Senator Murray Meets with Puget Sound Partnership, Discusses Efforts to Restore and Protect the Puget Sound for Generations to Come

"Hello! Thank you, all for being here today--it's so great to welcome you all to the other Washington and join you to discuss how we can build on our Puget Sound Recovery efforts.

The Sound is such a central part of Washington state's economy, cultural heritage, and identity. And it has been for years--especially for our Tribes who have lived on its waters for generations. We have an obligation, to our Tribes, our history, and to future generations--to restore and preserve this irreplaceable treasure.

As you all know, fighting for this important work is not always easy, but we made some major progress over the last few years despite having the slimmest possible majorities in Congress.

Last year, we passed the largest climate bill in our nation's history--the Inflation Reduction Act--and I made sure that legislation included funding that will make a major difference for salmon recovery and habitat restoration in our state.

We are still waiting for NOAA to put forward it's spend plan for this funding, but I am going to be watching closely to make sure we see a plan that lives up to the promise of this moment. And the Inflation Reduction Act is just one of many ways we moved the ball forward last Congress.

We also passed the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law--and when we say infrastructure, that includes for fish! The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law represents the largest investment in salmon recovery and ecosystem restoration EVER in our region.

We are talking nearly $3 billion nationally, and a LOT of that going directly to Washington state--for fish passage improvements, coastal resiliency, and more.

Including $1 billion for culvert replacement, removal, and repair; a major $220 million down payment for fish passage at Howard Hanson Dam; $172 million for the Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund; and $89 million in supplemental funding for EPA's Puget Sound Geographic Program over 5 years.

And it's not the only place I've been pushing for funding. Last year--separate from the Infrastructure Law I just mentioned--I was able to secure a 57 percent increase for the Puget Sound Geographic Program in our annual appropriations bill. I know folks in this room understand how much of a difference that will make.

This is going to help fund cleanup work in the Sound, salmon habitat restoration, research, and more.

And through Congressionally Directed Spending on the Appropriations Committee, I also personally secured $6 million for the Army Corps' Duckabush River Estuary project, $3 million for the Northwest Straits Commission, and $1.5 million for UW to upgrade water monitoring systems in the Sound.

These investments added up to a big year for the Puget Sound!

And I am going to continue pushing to make more progress. That means providing oversight and making sure these resources are fully implemented the way we intended.

It means having your back and helping you all when there is competitive funding available for programs, like Habitat Restoration and Community Resilience grants--as you all know, my door is open and my office is ready to help bring more of these federal dollars back to Washington state--and it means continuing to push for more investments.

Now, I will level with you, that won't be easy--especially with a divided Congress and House Republicans voting for some of the most damaging, draconian cuts I have ever seen.

But the House isn't the only thing that has changed since last Congress. As the new Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, I'm going to continue fighting for the resources we need throughout our appropriations bills--including to fund the Puget Sound Recovery Office we established at the EPA last year; and to respond to invasive threats like European Green Crab. And I am so grateful I can count on all of you as partners in this effort.

So many people look out at the Sound every day and see how beautiful it is--and it truly is breathtaking! But we all know that we have a lot of work still to do to restore the Sound and ensure its health for generations to come.

This is so important to our state--and it's personal to me, as I know it is to everyone here.

This is a place that is really special, a place where families come to show their kids the incredible beauty of our state.

I remember fishing in Puget Sound when I was a kid!

And I feel very strongly that we owe it to our kids and grandkids to make sure they have more than our old stories about fishing in the Sound, catching salmon, and spotting orcas.

They deserve to have stories and memories of their own.

They deserve a Sound that has clean waters and thriving sea life--a Sound at its best.

And I am going to keep doing all that I can to give that to them."

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