Senator Murray: “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.”
Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, met with members of the Puget Sound Partnership—the agency leading the collective effort to restore and protect the Puget Sound—and spoke about her recent and ongoing efforts to support Puget Sound recovery, including securing major funding for Puget Sound recovery projects in the Inflation Reduction Act, Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, and through recent funding bills.
“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,” Senator Murray said. “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.”
“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,” Murray said.
In last year’s spending bill, Senator Murray secured $54 million, the largest ever annual investment, for the Puget Sound Geographic Program. As Senate Appropriations Chair, Senator Murray will be fighting to protect and build on that funding in future spending bills. In that same spending bill, Senator Murray also personally secured $6 million for the Army Corps’ Puget Sound Nearshore Marine Habitat restoration project and $1.5 million for the University of Washington to upgrade water monitoring systems in the Sound—both as a part of the overall $284 million Senator Murray secured in Congressionally-Directed Spending for local projects throughout Washington state.
Through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, Senator Murray also helped secure $89 million over 5 years for the Puget Sound Geographic Program. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law also included a number of provisions that would benefit salmon and ecosystem restoration, including $172 million for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund (PCSRF), a grant program that provides funding to states and Tribes to protect, conserve, and restore endangered and threatened salmon populations—overall the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law delivers nearly $3 billion in funding opportunities for coastal infrastructure and climate change resilience.
Senator Murray has made clear that Congress must take bold climate action and was instrumental in passing the Inflation Reduction Act which delivers the largest investment in combating the climate crisis in American history. The Inflation Reduction Act provides a total of $3.3 billion for NOAA—including $2.6 billion to support NOAA’s climate, habitat restoration, and fisheries missions; $200 million for NOAA Facilities and National Marine Sanctuaries; and $20 million for more efficient NOAA environmental reviews.
Senator Murray also passed the Puget Save Our Sound Act (Puget SOS Act) as part of the Water Resources Development Act of 2022. The bill establishes a Puget Sound Recovery National Program Office within the Environmental Protection Agency and in coordination with NOAA and other federal agencies. The Puget SOS Act would also codify the Puget Sound Federal Leadership Task Force, which is made up of federal agencies that play a vital role in protecting Puget Sound. Funding the Puget Sound Recovery National Program Office will be a top priority for Senator Murray.
Senator Murray’s remarks as prepared:
“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.”
###
English 
Spanish