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1 1 (December 17, 2015)

handle is hein.crs/govcduy0001 and id is 1 raw text is: Ecosystem Restoration in the Puget Sound The Puget Sound (the Sound), located in the state of Washington, is the second-largest estuary in the United States, covering 35,500 square kilometers, and the largest estuary in the country by volume. It has been deemed an Estuary of National Significance by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and is noted for its species diversity, ecosystem services, and economic benefit to the region. For example, activities associated with the Sound are reported to contribute nearly half of the state's gross domestic product. The Puget Sound watershed also contains 67% of the state's population and is home to 49 federally listed threatened and endangered species. Figure I. Puget Sound Watershed ... ..K . . .....NM j.V ..N \ '.... K~.. ...~>~ @ ....... &' . ....... .. ...~ot' : .. ........ .... . . ' : : , ::X: : ! : .. ..............: ..: . . . . . . . : . '::. Source: Puget Sound Partnership. The Puget Sound ecosystem is being degraded by several factors, including air and water pollution, shoreline modification, habitat alteration, development, and climate change. For example, nearly 14 million pounds of toxic chemicals enter the Sound yearly through runoff and atmospheric deposition. Interest in restoring the Puget Sound stems from its status as the second-largest estuary in the United States and from the large amount of federally managed land in the Sound. Approximately 44% of the land area within the Puget Sound watershed is federally managed. Currently, there are no stand-alone authorizations that holistically govern restoration of the Sound, such as those in other areas (e.g., the Florida Everglades). Rather, restoration efforts largely have been spearheaded by a state body, the Puget Sound Partnership, with several federal agencies actively conducting or participating in restoration projects under gognpo 'pop\\m ggmm g 'M M X Updated December 17, 2015 other broad but related authorities. In the 114th Congress, H.R. 3630, the Promoting United Government Efforts to Save Our Sound (or Puget SOS) Act, would authorize a restoration program for the Sound. Federal efforts to restore the Puget Sound are largely conducted under the authority of broad environmental laws such as the Clean Water Act. Several federal agencies participate in efforts to restore the Sound, including the EPA, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (the Corps), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Natural Resources Conservation Service, and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, among others. (See Table 1.) 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 I. Selected Federal Puget Sound Restoration Activities and Funding ($ in millions) Agency Description FY20 15 EPA Puget Sound Program. $25.0 FWS Conducts research on threatened and endangered plants and wildlife and implements 9.2 projects to protect them. USGS Collects ecosystem data on the Puget Sound and creates models, such as one that predicts 3.9 the effect of development on estuarine habitat. NOAA Conducts programs to protect and restore nearshore and floodplain habitats for fish, marine mammals, and shellfish. Corps Implements the Puget Sound Nearshore 5.1 Restoration Study. Source: EPA Budget documents and personal communication from the Dept. of Interior, Corps, and NOAA. Notes: EPA = U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; FWS = U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; USGS = U.S. Geological Survey; NOAA = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; Corps = U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Absent the explicit authority for a federal entity to lead restoration efforts in the Sound, a Puget Sound Federal .O 'T

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