Ten Federal Agencies Join Forces to Spur Puget Sound Recovery

Ten federal agencies, ranging from the Army Corps of Engineers to the National Park Service, have signed-on to a campaign to restore the health of Puget Sound. Senior officials from each organization joined Congressman Norm Dicks and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Regional Administrator, Elin D. Miller at a signing ceremony today at Tacoma’s Jack Hyde Park on the Commencement Bay waterfront.

According to EPA’s Elin Miller, today’s ceremony underscores the federal government’s commitment to making the health of Puget Sound both a Regional and National Priority.

“We’re pleased to come together as true federal partners to help the State of Washington to bring much-needed help to the Puget Sound,” said Miller. “Aided by Congressman Dicks’ vision, leadership and commitment, we’re launching a new effort by federal agencies to align people and resources to make the Sound cleaner and healthier.”

Agency officials close to the new federal partnership indicate that by uniting in a “Federal Caucus” of natural resource, environmental health and land management agencies, each partner is committing to work towards a common problem-solving framework for restoring the Sound. Specifically, this new partnership is seen as a way to:

Engage federal agency leaders to align available resources and programs to help support of Puget Sound recovery.

Strengthen and enhance federal coordination of Puget Sound science, resource management, and recovery efforts and policies.
Provide united leadership and support for Washington State and local governments working to protect and restore Puget Sound.
The ten signing partners are: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Army Corps. of Engineers, U.S. Department of Agriculture – Natural Resource Conservation Service, U.S. Navy, U.S. Geological Survey, National Park Service and the U.S. Coast Guard.