The Skagit Environmental Endowment Commission (SEEC) was established by a 1984 Treaty between Canada and the U.S. It is based on an agreement between the City of Seattle and the Province of British Columbia to settle the controversy over the High Ross Dam proposal.
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SEEC is effective in caring for the Upper Skagit Watershed through its collaborations with partner organizations. SEEC has pursued and maintains relationships with agencies and organizations that enable it to accomplish tasks that promote education, enhance recreation, participate in land management and ecosystem management.
Two Delegations
The sixteen-member Skagit Environmental Endowment Commission charged with administering the Endowment Fund consists of an eight-person Canadian delegation appointed by the Premier of British Columbia and an eight-person U.S. delegation appointed by the Mayor of Seattle. All are appointed to four-year terms on a staggered basis.
Each delegation has four Commissioners and four Alternate Commissioners who vote in the Commissioner's absence. In practice, all members of the Commission participate in a wide variety of projects.
Each delegation elects a Chair from among their Commissioners to serve for the duration of their term.
How SEEC Works
The Commission meets several times a year to administer the Fund by reviewing project proposals, monitoring contracts and addressing environmental issues in the Upper Skagit Watershed. The Commission's budget must be approved by the Province of British Columbia and Seattle City Council.
The Commission does not manage any land itself. Rather, it cooperates with government agencies in both the U.S. and Canada that are responsible for this land. Most is publicly owned and administered by park agencies in the respective countries.