Ecosystem Restoration in the Puget Sound

Ecosystem Restoration in the Puget Sound

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Updated December 17, 2015
Ecosystem Restoration in the Puget Sound
Introduction
other broad but related authorities. In the 114th Congress,
The Puget Sound (the Sound), located in the state of
H.R. 3630, the Promoting United Government Efforts to
Washington, is the second-largest estuary in the United
Save Our Sound (or Puget SOS) Act, would authorize a
States, covering 35,500 square kilometers, and the largest
restoration program for the Sound.
estuary in the country by volume. It has been deemed an
Estuary of National Significance by the U.S. Environmental
Federal Restoration Efforts
Protection Agency (EPA) and is noted for its species
Federal efforts to restore the Puget Sound are largely
diversity, ecosystem services, and economic benefit to the
conducted under the authority of broad environmental laws
region. For example, activities associated with the Sound
such as the Clean Water Act. Several federal agencies
are reported to contribute nearly half of the state’s gross
participate in efforts to restore the Sound, including the
domestic product. The Puget Sound watershed also contains
EPA, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (the Corps), U.S. Fish
67% of the state’s population and is home to 49 federally
and Wildlife Service, Natural Resources Conservation
listed threatened and endangered species.
Service, and National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration, among others. (See Table 1.)
Figure 1. Puget Sound Watershed
EPA is considered by stakeholders to be the primary federal
agency responsible for conducting restoration activities in
the Sound. EPA funds activities that address priorities in the
state of Washington’s Action Agenda (see “State Efforts”
section, below) for restoring the Sound. The Corps is
working with the Washington Department of Fish and
Wildlife on the Puget Sound Nearshore Restoration Study,
which aims to evaluate problems and pose solutions related
to ecosystem degradation in the Sound.
Table 1. Selected Federal Puget Sound Restoration
Activities and Funding
($ in millions)
Agency
Description
FY2015
EPA
Puget Sound Program.
$25.0
FWS
Conducts research on threatened and
endangered plants and wildlife and implements
9.2

projects to protect them.
Source: Puget Sound Partnership.
USGS
Collects ecosystem data on the Puget Sound
The Puget Sound ecosystem is being degraded by several
and creates models, such as one that predicts
3.9
factors, including air and water pollution, shoreline
the effect of development on estuarine habitat.
modification, habitat alteration, development, and climate
NOAA
Conducts programs to protect and restore
change. For example, nearly 14 million pounds of toxic
nearshore and floodplain habitats for fish,
—
chemicals enter the Sound yearly through runoff and
marine mammals, and shellfish.
atmospheric deposition.
Corps
Implements the Puget Sound Nearshore
5.1
Interest in restoring the Puget Sound stems from its status
Restoration Study.
as the second-largest estuary in the United States and from
Source: EPA Budget documents and personal communication from
the large amount of federally managed land in the Sound.
the Dept. of Interior, Corps, and NOAA.
Approximately 44% of the land area within the Puget
Notes: EPA = U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; FWS = U.S.
Sound watershed is federally managed. Currently, there are
Fish and Wildlife Service; USGS = U.S. Geological Survey; NOAA =
no stand-alone authorizations that holistically govern
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; Corps = U.S.
restoration of the Sound, such as those in other areas (e.g.,
Army Corps of Engineers.
the Florida Everglades). Rather, restoration efforts largely
have been spearheaded by a state body, the Puget Sound
Coordination Among Federal Agencies
Partnership, with several federal agencies actively
Absent the explicit authority for a federal entity to lead
conducting or participating in restoration projects under
restoration efforts in the Sound, a Puget Sound Federal
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link to page 2 Ecosystem Restoration in the Puget Sound
Caucus (Caucus), consisting of 15 federal agencies, was
Puget Sound Federal Caucus to coordinate recovery efforts
created by a memorandum of understanding (MOU) in
in the Sound and to develop a federal action plan for
2014. The Caucus’s stated objectives are to enhance federal
restoration. Alternatively, a permanent coordinating entity
coordination for restoration activities, develop work plans
could be authorized in law to take the form of other
and strategies to coordinate efforts, and encourage federal
coordinating entities involved in large-scale ecosystem
coordination with other nonfederal entities (such as the
restoration initiatives.
Puget Sound Partnership; see “State Efforts” section,
below). The MOU is currently scheduled to sunset in 2017.
Congress also might consider the authorization of efforts to
In 2011, a Puget Sound Regional Federal Agency Action
ensure coordination among state and federal agencies. For
Plan was created to guide coordination of restoration
example, a comprehensive restoration plan for federal
activities, but no subsequent versions of the plan have been
agencies might also incorporate state actions and might
disseminated.
serve as a focal point for measuring the progress of
restoration efforts. However, some may oppose any effort
State Efforts
to create a new plan with the potential to duplicate and/or
The state of Washington organizes restoration activities
compete with the Action Agenda. Under H.R. 3630,
largely through the Puget Sound Partnership (PSP), a state
coordination would occur through the guidance of a Puget
agency that coordinates efforts of citizens, governmental
Sound Federal Task Force and a newly created EPA Puget
and nongovernmental organizations, tribes, and others. It
Sound restoration program office. The bill also would direct
was created in 2007 to prioritize and sequence actions that
federal restoration activities to be consistent with the Action
aim to achieve a set of restoration goals that range from
Agenda as much as possible under law.
restoring and protecting habitat to improving marine and
freshwater quality. The PSP is also a National Estuary
Progress of Restoration Efforts
Program (NEP), authorized 33 U.S.C. §1330. The PSP has
Since the PSP was initiated in 2007, several of the goals set
a Comprehensive Conservation Plan for the Puget Sound
by the Action Agenda have not been met and progress
authorized under the NEP and approved by the EPA.
appears to be slow. In 2015, the PSP reported that 10 of 37
indicators are showing progress and that 15 indicators are
This plan is termed the Action Agenda, and it lists ongoing
either not changing, have mixed results, or are getting
and new restoration activities aimed at achieving restoration
worse. Twelve indicators do not have enough data available
goals for the Puget Sound. The document also lists a set of
to make a determination. Little or no progress under some
strategic initiatives that serve to prioritize certain near-term
indicators was attributed to a lag in getting results from the
restoration actions. Current strategic initiatives include
time restoration activities were completed.
reducing pollutants from stormwater runoff; protecting and
restoring habitat; and recovering shellfish beds. The Action
Whether an overall lack of restoration progress could be
Agenda is updated every two years and, according to the
improved through additional federal involvement (and, if
PSP, is a result of the collaboration of state and federal
so, to what extent) is another potential question for
agencies, tribal governments, local governments, and other
Congress. Aside from governance and coordination under
stakeholders. The most recent Action Agenda (for 2014-
existing authorities, some contend that enhanced
2015) was published in May 2014.
monitoring and reporting would improve understanding of
the ecosystem. (There is no coordinated monitoring for
Coordination Among State and Federal Efforts
federal efforts in the Sound.) H.R. 3630 would address this
There is no overarching coordinating entity that attempts to
issue by, among other things, authorizing the director of the
integrate state and federal restoration activities.
Puget Sound program office to procure research and
Coordination between state and federal agencies occur
monitoring to fulfill the “objectives and priorities of the
under various committees and teams. For example, EPA
action plan.”
coordinates with the PSP to meet requirements under NEP.
EPA activities are directed toward implementing the Action
Ocean Acidification and Climate Change
Agenda. Further, the Ecosystem Coordination Board (under
Ocean acidification and climate change are two long-term
the PSP) contains representatives from federal and state
factors that could affect Puget Sound restoration. The
agencies. The board provides recommendations to
Action Agenda parallels the state climate change response
implement the Action Agenda.
strategy to address climate change issues. Federal actions
Potential Issues for Congress
might consider climate change and ocean acidification on a
project-by-project basis or holistically over all activities.
In the 114th Congress, H.R. 3630 would address several key
H.R. 3630 would direct federal agencies to consider actions
issues related to restoration of the Puget Sound. The bill
that would promote resilience to climate change and ocean
raises several questions for Congress related to the Sound,
acidification effects, but the bill does not provide further
which are discussed below.
direction on this issue.
Coordination of Restoration Efforts
Among other things, federal legislation could direct
Pervaze A. Sheikh, Specialist in Natural Resources Policy
coordination efforts among federal agencies and between
Charles V. Stern, Specialist in Natural Resources Policy
federal and state agencies conducting restoration in the
IF10334
Sound. For example, H.R. 3630 proposes to enhance the

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Ecosystem Restoration in the Puget Sound

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