Seattle District - US Army Corps of Engineers


Good news for fish: $40 million to be spent on ecosystem restoration for Puget Sound region.

Good news for fish: $40 million to be spent on ecosystem restoration for Puget Sound region. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE U. S. Army Corps of Engineers Contact: Leslie Kaye, Direct # 206-764-3751 or Main # 206-764-3750 December 15, 2000 SEATTLE—Millions of dollars are now available for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to implement critical environmental restoration projects for the Puget Sound region. President Clinton signed into law on Dec. 11, the Water Resouces Development Act of 2000, which authorized three new restoration efforts for the Puget Sound region worth a combined total of $122 million in Federal funding. These new authorizations are The Puget Sound and Adjacent Waters Restoration Program, the Duwamish Green River Ecosystem Restoration Project, and the Stilliguamish Ecosystem Restoration Project. The Puget Sound and Adjacent Waters Restoration Program will bring $40 million in Federal funding for restoration projects. The program allows the Corps to work with the regions’ stakeholders—federal, state and local agencies—to identify, prioritize, and construct environmental restoration projects that are consistent with the goals of returning fish to their native habitat. This program will cover all the watersheds that drain directly into Puget Sound, Admiralty Inlet, Hood Canal, Rosario Straight and the Straits of Juan de Fuca to Cape Flattery. The Duwamish/Green River Ecosystem Restoration project authorizes 49 separate project features with an authorized cost of $113 million, with the Stilliguamish Ecosystem Restoration project having 10 project features with an authorized cost of $24 million. The Corps of Engineers will provide $74 million and $8 million in Federal funding, respectively, for these projects. Both projects will provide substantial ecosytem restoration throughout many reaches of these two river basins. King County and Snohomish County have been strong local proponents all three of these authorizations, devoting extensive time and effort to these initiatives. In addition, Representatives Jay Inslee, Norm Dicks, Jennifer Dunn, Jack Metcalf and Jim McDermott and Senators Patty Murray and Slade Gorton gave much support to help these efforts become law. The Corps will work together with the counties and other agencies to implement these actions rapidly, with project construction potentially beginning in 2002. If you have any questions about this program or projects to propose, contact Bruce Sexauer, General Investigation Program Coordinator (206) 764-6955, Seattle District Corps of Engineers.