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Puget Sound has been designated as one of 28 estuaries of National Significance under §320 of the Clean Water Act. The goal of the National Estuary Program is to attain and maintain water quality in designated estuaries that would assure protection of public water supplies and the protection and propagation of a balanced, indigenous population of shellfish, fish and wildlife and allows recreational activities in and on the water. The Puget Sound National Estuary Program's approved Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan (CCMP) is the Action Agenda. The Action Agenda for Puget Sound charts the course to recovery of our nation's largest estuary–it complements and incorporates the work of many partners from around Puget Sound to describe regional strategies and specific actions needed to recover Puget Sound. These strategies and actions provide opportunities for federal, state, local, tribal, and private entities to better invest resources and coordinate actions. The EPA is committed to protecting and improving water quality and minimizing the adverse impacts of rapid development in the Puget Sound Basin. These commitments include protecting the watersheds and waters of Puget Sound by protecting the fundamental watershed processes that provide and create aquatic habitats and by reducing the generation and release of toxic, nutrient, and pathogen pollution. The Puget Sound Protection and Restoration: Tribal Implementation Assistance Program is aimed at assisting the Indian Tribes of the greater Puget Sound basin in their efforts to carry out work critically needed for Puget Sound protection and restoration. This work includes activities identified in, or consistent with, the Action Agenda such as efforts called for by established salmon recovery plans in the Puget Sound basin. EPA has a trust responsibility to Federally recognized Indian Tribes. EPA also recognizes that Federally recognized Indian Tribes in the greater Puget Sound basin have a critical role in the protection and restoration of the ecosystem and its resources. EPA seeks to provide financial assistance to these Tribes to help them implement priority strategies and actions in or consistent with the approved Clean Water Act §320 CCMP for Puget Sound. Program has considered relevant approaches to achieving the intended goals and objectives of the program consistent with statutory requirements, including priorities in Executive Order 14052 (Implementation of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act), to invest public dollars equitably, create jobs and high labor stands, ensure goods and services are made in America, and build infrastructure that is resilient and helps combat the climate crisis using Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) funds. . Tribal Capacity (non-competitive) grants are funded to support each Tribe and Consortium to participate in the Puget Sound Management Conference, depending on appropriations. Eligible tasks include representing tribal interests in Management Conference forums and processes and other activities like identifying limiting factors to habitat protection and salmon and shellfish recovery. Tribal Implementation Lead (competitive): This grant was competed and will be funded with Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act funding for five years, to support eligible subaward work which includes watershed and marine/estuary habitat restoration projects. Many of these projects will directly address salmon and shellfish recovery.
This chart shows obligations for the program by fiscal year. All data for this chart was provided by the
administering agency and sourced from SAM.gov, USASpending.gov, and Treasury.gov.
For more information on each of these data sources, please see the
About the data page.
Accomplishments in FFY2016:
Example Tribal Capacity award accomplishments during FY 2016:
•Completed aerial and historic map review as part of a channel re-alignment and fish passage feasibility and alternatives analysis of upper Boise Creek (RM 4.3 to 4.6). This task supports development of the conceptual design of this habitat restoration project to restore access by anadromous salmon including ESA-listed fish of approximately 6,000 lineal feet of stream corridor in prime salmon-bearing tributary of the White River within tribe’s Usual and Accustomed fishing area. Increase in ESA-listed fish production would be an estimated 40 chinook, 15 steelhead redds and 100 coho redds. (Puyallup Tribe).
•Continue to actively participate in regional and local Puget Sound Management Conference processes and forums, including the Hood Canal Coordinating Council (HCCC), the Straits Ecosystem Recovery Network (ERN), and the Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference, to discuss issues of concern for the tribe. This includes assisting in developing strategies for protecting and restoring habitats and species in Hood Canal, Admiralty Inlet and the Strait of Juan de Fuca (Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribe).
Example Lead Organization award accomplishments during FY 2016:
•Completed extended sampling of nutrient sources and harmful algal blooms (HABs) for the Sequim Bay watershed (sampling extended into FY16 due to extended algae blooms), and initiated statistical analysis of sampling results (sub-award to Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe)
•Continuing to lead coordination and integration of data and analyses for Skagit Watershed Salmon Recovery Plan, including working with subgroups on modeling and GIS analysis (sub-award to Skagit River System Cooperative) Accomplishments in FFY2016:
Example Tribal Capacity award accomplishments during FY 2016: •Completed aerial and historic map review as part of a channel re-alignment and fish passage feasibility and alternatives analysis of upper Boise Creek (RM 4.3 to 4.6). This task supports development of the conceptual design of this habitat restoration project to restore access by anadromous salmon including ESA-listed fish of approximately 6,000 lineal feet of stream corridor in prime salmon-bearing tributary of the White River within tribe’s Usual and Accustomed fishing area. Increase in ESA-listed fish production would be an estimated 40 chinook, 15 steelhead redds and 100 coho redds. (Puyallup Tribe). •Continue to actively participate in regional and local Puget Sound Management Conference processes and forums, including the Hood Canal Coordinating Council (HCCC), the Straits Ecosystem Recovery Network (ERN), and the Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference, to discuss issues of concern for the tribe. This includes assisting in developing strategies for protecting and restoring habitats and species in Hood Canal, Admiralty Inlet and the Strait of Juan de Fuca (Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribe).
Example Lead Organization award accomplishments during FY 2016: •Completed extended sampling of nutrient sources and harmful algal blooms (HABs) for the Sequim Bay watershed (sampling extended into FY16 due to extended algae blooms), and initiated statistical analysis of sampling results (subaward to Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe) •Continuing to lead coordination and integration of data and analyses for Skagit Watershed Salmon Recovery Plan, including working with subgroups on modeling and GIS analysis (subaward to Skagit River System Cooperative)
Projects funded by Lead Tribal Organization Samish Indian Nation. In the past 4 years, Samish Indian Nation Department of Natural Resources (DNR), in partnership with the state department of natural resources and others, has removed over 500,000 pounds of treated wood and other marine debris from public and private shorelines. Samish DNR surveyed islands for creosote and marine debris and located 325 creosote or marine debris sites within the San Juan Islands. European green crabs were detected on Graveyard Spit on the Dungeness National Wildlife Refuge in April 2017 through monitoring conducted by Washington Sea Grant and the refuge. To date 90 live crabs have been caught on the refuge in a trapping effort led by the Refuge and WDFW invasive species specialists. A single green crab was also found in the Jimmycomelately Creek estuary. Tribal Capacity Grantees Suquamish Indian Tribe: In August 2017, 802 acres within the Liberty Bay Shellfish Growing Area were upgraded to either Approved or Conditionally Approved by the state health department. The Tribe requested the health department to evaluate the classification in 2012, and has been involved in many activities to improve the water quality within the watershed since the growing area was downgraded in May 1991. In addition, Suquamish continued to actively participate in Puget Sound regional planning processes that included the WCLIO, the West Sound Nearshore Integration and Synthesis Project Workgroup, and the Puget Sound Shoreline Armor Implementation Strategy Identification Team
15 capacity grantees have participated in local processes such as Shoreline and Growth Management Act forums. 17 Tribes have engaged in regional salmon recovery and Action Agenda meetings. 21 Tribes have engaged in collecting or providing data, traditional knowledge, or other information to local and regional processes. Several Tribes have engaged in creating tribal mechanisms relating to tribal environmental prioritizing in Puget Sound.
Here are some examples from Puget Sound Tribal grantees **Grantee has been a leader in multi-agency efforts to restore the Elwha River and other streams on the North Olympic Peninsula, as well as a largescale cleanup and restoration effort within Port Angeles Harbor. The Elwha River ecosystem is still in the early “re-colonization” stage of a 4-phase recovery – 1) Preservation, 2) Re-colonization, 3) Local Adaptation, and 4) Viable Natural Population. Ecosystem recovery associated with these large-scale restoration projects will contribute significantly to the recovery of salmonids, forage fish, and shellfish populations in the Strait of Juan de Fuca and greater Puget Sound. The Tribe is observing positive signs of increase in Steelhead trout, Coho, and Chinook salmon stocks. **Clam garden work has been highlighted in a Salish Sea Currents magazine article on Implementation Strategies sponsored by EPA - Puget Sound (https://www.eopugetsound.org/magazine/IS/clam-garden). **The Tribe prepared a Climate Vulnerability Assessment report and model for habitat and associated fisheries in the inland waters of northern Washington State (https://swinomish.org/media/102218/fishvulmodel_final.pdf). This information informed preparation of a draft of the Climate Change Adaptation Strategies for Shellfish, which expands on the Tribe’s Climate Adaptation Plan. One such adaptation strategy is the restoration of clam gardening, an ancient Indigenous aquaculture technique that sustainably promotes native clam populations as well as supports tribal health and wellbeing. The Swinomish Fisheries Department and Community Environmental Health Program decided to initiate a clam garden project, see media coverage: (https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-solutions/2020/11/24/native-americans-climate-change-swinomish/?arc404=true). **Clam garden video was completed https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9dDesE4u07U Draft principles for riparian restoration through new regulatory approaches drafted and shared with state-tribal riparian workgroup. **A Climate Vulnerability Assessment report and model for habitat and associated fisheries in the inland waters of northern Washington State has been prepared (https://swinomish.org/media/102218/fishvulmodel_final.pdf). **The Puget Sound Kelp Recovery Plan (https://nwstraits.org/media/3020/pugetsoundkelpconservationandrecoveryplan.pdf) was published. **One Tribe has a long standing and much celebrated Outreach and Education program that includes classroom lessons, field trips, hatchery tours and festival participation. Outreach and education are important components to the Stillaguamish Watershed Chinook Salmon Recovery Plan and the Puget Sound Action Agenda. Many of the ongoing recovery projects in the watershed require awareness, support, and involvement from the public. It is critical to work closely with the public and private landowners through outreach and education events. They can assist in identifying and implementing restoration and protection measures that will help improve recovery of Chinook Salmon in the Stillaguamish Watershed. In addition, working in local schools provides the opportunity to educate the future stewards of the Stillaguamish watershed through in-class lessons and service-learning projects, helping to create awareness, caring and protective behavior for this region’s natural resources, impacts from climate change and protection of salmon and salmon habitat. **A European Green Crab Early Detection and Monitoring program has been established in the Port Susan Bay of Whidbey Basin in Puget Sound, Washington. The primary objective of this project was to conduct green crab early detection critical to protecting the ecosystems of Port Susan and South Skagit Bay. Tribal staff completed a full season of crap trapping and found no evidence of green crabs. **After years of negotiation, an agreement has been signed to purchase over 900 acres adjacent to the Tribe’s reservation, a purchase and sale agreement for development rights on 18.4 acres of the former Port Gamble mill site, which will close in 2021 protecting the shoreline into perpetuity, and a Port Gamble master plan that will move forward to the permitting phase. This was a successful mediation that set the course for future generations of tribal members and residents around Port Gamble Bay to work collaboratively toward protecting resources and the Tribe’s cultural way of life, as well as the economic vitality of the area. ** A Tribe and the Puget Sound Salmon Recovery Council (SRC) are working to develop a regional Puget Sound recovery subcommittee to bring in Diversion, Equity, and Inclusion/Environmental Justice/tribal treaty rights into salmon and Puget Sound recovery. While this was originally a task for just the SRC, the Tribe and other subcommittee members will be recruiting additional members from other leadership Boards within the Puget Sound recovery community (Puget Sound “Management Conference”). Tribes have been involved in the Puget Sound Partnership-led process relating to diversity, equity, and inclusion, but will bring treaty rights elements here and relate them to the “Healthy Environment for All” (HEAL) Act, recently passed by the Washington Legislature. The subcommittee’s goal is to: Improve awareness of diversity, equity, and inclusion practices, environmental justice, and tribal treaty rights.
One Tribe has completed capture-mark-recapture data collection, data entry, and database QA/QC for year 1. Completed the smallmouth bass otolith collection and began mounting and sectioning otoliths in preparation for aging. They completed model development for analyzing count and capture-recapture data and have completed all runs (with all appropriate species) of one model and have run at least one species in the remaining three models. One Tribe celebrated a groundbreaking ceremony at clam garden site and a clam garden video was completed. One major habitat restoration project removing the Haberzetle Dam in the Snoqualmie Valley was completed. Recent accomplishments for one Puget Sound Tribe include onsite field data collection to inform the restoration design for three floodplain restoration projects including the Trafton floodplain, Cicero floodplain, and zis a ba. Other successes from the recent reporting period include continued K-12 hatchery tours and field trips to improve environmental education in the Watershed. Another success is the ongoing production of a virtual estuary education fieldtrip video. This video has provided a unique opportunity for a diverse group of technical and Tribal staff to collaborate, discuss opportunities for virtual education, and share technical and Tribal cultural knowledge in the field. Also based on the connections with State agencies established through the Tribe’s involvement in the Puget Sound Management Conference, the Tribe was able to secure last minute funding for a high priority instream project on the South Fork Stillaguamish at Gold Basin. The Gold Basin landslide is the single largest contributor of fine sediment in the South Fork and one of the largest in the entire Stillaguamish Watershed. The sediment contributed at this location degrades nearly 50 miles of spawning and rearing habitat for ESA listed Chinook, steelhead, and Bull trout. Limiting contributions from this landslide were identified in the Stillaguamish Chapter of the Puget Sound Chinook Recovery Plan and the project has been a priority for the Tribe for more than 30 years. A recent accomplishment is a Clark Creek restoration project, in which the Tribe has partnered with state and county offices. Depending upon successful funding for the project proposal, the Tribe hopes to begin assessment and planning next year, in 2023. The overall goal would be to improve tributary fish passage and large river floodplain habitats. One Tribe’s effort has helped identify a design alternative and facilitate coordination with the Skagit Land Trust for a barrier removal project on a tributary to the Skagit River. The result was a creative approach that removed three passage barriers and returned the creek to its historic footprint. This will significantly improve habitat conditions for a variety of species.
For the first time in years, a local Tribe’s ceremonial, and subsistence fishery for coho salmon opened on the Elwha River. Many years of the large Elwha dam removal effort, the long-term cooperative recovery monitoring effort that ensued, and the process through which co-managers have determined fishery status on the river have made this possible. For over a decade, the Tribe has used EPA Puget Sound funds to support its engagement with multiple partners in the intensive monitoring and restoration activities in the floodplain and watershed during and following dam removal.
Another Tribe celebrated the success of a Dungeness River floodplain reconnection project, partially funded by EPA Puget Sound Tribal Implementation Lead award. As described by the JSKT Habitat Program Manager, “Seven months ago, the Dungeness River east floodplain at the Nature Center was a line of porta potties and a parking lot behind a dike. Today, it’s a reconnected, salmon-friendly floodplain and side channel, conveying floodwaters peacefully down the valley. The bridge is wildly popular with the public, and the old parking lots and county road are out of harm’s way.”
Another Tribe resurrected the ancient practice of clam gardening that is in part funded by EPA’s Puget Sound Tribal Capacity Grants. Early clam gardens date back as far as 3,500 years ago. Indigenous leaders from Washington state Tribe and Canadian tribes and community members and biologists were brought together to continue to construct a rock wall at the low tide line. EPA staff joined the Tribal communities for the first rock wall construction session last spring. Sediment filters through the holes between the rocks and extends the shallow, gently sloping habitat favorable to native littleneck clams, sea cucumbers, sea urchins, star fish and invertebrates that live on trapped seagrass and kelp. A 2014 study in British Columbia found that clam biomass (clams per square foot) was up to four times greater within the clam gardens.
Puget Sound funds have allowed a Tribe to expand the scope of their East Fork Nookachamps watershed assessment. As the project has progressed, they have identified additional information needs for surface water quality and groundwater. This information will serve a variety of purposes now and into the future, including assessing baseline conditions, informing project selection and design, predicting responses of management actions, and long-term monitoring.
One Tribe has continued to make significant progress advancing large scale floodplain/estuary restoration in the Stillaguamish watershed.
Educators are very open and excited about getting their students outside and hands on with the Hatchery Tours and Iverson fieldtrips. Taking advantage of land-based access sites has increased a Tribe’s ability to collect data for nearshore seining, due to difficult boat weather conditions. Stillaguamish has been successful at collecting over 180 samples and monitoring seal haul-out locations and behavior. They learned that tagged seals are not moving up-river and do not seem to have any spatial shifts in response to salmon migration windows. Staff have been trained and have become proficient in using Survey123 and ArcGIS online. Using these apps on a tablet or smart phones has substantially increased the Tribe’s capacity to complete invasive plant surveys.
A pilot project led by the Nisqually Tribe, with partners including Cedar Grove Compost, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, NOAA, University of Washington, Long Live the Kings, and Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission has been receiving funds through the Puget Sound Tribal Implementation Lead. The project site is in the Ohop Creek valley, the third largest salmon-bearing tributary to the Nisqually River, and where the Tribe has been conducting floodplain restoration for over 2 decades. A biofiltration structure routes stormwater runoff from Highway 7 (a main corridor for Mount Rainier traffic) through a 60% sand / 40% compost mixture prior to discharge into Ohop valley wetlands. Preliminary measurements indicate removal of 92% of 6PPD from this treatment process. The results of this work have implications for stormwater quality treatment throughout Puget Sound and beyond.
One Tribe has had an unprecedented acquisition of 537 acres of former tidal wetlands in the lower Stillaguamish delta. The acquisition of this land sets the stage for the Tribe to eventually restore the land to tidal influence and connect restoration sites, greatly benefiting Whidbey Basin Chinook salmon stocks, Southern Resident Killer Whales, and other fish, wildlife, and plant species that the Tribe and local community depend on and enjoy. This acquisition also may provide a significant recreation opportunity to the local community through the construction of an extensive setback levee, allowing passive recreation.
From the Tribal Implementation Lead Grant – one Tribe’s innovative fish passage project hopes to guide salmon and steelhead to survival at the Hood Canal Bridge.
The restoration of the Elwha River has been the highest salmon recovery priority for Puget Sound for decades and is one of the largest restoration actions conducted to date in Puget Sound. Removal of the Elwha dams from 2011 to 2014 has offered an unprecedented opportunity to monitor the recolonization and recovery of Pacific salmon within the watershed. Overall, the Tribe and many partners have used many years of Tribal Implementation Lead grant monies to make a significant contribution to understanding the long-term response of salmon recovery to dam removal within the Elwha watershed.
Another Tribe has successfully removed over 1 million pounds of creosote and marine debris from the Samish Traditional Territory and created a Story Map, which is used for outreach and education.
Also within the Salish Sea, divers’ research kelp data has been used to aid in the development of the Kelp Vital Sign Indicator for the Puget Sound Action Agenda.
Single Audit Applies (2 CFR Part 200 Subpart F):
For additional information on single audit requirements for this program, review the current Compliance Supplement.
OMB is working with the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) and agency offices of inspectors general to include links to relevant oversight reports. This section will be updated once this information is made available.
