BoardofDirectors:MelSheldonJr.,ChairmanDeborahParker,Vice-ChairmanChuckJames,TreasurerGlenGobin,SecretaryMarlinFrybergJr.,BoardMemberMarkHatch,BoardMemberDonHatchJr.,BoardMemberSherylFryberg,GeneralManagerSeptember18,2012NATURALANDCULTURALRESOURCEDEPARTMENT6406MarineDriveTulalip,WA98271-9694(360)716-4480FAX(360)716-<1642DennisMcLerran,RegionalAdministratorEnvironmentalProtectionAgency-Region101200SixthAvenue,Suite900Seattle,WA98101TheTulalipTribesarethesuccessorsininteresttotheSnohomish,Snoqualmie,andSkykomishtribesandothertribesandbandsignatorytotheTreatyofPointElliottRE:WashingtonDepartmentofEcologyFailuretoPromulgateFishConsumptionRatesDearAdministratorMcLerran,SixteenyearsagotheTulalipTribes, togetherwiththeSquaxinIslandTribe,publishedtheresultsofourfishconsumptionsurvey.Theresultsofthisscientifically reviewedstudy(Toy,etal.,1996)indicatedthatourtribalmembersconsume,despitediminishedandlessaccessiblepopulationsoffishandshellfish,dramaticallyhigheramountsoffishthanisassumedundertheStateofWashington'scurrentrateofapproximately6.5grams/day.AfteryearsofhardworkandcollaborationwiththeState,andaftermanypromisestotheTribestoestablishhumanhealthcriteriaandupdatetheirdefaultfishconsumptionrate,Ecologyappearstohavebowedtopressurefromindustry,andisfurtherdelayingthiscriticalprocess.TherevisedapproachfromEcologyrepresentsareversalofpreviouscommitmentsmade.EcologyaskedthattribeswaituntilanumericdefaultFCRwasestablishedinthestate'ssedimentmanagementstandardsfortoxiccleanup.EcologynolongerintendstoincludeadefaultFCRinthesedimentmanagementstandards.Tribeshavelosttwoyearswaitingforthisprocesstoconclude,andourconfidenceinEcology'sabilitytoadoptaprotectivestandardhasbeenseverelyweakened.Ecologyhaspublishedarevisedversionofthetechnicalsupportdocumentfishconsumptionrates,whichwaspreviouslypublishedinSeptember,2011.Therevisedversionlacksthesubstanceoftheearlierversion,whichincludedimportantpublichealthrecommendationsaffectingtribalpeople.Ecologyhasstrippedthedocumentofessentialtechnicalrecommendationsrelatedtoadefaultrangeforfishconsumptionratesthatwouldprotectpublichealth.Allparties,includingtheEnvironmentalProtectionAgency,DepartmentofEcology,tribes,andmanybusinesseshaveagreedthattheexistingfishconsumptionrateisnotaccurate,andisafractionofactualfishconsumption.TheDepartmentofEcologyhasknownforyearsthatexistingratesdonotadequatelyprotectWashingtonresidents-andthattribalcommunitiesareathigherriskoftoxicexposure.Nonetheless,thestateappearsunabletotakeactioninawaythatistimelyandresponsivetothescientificdatatheyhavehadinfrontofthem.Instead,Ecologyisdisguisingthelackofsubstantiveactionwithanewroundoftimeconsuming, process-basedinitiatives.Tribesarecommittedtoensuringthatfishconsumptionratesinthestate'swaterqualitystandardsprotectourtribalmembers,andtherealquantitiesoffishandshellfishthattheyeat.GiventhesixteenyearsthathavepassedsinceTulalip'sfishconsumptionstudywascompletedandresultssharedwithEPAandEcology,webelieveitishightimeforaction,notmoreprocess.TheStateofOregonhasadopted175g/dayFCRinresponsetotribalandotherscientificallysounddata,inordertobeprotectiveofthepublichealthofitsresidents.Wecannotaffordtostandbyanylongerwhilethispoliticalfootballistossedbackandforth.WeareaskingtheEnvironmentalProtectionAgency,asourfederaltrustee,tointerveneandestablishaninterimprotectiveandaccurateFCRuntilsuchtimethattheStateofWashingtoncanprovidethesame.Sincerely,TerryWilliams,CommissionerFisheriesandNaturalResourcesCc:TulalipChairmanandBoardofDirectors