Federal
The US and Canada are working on updates to the Pacific Salmon Treaty; while the details are agreed upon, congressional funding of $43 million is still pending. The money comes partly to Washington, to assist in restoring Chinook habitat, while the largest chunk will go towards Canadian programs designed to reduce their commercial fishing. Over the next 10 years, the goal is a 30 percent reduction in the Canadian fisheries, a 15 percent reduction in Alaskan fishing, and (hopefully) a renewed population of Chinook returning to their Washington spawning grounds.
psc.org

State
On one side of the issue is the natural habitat of wild salmon. The other side: farmers along the Snake River who rely on barges to transport large grain shipments. The EPA strongly urged the removal of four dams on the Lower Snake River in 2000 (among other things, they violate the existing Clean Water Act), but it’s been a tough call for politicians to make. With the new federal funds coming in to boost hatchery programs and restore habitats—and the Snake River sockeye and Chinook runs already being viewed as in crisis—it’s time to solve the problem.
wildsalmon.org

City/County
Folks in Tacoma have been working for over a year towards creating a food co-op in the city. After a lengthy process of determining potential customer demand, they’re finalizing membership structure and bylaws and are at work on a business plan. A newer co-op group in Kitsap County is just getting started on the development process. They’ve got a table at the Bremerton Farmers’ Market this season, to help spread the word and collect volunteers.
tacomafoodcoop.blogspot.com
kitsapfoodcoop.org

The Seattle City Council recently passed the Local Food Action Initiative, which requires the Department of Neighborhoods to present the council with a specific plan of action by January 2009. The goals include getting more fresh food into hunger programs, finding ways for the city to directly support local farms and community gardens, increasing public transportation to farmers’ markets, reducing carbon emissions from food transportation and developing means for restaurants to divert edible food out of the waste stream.
seattle.gov