Last week, the Metropolitan King County Council approved a three-year agreement with the King Conservation District for natural resource protection efforts throughout King County and renewed a special assessment to provide funds to support those efforts, which include recovery of endangered salmon runs and assistance to farmers.

"Restoring habitat for Chinook salmon benefits all citizens of King County," said Councilmember Dow Constantine, D-Seattle, chair of the watershed planning effort in the Green/Duwamish watershed (WRIA 9). "This assessment is an important step in fulfilling our region's salmon recovery obligations."

The Dec. 11 action authorizes an annual assessment from 2007-2009 of $9.98 per parcel on all King County properties except those classified as forestry, or those within the boundaries of Enumclaw, Federal Way, Milton, Pacific and Skykomish. The special assessment also includes 1 cent for parcels between one and five acres, or 2 cents for parcels greater than five acres.

The special assessment is expected to raise $5.7 million in 2007. Under the three-year agreement, each $10 raised will be disbursed according to the following formula:

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