News Release: Puget Sound Day on the Hill draws Puget Sound leaders to Washington, D.C., May 1-3

NEWS RELEASE
April 26, 2017

MEDIA CONTACT: Cathy Cochrane, 360.790.7958, cathy.cochrane@psp.wa.gov 

Puget Sound Day on the Hill draws Puget Sound leaders to Washington, D.C., May 1 – 3

More than 60 people concerned about the future of Puget Sound will meet in Washington, D.C., next week to participate in Puget Sound Day on the Hill. The trip raises the awareness of our nation’s decision-makers, ensuring that they have the opportunity to learn about the successes, opportunities, challenges and importance of the ongoing work for a clean, productive and resilient Puget Sound.

“I’m proud that so many leaders in our region are coming together, contributing their resources so that we can express our shared values with one, loud voice,” said Sheida Sahandy, Executive Director of the Puget Sound Partnership. “Our partners have worked diligently for years to develop innovative and cost-effective solutions to reverse the degradation of Puget Sound. It’s critically important that our nation’s policy-makers hear what we already know—that our wellbeing, our economic vitality and the health of our natural systems are inextricably interconnected.”

Participants represent a broad range of interests: state and local governments, non-profit organizations, Puget Sound treaty tribes, and agricultural as well as small- and industrial-scale businesses. Now in its third year, this event has seen rapidly expanding and expansive participation. A first for this year’s event, with the collaboration and support of The Nature Conservancy, is a website hosting summaries of locally driven Puget Sound recovery success stories.

Puget Sound Day on the Hill kicks off with the convening of participants on the evening of Monday, May 1, followed by a day and a half of meetings. The effort that goes into organizing this event is well worth it, says Ms. Sahandy. “Puget Sound Day on the Hill is a long-term investment to ensure that folks who are making critical decision 3,000 miles away remember and understand our values and issues,” she said. “Beside this educational value, there is a lasting impression made when our national leaders see the dedication, commitment and true partnership among our attendees.”

More than 50 individuals and organizations have also signed a letter supporting the awareness-raising purpose of the trip and acknowledging the energy shared by so many in our region for protecting the health of Puget Sound.

About the Puget Sound Partnership

The Puget Sound Partnership is the state agency formed to lead the region’s collective effort to restore and protect Puget Sound. Working with hundreds of governments, tribes, scientists, businesses, and nonprofits, the Partnership mobilizes partner action around a common agenda, advances Sound investments, and tracks progress to optimize recovery.

For more information, go to www.psp.wa.gov.