Department of Ecology
The Washington State Department of Ecology has been an instrumental agency in helping the Port reach successful environmental cleanups on the Everett waterfront. The Port and Ecology’s strong focus on cleaning up the Everett waterfront, has facilitated the cleanup and revitalization efforts across the waterfront, most notably at the Riverside Business Park and Waterfront Place.
The Port is partnering with Ecology on other critical projects as well, such as the former Kimberly-Clark mill site, Bay Wood, and Mill A at the Seaport. In areas where cleanups have been completed, the waterfront environment and economy are healthier and more vibrant than ever before and boast new extensive public access features.
The Port thanks Ecology and its staff for their strong commitment to Everett and its long-standing partnership with the Port of Everett and our community.
Tulalip Tribes
The Port of Everett works with the Tulalip Tribes in a government-to-government relationship to coordinate and cooperate the Port’s environmental stewardship efforts to restore, protect and manage its properties. The unique legal status of tribes and the presence of treaty-reserved rights and cultural interests throughout the state create a special relationship between tribes and agencies responsible for restoring, managing and protecting the state’s natural resources. The Port regards Tulalip Tribes as a key partner, and guide to stewardship and restoration.
As descendants of the Snohomish, Snoqualmie, Skykomish and other allied tribes and bands that signed the Point Elliot Treaty, Tulalip Tribes are one of over 562 federally recognized tribes in the United States. Today, the Tulalip Tribes, based just north of Everett, have a modern tribal government and is an important influence in the region. They work with the Port on shared issues such as development, sustainability, conservation and all other areas where Treaty Rights are concerned. Following the Boldt Decision in 1974 the Tulalip Tribes, along with Washington state, have co-managed the local salmon resources and habitat. They have developed robust environmental programs, including the full-scale restoration of the Qwuloolt Estuary, completed in 2015. Upon completion of the Port of Everett’s Blue Heron Slough and the city of Everett’s Smith Island, the three restoration projects will work in concert to provide one of the most viable recovered wild salmon habitats in Puget Sound.
EarthCorps
Working with the volunteer organization EarthCorps, the Port monitors the human impact on its Union Slough Saltmarsh site ecosystems and conducts regular volunteer work parties on Port property to ensure continued success of this restoration project. EarthCorps is a non-profit organization that brings together passionate and hardworking young adults from the U.S. and countries around the world, for a yearlong leadership training program to learn leadership skills by working collaboratively, leading community volunteers, and executing technical restoration projects along shorelines, trails and in forests.
Everett Steelhead & Salmon Club
The Port of Everett partners with the Everett Steelhead and Salmon Club, providing space at the Marina for the group to actively raise salmon fry in a fish pen at South Guest Dock 1, near Anthony’s Homeport. In 2019, the Club’s efforts helped raise 44,000 salmon fry, more than doubling their typical count of 20,000 in previous years. The Port began providing space for the pen in the 1980s, and since, the effort has helped raise and release more than 600,000 salmon fry into the Stillaguamish River. The Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife donates the feed and the fish who are brought in from the Wallace Falls Hatchery. Pen operations and maintenance is fully funded by the Club and staffed by Club members who volunteer their time to conduct annual work parties and complete needed repairs.
Ocean Research College Academy (ORCA)
The partnership between the Port of Everett and Everett Community College Ocean Research College Academy (ORCA) is a prime example of the successes that come from merging education and environmental stewardship. ORCA, an early college program for high school students at Everett Community College, has classrooms situated at the Port of Everett and focuses on the use of the local marine environment as the unifying theme for all academic disciplines. Through partnership with the Port, ORCA students engage in various environment-based marine research projects, including helping maintain and catalog information from various underwater instruments located around Port facilities gathering real-time data about Port Gardner Bay, including water temperature, salinity and dissolved oxygen levels. They also support the new Seabin pilot program, which helps to collect microplastics and garage that may float into the Marina.
Sno-King Marine Mammal Response
The Port of Everett partners with volunteer organization Sno-King Marine Mammal Response (SKMMR) to help educate waterfront visitors on etiquette when observing wildlife such as seals, sea lions and other marine wildlife, including keeping proper distance and not to touch, feed or capture. The organization responds to marine mammal sightings or those in distress in King and Snohomish Counties in Washington state. SKMMR is a partner of the Western Region Marine Mammal Stranding Network, overseen by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and National Marine Fisheries Service, per the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972. Harbor seals and other marine mammals inhabit the same shorelines used by people. By monitoring marine mammal health and educating the community, their goal is to promote conservation and stewardship of Puget Sound.