(1) The strategic science program shall be developed by the panel with assistance and staff support provided by the executive director. The science program may include:

     (a) Continuation of the Puget Sound assessment and monitoring program, as provided in RCW 90.71.060, as well as other monitoring or modeling programs deemed appropriate by the executive director;

     (b) Development of a monitoring program, in addition to the provisions of RCW 90.71.060, including baselines, protocols, guidelines, and quantifiable performance measures, to be recommended as an element of the action agenda;

     (c) Recommendations regarding data collection and management to facilitate easy access and use of data by all participating agencies and the public; and

     (d) A list of critical research needs.

     (2) The strategic science program may not become an official document until a majority of the members of the council votes for its adoption.

     (3) A Puget Sound science update shall be developed by the panel with assistance and staff support provided by the executive director. The panel shall submit the initial update to the executive director by April 2010, and subsequent updates as necessary to reflect new scientific understandings. The update shall:

     (a) Describe the current scientific understanding of various physical attributes of Puget Sound;

     (b) Serve as the scientific basis for the selection of environmental indicators measuring the health of Puget Sound; and

     (c) Serve as the scientific basis for the status and trends of those environmental indicators.

     (4) The executive director shall provide the Puget Sound science update to the Washington academy of sciences, the governor, and appropriate legislative committees, and include:

     (a) A summary of information in existing updates; and

     (b) Changes adopted in subsequent updates and in the state of the Sound reports produced pursuant to RCW 90.71.370.

     (5) A biennial science work plan shall be developed by the panel, with assistance and staff support provided by the executive director, and approved by the council. The biennial science work plan shall include, at a minimum:

     (a) Identification of recommendations from scientific and technical reports relating to Puget Sound;

     (b) A description of the Puget Sound science-related activities being conducted by various entities in the region, including studies, models, monitoring, research, and other appropriate activities;

     (c) A description of whether the ongoing work addresses the recommendations and, if not, identification of necessary actions to fill gaps;

     (d) Identification of specific biennial science work actions to be done over the course of the work plan, and how these actions address science needs in Puget Sound; and

     (e) Recommendations for improvements to the ongoing science work in Puget Sound.

[2007 c 341 § 11.]