|
|||||
 |
Puget Sound Nearshore Ecosystem Restoration Project and The Puget Sound Nearshore Partnership The Puget Sound Nearshore Ecosystem Restoration Project (PSNERP) was formally initiated as a General Investigation (GI) Feasibility Study in September 2001, through a cost-share agreement between the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the State of Washington, represented by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. This agreement describes our joint interests and responsibilities to complete a feasibility study to: “…evaluate significant ecosystem degradation in the Puget Sound Basin; to formulate, evaluate, and screen potential solutions to these problems; and to recommend a series of actions and projects that have a federal interest and are supported by a local entity willing to provide the necessary items of local cooperation.” Since that time, PSNERP has attracted considerable attention and support from a diverse group of individuals and organizations interested and involved in improving the health of Puget Sound nearshore ecosystems and the biological, cultural, and economic resources they support. The Puget Sound Nearshore Partnership is the name we have chosen to describe this growing and diverse group, and the work we will collectively undertake that ultimately supports the goals of PSNERP, but is beyond the scope of the GI Study. Collaborating with the Puget Sound Action Team (PSAT), the Nearshore Partnership seeks to implement portions of PSAT’s Work Plan pertaining to nearshore habitat restoration issues. We understand that the mission of PSNERP remains at the core of our partnership. However restoration projects, information transfer, scientific studies, and other activities can and should occur to advance our understanding, and ultimately, the health of the Puget Sound nearshore beyond the original focus and scope of the ongoing GI Study. Since that time, PSNERP has attracted considerable attention and support from a diverse group of individuals and organizations interested and involved in improving the health of Puget Sound nearshore ecosystems and the biological, cultural, and economic resources they support. The Puget Sound Nearshore Partnership is the name we have chosen to describe this growing and diverse group, and the work we will collectively undertake that ultimately supports the goals of PSNERP, but is beyond the scope of the GI Study. Who Needs the Puget Sound Nearshore? In addition to the aquatic life that makes its home in Puget Sound, the millions of citizens living and working in the Puget Sound region are also attached to the nearshore. For centuries, people have been drawn to the nearshore for economic and recreational purposes. Today, within the Northwest our lifestyles and economy rely on the Puget Sound nearshore. Shellfish and salmon industries, ports and refineries, and recreational activities all depend on the tidelands and shoreline.
Scope The purpose of the project is to identify significant ecosystem problems in Washington State's Puget Sound basin, evaluate potential solutions, and restore and preserve critical nearshore habitat. The project is a cooperative effort among government organizations, tribes, industries, and environmental organizations to preserve and restore the health of the Sound's nearshore. How Significant is This Project? The project is one of the largest habitat restoration and preservation endeavors ever undertaken in the United States. Similar projects are underway in the Florida Everglades and Chesapeake Bay. The federal government has approved funding for the first phase of the project that is underway by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and U.S. Geological Survey. The first phase includes investigations of current information and developing plans to do the actual restoration and preservation work. The second phase would be a commitment of billions of dollars to restore and preserve Puget Sound. Eventually, the Puget Sound Nearshore Project could be as significant as the nearly $8 billion authorized for restoring the Everglades in Florida and $5 billion for restoring Chesapeake Bay in Maryland. What Can be Done to Restore the Puget Sound Nearshore? Early restoration efforts have been encouraging, yet these efforts have been small compared to the widespread on-going environmental deterioration. A broad systematic approach to reverse and prevent the harm is needed. The next step is to understand conditions within the nearshore and what is causing the environmental problems. The U.S, Army Corps of Engineers and U.S. Geological Survey, with assistance from state and local government organizations, tribes, industries, and environmental organizations, are conducting scientific studies to develop solutions for the Puget Sound Nearshore. What's Happening Now? The project is currently in its feasibility study phase. The purpose of the feasibility study is to evaluate the factors that are causing the habitat to decline and pollution to occur in the Puget Sound basin, to formulate, evaluate, and screen potential solutions to these problems; and to recommend a series of actions and projects. The study will look for projects that have both a federal interest and support from local communities that are willing to provide the necessary investment to address the habitat or pollution problems in their area of the Sound. The Nearshore Project has two major objectives for the 2007-09 biennium.
|
|||||||||||
Puget
Sound Nearshore Partnership |
