Residents criticize fish-culvert projects; county reports $0 spent outside county right-of-way in annual certification

Public criticism of fish passage and culvert projects surfaced during public comment at the March 25, 2025 Clallam County Board of Commissioners meeting in Port Angeles, where residents urged the county to question large fish‑passage expenditures and to demand supporting science for steep-grade projects.

John Worthington, speaking during the meeting’s first public comment period, criticized planned high‑grade fish culvert projects and said commissioners “had a chance to stop it” and that the projects would be “waste, fraud and abuse” of taxpayer money. Worthington argued that steep grades — he cited “12% grade” and compared survivability to “a trout surviving a Mount Saint Helens blast” — were not realistic for providing salmon spawning habitat.

A later public commenter, Don Worthington of Sequim, reiterated skepticism about large fish‑passage expenditures and urged the county to “just say show us the science.” He referenced prior state studies he said recommended maximum slopes of 2–3% for fish passage.

In response to public comment about item 1E on the consent agenda (the annual certification for road fund expenditures related to fish passage barrier removal and traffic law enforcement), a commissioner noted that the county’s submitted report shows the county spent $0 on fish‑passage barrier removal outside the county right‑of‑way, and that the certification reflects that figure. The consent agenda — which included the certification — was approved by the board.

The record at this meeting contains public objections and county staff/official statements about the content of the annual certification; no new county investment or contract for fish‑passage work was approved at the March 25 meeting.