As we head into the holiday season, we here at The Nature Conservancy are feeling enormous gratitude for our Washington state leaders in Congress who have been working for years to advance Puget Sound recovery efforts. Last week, a major milestone was achieved in efforts to advance recovery of Puget Sound, and it’s worth celebrating. Key provisions of the PUGET SOS Act passed Congress after 6 years of dogged effort by Rep Derek Kilmer, Rep Marilyn Strickland, and former Representative and current Lieutenant Governor Denny Heck, as well as persistent efforts by the region’s Tribes and stakeholders to ensure that Puget Sound gets the recognition it deserves.
Puget Sound is home to a wide array of species and ecosystems. Credit: Sean Galvin/TNC
Puget Sound is a special place. It’s the heartbeat of the region—our home, the backdrop of our lives, where land and water meet to create communities, economies, and an entrepreneurial spirit that draws people from all over the world. Maintaining and restoring the health of the Sound has been a decades-long effort, which incorporates restoration and pollution reduction investments that also help to make the citizens of Washington state healthier and our communities stronger.
“This legislation is an important step forward for the restoration of Puget Sound and the well-being of millions of people that depend on it. We are grateful to Reps. Kilmer and Strickland for championing Puget Sound recovery and for securing the final passage of the bill. Passage of the PUGET SOS Act comes at a critical time. As our salmon and Orca face continued challenges, this bill will help ensure that federal agencies are showing up as strong partners to implement recovery efforts, advance Tribal treaty rights, and ensure a resilient sustainable future for the region.”
The Promoting United Government Efforts to Save Our Sound bill (PUGET SOS) does several important things to boost Puget Sound recovery:
It recognizes Puget Sound as a nationally significant body of water under the Clean Water Act, putting Puget Sound on par with other important water bodies such as the Chesapeake Bay and the Great Lakes
It establishes a Puget Sound Recovery National Program Office within the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to coordinate Puget Sound recovery efforts
It codifies the Puget Sound Federal Leadership Task Force, an agreement between nine federal agencies and cabinets, to restore the environmental integrity and sustainability of the Sound. TNC was pleased to host a press conference in 2016 when the federal agencies signed an MOU and we’re even more pleased now to see the Task Force get codified in law.
Sea star found in the intertidal zone along Puget Sound in Washington. Credit: Ellen Banner/TNC
“Visionary leaders Bill Ruckelshaus and Billy Frank Jr., as members of the original Puget Sound Partnership Leadership Council, insisted that Puget Sound is a cultural, ecological and economic engine for this part of our nation. The Partnership has never lost sight of their vision, bringing together partners like The Nature Conservancy and others to ensure this special place captures its rightful spotlight on the national stage. This coalition’s tireless work, hand-in-hand with our Congressional delegation, has finally paid off.”
After years of dedicated effort by Representatives Kilmer and Strickland and countless others, PUGET SOS provisions will become law. Credit: Chase Nuuhiwa
As the recent State of the Sound report notes, we have made great progress, but we still face significant challenges to restore a healthy, resilient Puget Sound. The work ahead will require new approaches to old problems, cross-sector commitments from across our region, and strengthening the role of Tribal partners in recovery actions. The challenges facing us are significant and will require difficult decisions, but together we can provide the vision and innovation that will be necessary for both people and nature to thrive.
For more information about the wide variety of work that the PUGET SOS Act will support now and into the future:
Puget Sound Federal Task Force Action Plan (2022-2026)
Puget Sound Partnership Action Agenda (2022-2026)
Featured image: Photo: Orca breaching near the San Juan Islands. Credit: Walt Kochan/TNC
