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Northwest Straits Initiative reauthorization attempt failed; commission, foundation roles clarified
Summary
Alan Clark updated the Clallam MRC that a recent attempt to reauthorize the Northwest Straits Initiative did not reach a floor vote; the commission circulated a refined definition and members discussed staffing separation between the Commission and the Foundation.
At the Jan. 16 meeting the Clallam County Marine Resources Committee heard an update from Alan Clark that a recent attempt to reauthorize the Northwest Straits Initiative did not reach a vote in Congress and that the Commission is circulating a clarified definition for member approval.
The update matters because the Northwest Straits Initiative provides coordination and support for locally based marine resource committees; clarifying the Initiative’s legal and staffing structure affects how MRCs partner with the commission and the foundation.
Clark told members the MRC had sought reauthorization through congressional channels with assistance from Sen. Patty Murray but the reauthorization language did not attach to a bill that reached a vote. He summarized a drafted definition the commission will vote on: the Northwest Straits Initiative is described as a community-led collaboration to protect and restore the marine environment of northwest Washington, composed of the Northwest Straits Commission and seven locally based marine resource committees that identify and address priority marine conservation issues through partnerships, coordination and funding.
Clark said the Northwest Straits Foundation is developing its own strategic plan and that staffing arrangements will separate the foundation from the commission for operational clarity; he emphasized that the change does not, at this time, affect current funding for MRCs and that partnerships can continue.
Members discussed metaphors for the organizational relationship — “three-legged stool,” “two-legged stool,” even “octopus” — and Clark said the commission will work toward consensus at an upcoming meeting. He also said the staffing division should let MRCs focus on project work while commission staff avoid the burden of answering to two employers.
The committee recorded the update and directed member questions to Clark and to commission staff at future meetings.
