The 4(d) rule is named after Section 4, Part (d) of the Endangered Species Act, which requires the federal government to publish rules to limit, regulate, or prohibit activities that can damage listed species or their habitats. Although the National Marine Fisheries Service's (NMFS) 4(d) rule for steelhead and salmon has the potential to cause serious disruptions to our every day life, NMFS is working with local counties and communities to develop local solutions to the fish protection problem, and is working cooperatively with Clark County to find protective measures that work for our county.
The county has developed a 4(d) Compliance Work Plan (PDF - 21K) to ensure that the county's ordinances respond to statutory mandates surrounding environmental issues. The plan includes reviewing three basins in the county to develop a baseline survey of the biological health of fish in these basins. This information will help the county determine how its ordinances will impact salmon as the county grows and development continues.
For more information about the county's response to the 4(d) rule, contact Joel Rupley at the Clark County Endangered Species Program, (360) 397-2022 or joel.rupley@clark.wa.gov.
