18 years. It has relied
on temporary federal grant funding that will not be available next biennium.
Successful funding of the proposal will continue a program that is expected to
contribute 150,250 volunteer hours over the next five years to Puget Sound
restoration, environmental monitoring and education. Education programs will
reach 125,000 Puget Sound residents, train 500 citizen scientists, reach many of
the Sound’s
marina operators and farmers.
The program’s
goal is to implement ecosystem-based and pragmatic local solutions leading to
protection of near shore and freshwater habitat, identification and clean-up
assistance of toxic contamination, protection of species diversity, and reducing
harm from storm water runoff.
Possible
Expansion to King, Pierce, Kitsap, and Other Counties:
This appropriation is required to position WSU to potentially expand the Beach
Watchers Program to other counties through a proposal called the
“Sound
Future Initiative”.
WSU has been working through the Puget Sound Partnership with the University of
Washington Sea Grant program on a proposal to expand the Beach Watchers program.
This related request would expand the program to King, Pierce, Thurston, Kitsap
and Mason counties.
However, WSU requires the successful funding of the continuing Beach Watchers
program outlined in this state-general fund request before the program can be
expanded to other counties.
About Washington State University Extension:
Washington State University Extension is the outreach and engagement enterprise
of the University, serving the people of Washington by creating, interpreting,
and delivering knowledge to enhance and enrich the lives of everyone in the
state. WSU Extension works in partnership with communities to identify issues
that research and knowledge can address, and deliver educational programs that
are designed to address those issues and other critical needs in a community.
WSU Extension has offices in every county of the state. Counties provide part of
the funding along with federal grants and state funding. WSU Extension is a
stakeholder in the Washington Sea Grant Program.
Outcomes:
· Successful funding of the
proposal will continue a program that is expected to provide education programs
to 125,000 Puget Sound residents
· Empower Puget Sound residents to
contribute 150,250 hours over the next five years into public service activities
like restoration, environmental monitoring and education. This volunteer
contribution is conservatively valued at over $2.4 million.
·
Deploy 500 citizen scientists to
collect information for use in the decision-making processes of local, state and
tribal and federal agencies.
· Provide
support to many farms, marinas, and maritime businesses to implement the best
management practices for protecting the Sound and improving water quality.
Calculations:
For more information, contact Larry Ganders, Assistant to the WSU President,
Olympia,
at 360-534-2333
