The state House has released its budget proposal, and it doesn’t provide separate funding for adjudication of the Nooksack basin. If funding isn’t provided for the adjudication, it won’t happen.
This is where you come in! We need to contact legislators to tell them to support the Senate language for the Nooksack basin adjudication. This is the ONLY version of the budget language supported by the Nooksack Tribe and Lummi Nation.
Contact:
Alicia.Rule@leg.wa.gov
sharon.shewmake@leg.wa.gov
alex.ramel@leg.wa.gov
debra.lekanoff@leg.wa.gov
joe.fitzgibbon@leg.wa.gov
timm.ormsby@leg.wa.gov
Lillian.Ortiz-Self@leg.wa.gov
christine.rolfes@leg.wa.gov
Sample Letter:
Dear Legislator,
Please support the Senate budget language for Nooksack basin adjudication. This is the only version supported by the Nooksack Tribe and Lummi Nation. I ask that you stand with the Tribes in supporting the Senate budget language.
Background
Last week both operating budgets were released but unfortunately the House budget merges funding for ecology to do the work of preparing water rights for court, with a separate funding request for Whatcom County. Those should remain separate so that Ecology has the funding they need to begin the work of adjudication.
Adjudication is how the state makes sure there’s enough water in the Nooksack for salmon. This will protect water for salmon, honor Treaty rights, and create certainty around water use for everyone.
I ask that you please:
1. Support the Senate version only.
2. Do not amend the House version.
3. Reach out to Rep. Ormsby, Rep. Fitzgibbon, and House Appropriation Staffer K.D. Chapman-See to ask them to accept the Senate language on adjudication during the upcoming budget conference.