Seattle Public Utilities briefs council committee on tribal engagement, watershed access

Seattle Public Utilities told a City Council committee on March 17 that it has expanded government-to-government engagement with federally recognized tribes across a range of projects, from interpretive signage and hatchery co-management to watershed access and federal relicensing processes.

At the Finance Native Communities and Tribal Governments Committee, Andrew Lee, general manager and CEO of Seattle Public Utilities, said the utility manages infrastructure that affects cultural and natural resources and has an obligation to consult with tribal nations. “We operate 2 dams that are critical infrastructure to supplying 1,600,000 people in King County,” Lee said, noting the environmental impacts of dams, stormwater and combined sewer overflows and the need for mitigation and collaboration.

Kyle Iron Lightning, SPU’s tribal relations advisor, described recent and planned engagement across projects including interpretive signage at Bitter Lake Reservoir (a 21,000,000‑gallon drinking-water reservoir replacement),…