Action Alert: Comment on Shoreline Master Program guidelines
In 2023, many of you worked with Futurewise to get the legislature to pass an important bill requiring counties and cities to address climate change in their plans for the future. Thank you!
We need your help again. One of the requirements of the bill is for the State of Washington Department of Ecology to update its guidelines to require shoreline master programs to address the impact of sea level rise and increased storm severity on people, property, and the environment.
Shoreline master programs are policies and regulations that mange the ocean, Sound, large lakes, rivers, and large streams. By getting good regulations, we get better protections for the Puget Sound, Pacific Ocean, and other shorelines.
Ecology has a set of proposed regulations out for public comment. These regulations are comprehensive and a step in the right direction. It’s important that we show up to support this update!
But we also need to call on Ecology to improve public regulations to:
- Identify and protect habitats and aquatic vegetation that will be damaged by sea level rise.
- Better protect people and property from sea level rise.
- Protect rivers and streams with better buffers that follow the best available science by requiring buffers that are consistent with the Department of Fish and Wildlife’s riparian ecosystem science.
- Require counties and cities to report of violations to Ecology to encourage better enforcement.
Help us carry this message to Ecology:
Attend an upcoming public hearing!
Online Public Hearing
Date: Thursday, October 22
Time: Open house at 5 pm and a presentation and public hearing at 6pm
Location: Online
Yakima Public Hearing
Date: Wednesday, October 28
Time: Open house at 5pm; public hearing at 6pm
Location: Yakima Valley College, Building 38, Kaminski Conference Center
Note that the hearing is not hosted by or affiliated with Yakima Valley College.
Spokane Public Hearing
Date: Thursday, October 29
Time: Open house at 5pm; Public hearing at 6pm
Location: Spokane Shadle Park Library, Events meeting room
Des Moines Public Hearing
Date: Tuesday, November 3
Time: Open house at 5pm; public hearing at 6pm
Location: Highline College, Building 8, Mt. Constance/Olympus rooms
Note that the hearing is not hosted by or affiliated with Highline College
Post a comment online!
Can’t attend a public hearing? Post a comment using Ecology’s online comment form by November 17, 2026!
Include the following key points in your comment. (You can cut and paste them into Ecology’s form; it takes less than a minute!)
Key Points
Thank you for updating the shoreline master program guidelines. I support the proposed amendments as they were last updated nearly a decade ago and there have been many changes in shorelines and science since the last update in 2017.
Proposed amended Washington Administrative Code (WAC) 173-26-246(8) and WAC 173-26-246(9) must prohibit new non-water dependent buildings and the expansion, replacement, or redevelopment of existing primary structures within areas exposed to future sea level rise. This is needed to protect people and property from damage from sea level rise and increased storm intensities and frequencies.
WAC 173-26-246(6), (WAC) 173-26-246(7), and WAC 173-26-246(9) must require the identification and protection of areas where habitats, wetlands, and aquatic vegetation will need to migrate due to sea level rise. This is necessary to protect the habitats and vegetation on which the shoreline marine environment, salmon, and orcas depend.
WAC 173-26-221(5)(c) must require that fish-bearing rivers and streams shall have buffers no less than one 200-year site-potential tree height, measured from the ordinary high water mark or the outer edge of the channel migration zone whichever is greater, consistent with the State of Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife’s Riparian Ecosystems, Volume 2: Management Recommendations. These buffers are needed to protect salmon habitats, water quality, and the orcas that depend on salmon for sustenance.
WAC 173-26-090(2)(b)(iii)(D) must require counties and cities to report to Ecology violations, complaints, and the number of violations and complaints that are resolved each year. This data will allow Ecology to determine if counties and cities are adequately enforcing shoreline master programs and effectively protecting the state’s shorelines. Ecology can then provide technical assistance and backup enforcement where needed.
Read Ecology’s rule and summary here: WAC 173-26-27-Shoreline Management Act – Washington State Department of Ecology
