The recent federal listing of the Puget Sound Chinook salmon and Bull trout underthe Endangered Species Act (ESA) is the first time such a listing has occurred ina major metropolitan area such as King County, Washington. Utilities are nowfaced with performing operations, maintenance and repair (M/R/O) activities oninfrastructure located adjacent to and often within habitats critical to theselisted species. In order to address potential M/R/O impacts on the criticalhabitats, many agencies are working diligently to prepare habitat conservationplans, response plans and action plans. The Environmental Protection Plan (EPP)is a document that was prepared for Soos Creek Water & Sewer District (District)as a response to these recent listings. Several other utility districts andmunicipalities in the state of Washington are interested in the EPP and maydevelop customized versions of this document that are unique to their specificissues. The EPP demonstrates and documents the District's good faith commitmentsand diligent efforts to provide water and sewer service to its customers whileavoiding or minimizing impacts to species listed under ESA. The primaryobjectives of the plan are to document required maintenance, repair, operations,and monitoring practices and state how these activities will be performedconsistently with ESA in a manner that will support listed species. An inventoryof the sensitive areas within the District and facilities located near or inclose proximity to those sensitive areas was developed to aid the District indetermining where it has facilities that may have the most potential for impactsto the listed species. Best management practices were then customized and adoptedfor each M/R/O activity performed by the District or its representatives. Thedocument also describes the District's efforts to implement aggressiveprogrammatic efforts to reduce infiltration and inflow overflow events, achievehigh levels of water conservation and water use efficiency, and engage ineffective monitoring, training, enforcement, and adaptive management whenundertaking District activities. Includes tables.
