Proposed legislation seeks to increase salmon recovery efforts through conservation and restoration of habitat via critical areas ordinances.

SB 6454, sponsored by Sen. Jesse Salomon (D–Shoreline), requires the Department of Fish and Wildlife (DFW) to create guidelines for local governments to use in updating their critical areas ordinances. The guidelines must be completed by January 1, 2021 and identify priority habitat, incompatible land uses, and methods for improving and preserving salmon habitat.

The following counties and the cities within the counties of King, Pierce, Snohomish, Clallam, Clark, Island, Jefferson, Kitsap, Mason, San Juan, Skagit, Thurston, and Whatcom must review and adopt changes to their critical areas ordinances to reflect the new guidelines during their scheduled comprehensive plan review and update timeline. However, the bill also requires that those cities and counties begin implementing the guidelines on January 1, 2021—the date the DFW is required to complete the guidelines.

All other counties and the cities within have until June 30, 2026 to implement the guidelines. The bill allows for DFW to exclude cities or counties that have no or minimal critical salmon habitat from implementing the guidelines.

Finally, SB 6454 requires DFW and the Department of Commerce to report on local government compliance with the new critical area guidelines.

Dates to remember

SB 6454 is scheduled for public hearing in the Senate Local Government Committee at 8 am on Thursday, January 23.