FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 19, 2022
MEDIA CONTACT: Kevin Hyde, 360.819.3045, kevin.hyde@psp.wa.gov
OLYMPIA — The Senate passed legislation last week that affirms and advances Puget Sound recovery as a national priority. Since the House of Representatives already passed these key provisions of the “PUGET SOS Act” (integrated within the National Defense Authorization Act), it moves now to President Biden for signature.
“This is good news. Puget Sound is our region’s most iconic body of water. It’s a place on which generations of friends and neighbors have built their lives and made their livelihoods. But if future generations are going to have those opportunities, we've got to act to protect and restore the Sound,” said Rep. Derek Kilmer. “We’ve been working toward getting the federal government to be a better partner on Puget Sound recovery since then-Representative Denny Heck and I first introduced the PUGET SOS Act in 2015. Together, with Representative Strickland, the Puget Sound Partnership, and many others, we got this done to restore salmon and orca populations, ensure future generations can dig for clams, uphold tribal treaty rights, and so much more.”
“For the first time, this bill establishes a Puget Sound Office where the EPA, NOAA, and other federal partners will have an annual budget for research and recovery efforts to help clean up Puget Sound,” Sen. Maria Cantwell said.
“As Co-Chair of the Puget Sound Recovery Caucus, protecting the Sound has been one of my top priorities,” said Rep. Marilyn Strickland. “Puget Sound is a key natural resource accounting for hundreds of thousands of jobs and billions in economic impact. This critical legislation elevates Puget Sound to its rightful place as one of our nation's great marine ecosystems while enhancing our region's ability to honor tribal treaty rights and restore our Sound.”
The legislation will support Puget Sound recovery by:
- Establishing a Puget Sound Recovery National Program Office within the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to coordinate Puget Sound recovery efforts, putting Puget Sound on par with other nationally significant water bodies such as the Chesapeake Bay and the Great Lakes.
- Codifying the Puget Sound Federal Leadership Task Force, a framework to align the resources and expertise of federal agencies with a common mission to uphold tribal treaty rights and restore and protect Puget Sound.
Reaching this milestone is a testament to years of hard work by leaders in both Washingtons. Building on an earlier effort by Sen. Cantwell and former Rep. Norm Dicks to establish a Puget Sound program office at EPA, former Representative (and current Washington state Lieutenant Governor) Denny Heck first introduced the Promoting United Government Efforts to Save Our Sound (PUGET SOS) Act in 2015.
“Congressman Kilmer and I co-founded the Puget Sound Recovery Caucus in 2013 with the intent of raising awareness at the federal level for the need of an ongoing commitment to preserving the Puget Sound,” said Lt. Governor Denny Heck. “The inclusion of the key provisions in the PUGET SOS Act is a positive and necessary step toward restoring and revitalizing Puget Sound. I am thankful the Washington State Congressional Delegation has continued to advocate for the largest estuary in our nation, and for the tribal partners and advocates who have lent their voices to this critical issue. The passage of this legislation is a significant step towards ensuring that Puget Sound not only recovers but thrives.”
After many years of trying, integrating these most critical PUGET SOS provisions into the National Defense Authorization Act finally provided the key to their passage.
"Thanks to the leadership of the Washington State Congressional Delegation, including Senator Cantwell and Representative Kilmer and Strickland, crucial legislation to support Puget Sound cleanup and conservation was successfully included in the FY23 NDAA,” said Rep. Adam Smith. “The PUGET SOS Act and other important conservation provisions included in this year’s defense bill will improve coordination between state, federal, and non-governmental entities and enhance the federal government's ability to support Puget Sound recovery. I am thrilled to see this legislation become law, and I appreciate the work of my colleagues and the Puget Sound Partnership for their longstanding commitment to the health of the Puget Sound.”
The legislation also acknowledges the role of tribal nations and their treaties to Puget Sound recovery, formally embedding the Treaty Rights at Risk Initiative into federal activities and highlighting upholding treaty rights as the primary responsibility of the Puget Sound Federal Leadership Task Force.
“This is a monumental step toward improving our collective recovery efforts,” said Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission Chairman Ed Johnstone. “With the passage of this Act, we will put in place measures to better coordinate federal recovery actions around the protection of the tribes’ treaty-reserved rights. We will never recover salmon and Puget Sound until we are all pulling in the same direction and this Act moves us closer to that goal.”
With the passage of this legislation, the Action Agenda for Puget Sound recovery will play an even more central role in setting objectives and priorities for federal action.
“Our congressional delegation has consistently helped deliver investments and legislation at the federal level that will help us achieve our recovery goals,” said Dennis McLerran, chair of the Puget Sound Partnership’s Leadership Council. “These key portions of the PUGET SOS Act are critically important for carrying out many of the actions we need to recover Puget Sound in the way we envision. Our delegation deserves a tremendous amount of credit for bringing these resources to the table.”
“This is a watershed moment for Puget Sound recovery and our region,” said Puget Sound Partnership Executive Director Laura Blackmore. “Recovery is a long-term effort, and this framework sets us on the right course for decades to come.”
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.
About the Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission
The Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission was created following the U.S. v. Washington ruling (Boldt decision) that reaffirmed the tribes’ treaty-reserved fishing rights and established them as natural resources co-managers with the state of Washington. NWIFC provides support services to member tribes in areas such as fisheries management, harvest monitoring, habitat protection and restoration, climate response, salmon recovery and fish health.
For more information, go to https://nwifc.org/.
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