Northwest
leaders travel to Washington D.C. for ‘Puget Sound Day on The Hill’
OLYMPIA—More than
60 people concerned about the fate of Puget Sound will convene in Washington,
D.C., next week to meet with federal decision makers. The goal is to educate
and update these leaders about Puget Sound successes and ongoing needs and to ensure
that the critical role played by this ecosystem in regional and national
culture, health, and economy, are well understood.
The Puget Sound Day
on the Hill event, organized annually since 2015 by the Puget Sound
Partnership, takes place this year May 22 to May 24.
“We have an effective
Congressional delegation who wholeheartedly and relentlessly support necessary federal
investment in Puget Sound recovery,” said Sheida Sahandy, executive director of
the Puget Sound Partnership. “This D.C. gathering supports their efforts by
bringing greater visibility to the successes, challenges and remarkable
commitment of very diverse people who are working hard locally to protect this
national treasure.”
The deteriorating
health of Puget Sound poses a threat to the health and safety of humans and to
the ecosystem as a whole. Beginning in 2017, White House budgets have proposed
eliminating key funding for Puget Sound recovery, including for the National
Estuary Program (NEP), which serves as the foundation for recovery efforts. Federal
dollars represent a small but very significant piece of the system of
investments that leverage federal funding. In the NEP Program, every federal dollar
spent generates $24 of support in local, state or tribal investments.
“We need the federal government to continue doing their part in
funding Puget Sound recovery,” said Ms. Sahandy. The funds are used to prevent
stormwater pollution, reduce flooding, protect and restore habitat, replace
aging infrastructure, coordinate ecosystem restoration and reopen shellfish
beds.
Puget Sound Day on the Hill kicks off with the convening of
participants on the evening of Tuesday, May 22, followed by small and large
group meetings on Wednesday and Thursday, May 23 and 24. In addition, the
Partnership is organizing a panel presentation focused on sharing Puget
Sound innovations, ideas that can be used as solutions for other regions and large
waterbodies.
Event participants represent a broad range of interests: state and local
governments, non-profit organizations, Puget Sound treaty tribes, and agriculture
as well as small- and industrial-scale businesses. Now in its fourth year, this
event has seen ever-growing participation. To learn more about Puget Sound Day
on the Hill and to sign up for event updates, visit http://psp.wa.gov/psdoth2018.php. In
addition, a website hosting
recovery project summaries offers a sampling of locally driven Puget
Sound recovery success stories.
Those who want to show their support but are not able to go to
Washington, D.C., may electronically sign a letter of support. The letter and
instructions for signing it are available on the Partnership’s website: http://psp.wa.gov/psdoth2018.php.
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.