FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 8, 2019

MEDIA CONTACT: Julia Luna, 360.999.9673, julia.luna@psp.wa.gov 

Northwest leaders travel to Washington D.C. for ‘Puget Sound Day on The Hill’ together with ‘Salmon Days’

OLYMPIA— More than 70 people dedicated to improving the health of Puget Sound and its salmon will convene in Washington, D.C., next week to meet with federal decision-makers. The goal is to update these decision-makers about Puget Sound successes and ongoing needs and to ensure that the critical roles played by this ecosystem in regional and national culture, health, and economy, are well understood.

This year’s trip marks the fifth annual Puget Sound Day on the Hill event and kicks off with the convening of participants on the evening of Tuesday, May 14, followed by small and large group meetings on Wednesday and Thursday, May 15 and 16.

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) and Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund (PCSRF), which serve as the foundation for recovery efforts. Federal dollars represent a small but very significant piece of the system of investments that enable recovery work. In the Puget Sound NEP Program, every federal dollar spent generates $30 of support in local, state or tribal investments.

“This year, the Washington State Legislature reaffirmed its commitment to Puget Sound and salmon recovery,” said Laura Blackmore, executive director of the Puget Sound Partnership. “We need the federal government to continue to fully fund the National Estuary Program and the Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund to match our state’s investment, so we can continue to make progress locally for Puget Sound and salmon recovery.”

For the first time, the Puget Sound Day on the Hill event will happen in conjunction with Salmon Days, an event designed to meet with federal decision-makers about funding for salmon recovery projects in the Northwest.

“There is a natural nexus between Puget Sound Day on the Hill and Salmon Days given the importance of salmon recovery for overall Puget Sound recovery,” said Amber Moore, salmon recovery manager for the Puget Sound Partnership. “For the first time, we have a strong, combined voice from all five western states focused on salmon recovery and we’re looking forward to speaking with our Congressional delegations and federal agencies that are integral to salmon and ecosystem recovery.”

 “Our Congressional delegation tirelessly supports the federal investments needed for Puget Sound and salmon recovery,” Blackmore said. “Puget Sound Day on the Hill supports their work by bringing greater awareness to the challenges and successes of the diverse groups of people working hard to find solutions to complex problems.”

Event participants represent a broad range of interests: state and local governments, non-profit organizations, Puget Sound treaty tribes, and agricultural interests as well as small- and industrial-scale businesses.

To learn more about Puget Sound Day on the Hill and to sign up for event updates, visit http://psp.wa.gov/psdoth2019.php. In addition, a website hosting recovery project summaries offers a sampling of locally driven Puget Sound recovery success stories.

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 government agencies, 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.