MEDIA ADVISORY
February 1, 2019

MEDIA CONTACT: Cathy Cochrane, 360.790.7958, cathy.cochrane@psp.wa.gov 

Science Panel to hear updates on 2019 legislative session

NOTE: This advisory corrects an earlier version that stated the meeting date as October 9. The correct date is February 6.

The Puget Sound Partnership's Science Panel will meet on Wednesday, February 6, from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the University of Washington, Applied Physics Lab, 1013 NE 40th St, Seattle, WA 98105.

Meeting highlights include:

• A status update on legislative topics of interest, including legislative actions addressing the advancement of Governor Inslee's Southern Resident Orca Task Force recommendations.
• A discussion of the Partnership's vision for the 2019 iteration of the State of the Sound report. The State of the Sound is a biennial report intended to help our partners and decision makers better understand how well the Puget Sound recovery effort is going. It also responds specifically to state statute (RCW 90.71.370(3)). Click here to view the 2017 State of the Sound.
• A discussion of the Puget Sound Ecosystem Monitoring Program (PSEMP) work group and steering committee work plans. PSEMP is a collaboration of diverse groups throughout Puget Sound that are dedicated to monitoring environmental conditions in Puget Sound. PSEMP's fundamental goal is to assess progress toward the recovery of the health of Puget Sound.

The full Science Panel agenda, meeting materials, and directions are available here. The meeting is open to the public and all are welcome to provide comment and learn about the regional effort to restore and protect Puget Sound.

If you need special accommodations to participate in this meeting, please notify the Special Assistant to the Boards, Deborah Hagen, at 360.819.0057.

About the Science Panel

The Science Panel's expertise and advice are critical to the Puget Sound Partnership’s efforts to develop a comprehensive, science-based plan to restore Puget Sound. The members, appointed by the Leadership Council, are chosen from the top scientists in Washington State.

About the Puget Sound Partnership

The Puget Sound Partnership is the state agency formed to lead the region’s collective effort to restore and protect Puget Sound. Working with hundreds of governments, tribes, scientists, businesses, and nonprofits, the Partnership mobilizes partner action around a common agenda, advances Sound investments, and tracks progress to optimize recovery. For more information, go to www.psp.wa.gov.

For more information, go to www.psp.wa.gov.