Murray, Cantwell Announce $18.5M For Fish & Wildlife Conservation Projects

Lummi, Skokomish, Colville & Lower Elwha Klallam Tribes — as well WA Dept. of Fish & Wildlife and Chelan County – receive federal funding

Grants will help restore salmon & wildlife habitat; improve health, biodiversity of WA public lands

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, and U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), a senior member of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs and the Senate Committee on Energy & Natural Resources, announced that six tribal and natural resource management organizations in the State of Washington received a total of $18.5 million in federal funding for eight habitat conservation projects.

The funding comes from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) America the Beautiful Challenge, which launched in 2021 with the goal of conserving at least 30 percent of U.S. lands and waters by 2030.

The following Washington state projects received funding:

• $4,999,3000 to the Lummi Indian Business Council for Protecting Treaty Rights: Restoring Chinook Salmon to the South Fork Nooksack River. This project will pay for the council to implement four high-priority projects in the South Fork Nooksack Watershed to benefit the native early Chinook population essential to the recovery of at-risk Puget Sound Chinook, as well as the livelihood and culture of Lummi Nation and Nooksack Tribe. The project will restore watershed processes along four miles of the South Fork Nooksack River and Skookum Creek and increase the availability of cool water to Skookum Creek Hatchery to increase production of juvenile salmon.

“I’m proud to announce nearly $5 million for critical projects to restore Chinook salmon to the South Fork Nooksack River—a long-sought goal for the Lummi Nation and Nooksack Tribe and one that is so critical to their cultures and way of life,” said Sen. Murray. “I’m always focused on getting more funding for salmon recovery any way I can and this grant will make a meaningful difference in moving the ball forward on salmon recovery in the region.”

“This funding will allow the Lummi Nation to create diverse and resilient habitats by restoring the South Fork Nooksack River and Skookum Creek — cooling the water temperature to help juvenile salmon survive,” Sen. Cantwell said.

• $382,000 to the Lummi Indian Business Council for Monitoring to Enhance Traditional Fish, Wildlife, and Plant Habitat and Sustain Tribal Resources. This funding will allow the council to conduct bird and ungulate monitoring on 2,754 acres of forest pre- and post-vegetation treatment in the North Fork Nooksack River watershed to evaluate the effectiveness of treatments in creating diverse and resilient habitats. The project will collect data from autonomous recording units and point count surveys for birds, and monitor trail cameras and scat to identify use by ungulates, to inform future Tribal, federal, and state management plans, including the North Fork Nooksack Watershed Plan.

“We have been making great strides restoring habitat in the North Fork Nooksack River watershed—but it’s crucial we take stock of these efforts and confirm our progress strengthening our ecosystems so the animals that make our state so special continue to thrive,” said Sen. Murray. “These funds will help evaluate vegetation treatments and help us continue charting a course to maintain diverse, resilient habitats that support the wildlife we all cherish.”

“This project will help the Lummi Nation track and monitor wildlife like birds and elk in the Nooksack River watershed, so they can identify which management strategies work best to boost biodiversity,” Sen. Cantwell said.

• $3,805,400 to the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) for Teanaway Forks Salmon and Steelhead Habitat Restoration. This project will revitalize five miles of steelhead, Chinook, and coho spawning and rearing habitat in the West and Middle Fork Teanaway River through berm removal and installation of up to 2,500 pieces of large wood structures. The project will transform incised, bedrock-dominated channels into river corridors with diverse instream habitat, plentiful spawning gravels, and dramatically enhanced groundwater storage and exchange. WDFW will contribute $423,200 in matching funds.

“Salmon are so important to our culture and our economy in Washinton state and this project will be transformative for endangered salmon and steelhead in the Teanaway River—revitalizing miles of spawning habitat and helping to create a healthier and more robust ecosystem,” said Sen. Murray. ”I’m proud to have helped secure over $3.8 million in federal funding for this critical locally-led conservation project.” 

“The Teanaway River watershed has some of the best and coldest streams for steelhead, Chinook, and coho in the Yakima River Basin. This funding will help remove barriers to salmon migration and improve habitat to support fish spawning and rearing,” Sen. Cantwell said.

• $1,499,300 to the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife for Integrating Joint Base Lewis-McChord Sentinel Landscape and Tribal Priorities for Prairie-Oak Habitat. This project will increase capacity for prescribed burning, expand partnerships with tribal nations and land trusts, conduct landowner outreach, and support plant production to benefit at-risk species and working lands within the Joint Base Lewis-McChord Sentinel Landscape. The project will strengthen ecosystem and community resilience by restoring 829 acres of prairie and oak habitat across 13 sites managed by multiple partners in the south Puget Sound region of Washington state.

“I’m excited to announce nearly $1.5 million in federal funding to restore key prairie and oak habitats in the South Puget Sound, strengthen local ecosystems, and expand partnerships with Tribal nations and land trusts,” said Sen. Murray. “These kinds of projects are critical for the future and long-term health of the natural resources that make Washington state a great place to live and I’m proud to support initiatives like this at the federal level.”

“Along with being one our country’s largest military installations, Joint Base Lewis-McChord also supports much of the remaining prairie land in south Puget Sound. This investment will help fund the restoration of 829 acres of at-risk and rare prairie and oak habitat on the Joint Base Lewis-McChord Sentinel Landscape and throughout the south Sound,” Sen. Cantwell said.

• $3,486,400 to the Colville Tribes Fish and Wildlife Department for Upper Columbia and Sanpoil River Redband Trout Habitat Restoration. This project will restore redband trout and other native fish habitat using large woody debris, engineered log jams, livestock fencing, and riparian restoration with culturally important plants at high-priority reaches identified along the Sanpoil River. The project will address adverse impacts and restore ecological processes and functions of the Sanpoil River subbasin streams and increase and sustain the redband trout population to meet the cultural, subsistence, and recreational needs of Colville Tribes’ members.

“This grant will make a big difference in restoring native trout populations and habitat in the Upper Columbia and Sanpoil River, which is absolutely critical for Colville Tribal Members who rely on redband trout as an essential part of their culture, diet, and way of life,” said Sen. Murray. “I’m proud to support locally-led restoration projects like this one that make a big difference for Tribal communities throughout Washington state and help ensure our ecosystems remain vibrant for decades to come.”

“Redband trout are culturally significant to the Colville Tribes, and restoring populations is important to meeting the Tribes’ subsistence needs. This funding will support the Tribes’ efforts to revitalize Redband trout and other native fish species in the Upper Columbia River Basin by improving habitat along the Sanpoil River,” Sen. Cantwell said.

• $2,005,300 to the Skokomish Indian Tribe for Skokomish South Fork River Restoration in Olympic National Forest. This project will enhance 1.3 miles of instream and floodplain habitat by installing 14 engineered log jams and supplemental wood loading via helicopter-placed mobile wood on the South Fork Skokomish River. The project will improve in-channel structure and complexity, increase floodplain connectivity, store sediment, and reduce stream temperatures during summer base flows to benefit at-risk salmonid species.

“I’m proud to have secured funding for this river restoration project that will provide a boost to local salmon recovery and habitats as well as prevent erosion,” said Sen. Murray. “Supporting smart, locally-led conservation projects like this one—which has far-reaching benefits for the environment, nearby wildlife, and local residents—is always a priority for me.”

“The South Fork Skokomish River was once home to healthy populations of Skokomish chinook, Puget Sound steelhead, and Coastal-Puget Sound bull trout that are culturally significant to the Skokomish Indian Tribe. This funding will help the Tribe restore the river channel, eliminate barriers to migration, and reduce water temperatures to help protect and restore thriving fish populations,” Sen. Cantwell said.

• $1,500,000 to the Chelan County Natural Resource Department (CCNRD) for Restoring Forest Health, Resilience, and Connectivity in the Upper Wenatchee Landscape. This project will implement approximately 5,000 acres of forest health treatments, up to 30 miles of aquatic restoration, and nine aquatic-organism passage projects across 15,000 acres in the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest. Project will improve at-risk species habitat, enhance partnerships between organizations, tribes, and the community, contribute to the local economy and workforce, reduce risk of catastrophic wildfire, improve resilience, and provide a range of ecosystem services. CCNRD will provide $870,000 in matching funds.

“The Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest is one of Washington state’s natural treasures, and I’m glad we’re able to deliver this funding to invest in the long-term health of the forest, sustain local species and habitat, and ensure that generations to come can continue to enjoy and rely on this majestic natural resource,” said Sen. Murray.

“The Okanogan-Wenatchee Forest is a hotspot every wildfire season – improving the health of the forest makes the habitat more resilient. With this funding, over 5,000 acres of forest will be treated to reduce wildfire risk and 30 miles of stream and river habitat in the forest will be restored to increase fish populations,” Sen. Cantwell said.

• $798,000 to the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe for Leveraging Tribal Priorities to Enhance Wildlife Habitat Connectivity in the Pacific Northwest. This funding will allow the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe to conduct a tribally-led, multi-tribe study to increase wildlife connectivity and ecological resilience on the Olympic Peninsula. The project will create a comprehensive, landscape scale study that determines connectivity and genetic diversity among elk herds, maps connectivity for black bears, elk, and cougars, and contributes to the Washington Habitat Connectivity Action Plan, the I-5 Connectivity Working Group’s feasibility study, and six Tribal Wildlife Management Plans.

“The wildlife across the Olympic Peninsula—from bears, to elk, to cougars, and more—is a sight to behold, and to cherish for future generations,” said Sen. Murray. “That’s why it’s crucial we look at how to protect these animals and their habitats, and work with our Tribes to develop a plan that keeps our ecosystems vibrant and thriving. I’m pleased to see these federal dollars going to Washington state to help make that happen.”

“The ability to hike pristine landscapes and experience diverse wildlife is what makes the Olympic Peninsula special. This investment will support the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe’s work to increase wildlife diversity for culturally significant species by funding a landscape-scale study to help Roosvevelt elk herds, black bears, and cougars expand their migration territory, increase genetic diversity, and make wildlife on the Olympic Peninsula more resilient,” Sen. Cantwell said.

Sen. Murray has been a champion for habitat restoration—including strengthening salmon and fish populations—and wildlife conservation across Washington state throughout her time in the Senate. As Assistant Majority Leader in the last Congress, Sen. Murray secured a historic $2.85 billion investment in salmon and ecosystem restoration programs, including $400 million for a new community-based restoration program focused on removing fish passage barriers in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. In the Inflation Reduction Act, Sen. Murray secured hundreds of millions for Washington state priorities, including $27 million for the Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund, $3 million to support facilities at the Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary, $27 million for Pacific salmon research, and more. As Chair of the Appropriations Committee, Sen. Murray protected critical funding for salmon recovery and fishery projects in the fiscal year 2024 government spending bills, including: $50 million in the construction of the Howard Hanson Dam Fish Passage facility; $75 million for the Pacific Salmon account at the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), $65 million for the Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund, $54 million for the EPA’s Puget Sound Geographic Program, and more. In the draft appropriations bills for fiscal year 2025, Sen. Murray secured $80 million for the Pacific Salmon account at the National Marine Fisheries Service, and $70 million for the Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund — a $5 million increase to each respective program over fiscal year 2024 funding levels; $1 million to support the Northwest Straits Initiative; $6 million for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to improve salmon and steelhead facilities on the lower Snake River and Columbia River Basin; and $63.836 million for the Partners for Fish and Wildlife program, which plays an important role in Washington’s salmon recovery efforts.

The $1 billion American the Beautiful Challenge builds upon the existing investments made through the Great American Outdoors Act to support the creation of more parks and increased access to the outdoors and nature-based recreation in historically underrepresented communities while creating jobs that support restoration and resilience. Sen. Cantwell cosponsored and helped author the Great American Outdoors Act, leading to the bill’s passage in 2020.  As chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, Sen. Cantwell was instrumental in securing and passing a historic $2.85 billion investment in salmon and ecosystem restoration programs in the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, including a $1 billion for a new National Culvert Removal, Replacement, and Restoration program to help remove and replace fish passage barriers that kill countless salmon along migration paths each year. Last year, municipalities across the State of Washington received a total of $58 million – the most of any state — to remove or replace 46 culverts that block the passage of fish. In 2023, Sen. Cantwell helped secure a $3.31 billion framework to build climate resilience and support coastal communities through the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Inflation Reduction Act funding. The framework included $240 million for tribes across Pacific Northwest to support hatchery infrastructure projects to boost Pacific salmon and steelhead production. The first round of hatchery maintenance and modernization grants totaling $54 million for 27 PNW tribes were formally announced in July 2024.

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