BUSH ADMINISTRATION ANNOUNCES $10 MILLION INCREASE
FOR PACIFIC COASTAL SALMON RECOVERY FUND
FY 2005 Budget Request Includes $100 Million for Coastal Salmon Recovery

Senior Bush administration officials announced the President’s FY 2005 budget request includes a $10 million increase for the Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund (PCSRF). The PCSRF, which was established in 2000 at the request of the governors of Washington, Oregon, California and Alaska, will total $100 million in the FY 2005 request. The fund provides grants to the states and tribes in order to assist state, tribal and local salmon conservation efforts. The announcement occurred during a tour of a salmon restoration project and fish passage improvements at Bonneville Dam.

“This is another example of President Bush’s strong commitment to species conservation and environmental stewardship,” said James L. Connaughton, chairman of the President’s Council on Environmental Quality. “This substantial funding increase will be a huge boost to existing cooperative state, tribal and federal salmon restoration efforts. It will also enhance the pooling of capabilities, expertise and information in order to make salmon recovery more efficient and effective.”

Since 2000, NOAA, through the Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund has provided over $118 million in federal funds to the Washington Salmon Recovery Funding Board and over $59 million to the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board. These funds, matched with state funding, have benefitted 476 state and locally-driven salmon habitat restoration and watershed subbasin assessment projects in Washington and 1,064 state and local salmon habitat restoration and subbasin assessment projects in Oregon.

During the same time frame, Pacific coastal tribes have received over $35 million and Columbia River tribes have received $12.6 million from the PCSRF. 132 Northwest coastal and Columbia River tribal salmon habitat restoration and enhancement programs were aided by PCSRF during that period. Funds have also been utilized for hundreds of local, tribal, and state planning, assessment, monitoring and research projects supporting salmon recovery efforts.

“The Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund has played a significant and valuable role in regional efforts to improve in-stream and riparian salmon habitat in the Pacific Northwest,” said retired Navy Vice Adm. Conrad C. Lautenbacher, Ph.D., undersecretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere and NOAA administrator. “We’ve witnessed impressive salmon returns in many areas over the past few years, and with the President’s announcement today, we expect further successes as more prioritized salmon projects are completed.”

“I am grateful for this administration’s support for increasing the resources available for salmon,” said William Ruckelshaus, former EPA administrator and current chairman of the Washington Salmon Recovery Funding Board. “These funds continue to be a vital tool for Northwest states and tribes to move salmon recovery efforts forward.”

“Idaho plays a critical role in the regional approach to salmon recovery, and I'm pleased the Bush administration has recognized the progress our state has made in recent years, including the historic Four Governors Agreement on Salmon Recovery,” Idaho Governor Dirk Kempthorne said. “Now that Idaho will be included in this funding program, we expect even greater progress with our neighboring states on salmon conservation efforts.”

The Commerce Department’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is dedicated to enhancing economic security and national safety through the prediction and research of weather and climate-related events and providing environmental stewardship of our nation’s coastal and marine resources.

On the Web:

NOAA: http://www.noaa.gov

NOAA Fisheries: http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov

PCSRF: http://www.nwr.noaa.gov/pcsrf

PCSRF report to Congress: http://www.nwr.noaa.gov/pcsrf/Fianl_RTC_2003.pdf