(1) The department may coordinate with the recreation and conservation office in the administration of all state grant programs specifically designed to assist state agencies, private landowners, tribes, organizations, and volunteer groups in identifying and removing impediments to salmonid fish passage. The transportation improvement board may administer all grant programs specifically designed to assist cities, counties, and other units of local governments with fish passage barrier corrections associated with transportation projects. All grant programs must be administered and be consistent with the following:

(a) Salmonid-related corrective projects, inventory, assessment, and prioritization efforts;

(b) Salmonid projects subject to a competitive application process; and

(c) A minimum dollar match rate that is consistent with the funding authority's criteria. If no funding match is specified, a match amount of at least twenty-five percent per project is required. For local, private, and volunteer projects, in-kind contributions may be counted toward the match requirement.

(2) Priority shall be given to projects that match the principles provided in RCW 77.95.180.

(3) All projects subject to this section shall be reviewed and approved by the fish passage barrier removal board created in RCW 77.95.160 or an alternative oversight committee designated by the state legislature.

(4) Other agencies that administer natural resource-based grant programs shall use fish passage selection criteria that are consistent with this section when those programs are addressing fish passage barrier removal projects.

(5)(a) The department shall establish a centralized database directory of all fish passage barrier information. The database directory must include, but is not limited to, existing fish passage inventories, fish passage projects, grant program applications, and other databases. These data must be used to coordinate and assist in habitat recovery and project mitigation projects.

(b) The department must develop a barrier inventory training program that qualifies participants to perform barrier inventories and develop data that enhance the centralized database. The department may decide the qualifications for participation. However, employees and volunteers of conservation districts and regional salmon recovery groups must be given priority consideration.

Findings—Purpose—Report—Effective date—1998 c 249: See notes following RCW 77.55.181.