Elizabeth McManus spoke at the May 2015 NRC meeting about the Alliance for a Healthy South Sound (AHSS). AHSS acts as the Local Integrating Organization for the South Sound region and is recognized by the Puget Sound Partnership as a leader in implementing parts of the Puget Sound Action Agenda.

1. Presentation to Nisqually River Council
May 15, 2015

2. AHSS Background
• One of nine Local Integrating Organizations (LIOs)
• Created by South Puget Sound tribal and county elected officials
in 2010
• Recognized by the Puget Sound Partnership Leadership Council
as the South Puget Sound organization responsible for Action
Agenda implementation
To support coordinated and collaborative decision-making
aimed at restoring and protecting the ecological and socio-
economic health of South Puget Sound
History
Mission
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3. AHSS Geography
Includes:
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• Pierce County
• Mason County
• Thurston County
• City of Olympia
• City of Lakewood
• JBLM

4. AHSS Membership
Thurston County
Squaxin Island Tribe
Nisqually Tribe
Pierce County
Mason County
Puyallup Tribe
City of Tumwater
City of Olympia
City of Lakewood
Port of Olympia
LOTT Cleanwater Alliance
Deschutes Estuary Restoration Team
South Sound Salmon Enhancement
Group
Nisqually Land Trust
Taylor Shellfish
Wilcox Farms
Salmon Lead Entity WRIA 11, 12, 14, 15
Nisqually River Council
Chambers-Clover Creek Watershed
Group
Oakland Bay Shellfish Protection Area
Mason County Conservation District
WSU
Ecosystem Coordination Board (ex-
officio)
Executive Committee
Council (active members)
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5. AHSS Activities
• Bi-monthly Executive Committee and Council
meetings
• Regular Technical Sub-committee meetings
• Ad-hoc meetings and conference calls
• Coordinating local implementation of the Action Agenda for Puget
Sound
• Tracking of near-term actions and reporting for PSP Report Card
• Identifying partners and funding streams for local recovery activities
• Identifying and addressing barriers to near-term action
implementation
• Representing the interests and unique ecosystem characteristics of
the South Sound during regional planning and strategy development
Convening
Collaboration
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6. AHSS Near Term Actions
• Mason County, Thurston County, Pierce
County enhanced septic repair grant & loan
programs
• Small community stormwater reduction
program
• NPDES municipal stormwater permit
implementation funding strategy
development
• South Puget Sound nutrient reduction
strategy
• Prevention of pollution &/or recovery of
shellfish beds through education, outreach,
& advocacy
• Deschutes River Estuary restoration
• Sequalitchew Creek restoration
• Chambers Bay estuarine &riparian
enhancement project
• Johns Creek (Bayshore) Estuary
restoration
Shellfish Strategic Initiative
Stormwater Strategic Initiative
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Habitat Strategic Initiative
• Salmon recovery 3-year work plan
implementation
• Habitat and shellfish recovery through
education & outreach
• McNeil Island long-term conservation &
low-impact public access

7. AHSS Near Term Actions - Status
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Quarterly updates to NTA status available at:
http://gismanager.rco.wa.gov/ntaportal

8. AHSS Near Term Actions - Status
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Quarterly updates to NTA status available at:
http://gismanager.rco.wa.gov/ntaportal

9. AHSS Upcoming Work
• Contributing South Sound information for the annual State of
the Sound Report
• Generating a list of local ecosystem pressures
• LIO-scale recovery planning
• Updating and prioritizing AHSS near term actions for the 2016
Action Agenda for Puget Sound
•Represent South Sound interests during Sound-wide planning
efforts particularly the Action Agenda implementation teams
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10. Opportunities to Work Together
• Advocating for and supporting implementation of projects
•Reflecting NRC’s insights and ideas in the AHSS updates to
priority actions for 2016
•Reflecting NRC’s insights and ideas in the longer-range LIO-scale
planning
•Creating a forum for peer-to-peer communication and potential
partnership opportunities to advance South Sound recovery
activities
•Your ideas?
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11. Thank you!
www.healthysouthsound.org
Contact Information:
Elizabeth McManus
emcmanus@rossstrategic.com
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