2024 Puget Sound Day on the Hill in Washington D.C.

WSAC is a partner and a represented member on several committees at the Puget Sound Partnership. Each year, the Partnership takes a trip to Washington D.C., to advocate for federal investment priorities that help to advance Puget Sound recovery. Coastal Counties benefit from every one of these programs. Your local experiences and successes help to tell the story and illustrate the value these investments have for salmon species.
 
If you can attend, please register here and also consider signing your county on to the federal advocacy letters outlined here:

• The Energy and Water Development (E&W) Subcommittees letter* requests that final FY25 appropriations includes:
  • $75 million to initiate the construction phase of the Duckabush Estuary Restoration Project
  • $620 million to complete construction of downstream fish passage at Howard Hanson Dam
• The Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies (I&E) Subcommittees letter* requests that final FY25 appropriations include:
  • $57 million for the Puget Sound Geographic Program
  • $50 million for the National Estuary Program
  • $3.8 million for Regional Fisheries Enhancement Groups
  • $3.25 billion for the Clean Water State Revolving Fund
  • Robust funding to USFWS, USGS, and BIA for the prevention and management of European Green Crab
• The Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies (CJS) Subcommittees letter* requests that final FY25 appropriations include:
  • $70 million for the Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund
  • $43.5 million for the Department of Commerce to fully implement the terms of the Pacific Salmon Treaty
  • $91 million for the Pacific Salmon line item within NOAA’s Protected Resources Science and Management program
  • $10 million for the grant program to provide assistance to ports to reduce impacts to marine mammals
  • $200,000 to NOAA to support staffing the Puget Sound Cetacean Desk to reduce risks associated with vessel traffic to whales.
  • $10 million for the Northwest Straits Marine Conservation Initiative
  • $5 million to the Coastal Aquatic Invasive Species Mitigation Grant Program

If you have any questions, feel free to contact me, Brynn Brady. Thank you for your interest in these programs!