We have to 'tell the truth' to save orcas and Puget Sound

The birth of an orca to Puget Sound's L pod while wintering in California gives us feelings of joy, but also anguish for the heavy odds against this infant's survival. That's because Puget Sound is sick and the orca's milk is laden with PCBs.

For 20 years, scientists have rung alarms about the health of Puget Sound. The tribes have been ringing this alarm for 200 years. The listing of orcas as endangered, plus disturbing events such as fish kills from low oxygen and discovery of "dead zones," are clear evidence this generation must act before it's too late.

The two of us were among 22 regional leaders and stakeholders appointed by Gov. Chris Gregoire in 2005 to the Puget Sound Partnership whose task is to develop an aggressive plan to recover and protect the Sound by 2020. The first thing we all agreed to do was to "tell the truth" about what it will take.

Our deadline of 2020 will come faster than anyone can imagine. The status quo will decimate orca and salmon populations. That's why our agreement to "tell the truth" is so important. We must have the courage to provide new protections and undo previous harmful decisions. It's a complex task and everyone must work together to achieve it.

The Legislature is working to provide tools to do the work. We also have existing tools, such as the Aquatic Reserve Program. Such reserves can protect ecosystems -- stepping stones to healthy fish and wildlife. Today, the only aquatic reserve is 5,000 acres off Maury Island, home to one of 18 remaining Puget Sound herring spawning beds.

Every species recovery plan cites this reserve as a natural treasure, important to the recovery of threatened and endangered species. Unfortunately, a loophole allows industrial uses such as a 300-foot pier proposed by a multinational corporation, Glacier Northwest.

The Senate has approved state Sen. Erik Poulsen's bill to restore integrity to the program, so it is consistent with our commitment to recover and protect Puget Sound by 2020. Together, we ask the House to do the same. It's common sense that industrial barging isn't compatible with healthy ecological systems. Experience tells us that industry harms herring spawning grounds.

Passage of Poulsen's proposal doesn't stop Glacier Northwest's mining on Maury Island; it just keeps it from expanding.

As the Puget Sound Partnership is given life by the 2007 Legislature, and we await the return of our orca pods with their newborns, we set our sights on saving Puget Sound. There is no time to waste. We need legislation that solidifies the Aquatic Reserve Program -- a fitting companion to the Puget Sound Partnership.