Statements on Introduced Bills and Joint Resolutions

Floor Speech

STATEMENTS ON INTRODUCED BILLS AND JOINT RESOLUTIONS -- (Senate - September 26, 2008)

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By Ms. CANTWELL (for herself, Ms. Murkowski, Mrs. Murray, Mr. Wyden, Mrs. Boxer, Mrs. FEINSTEIN, Mr. Smith, and Mr. Stevens):

S. 3608. A bill to establish a Salmon Stronghold Partnership program to protect wild Pacific salmon and for other purposes; to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

Ms. CANTWELL. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce the Pacific Salmon Stronghold Conservation Act of 2008, together with my colleague from Alaska, Senator Murkowski. I am grateful for all the input and collaboration from key stakeholders in Washington State that I have received on this legislation. I am especially grateful for the input from the Quinault Tribe, the Wild Salmon Center, and Bill Ruckelshaus.

While current Federal salmon recovery efforts are focused on recovering salmon listed under the Endangered Species Act, ESA, seeking to ``restore what we've lost,'' the Salmon Stronghold Act seeks to ``protect what we have.'' To this end, I have consistently fought for increased funding for the Pacific Coast Salmon Recovery Fund and will continue to proudly do so. In addition, with this legislation we will direct new Federal resources on protection of healthy salmon population.

Restoring threatened and endangered salmon in the Pacific Northwest is an imperative. Wild Pacific salmon are central to the culture, economy, and environment of western North America. The Pacific Coast Salmon Recovery Fund, since its inception in 2000, has allowed my home State of Washington to focus the efforts of counties and conservation districts, on average, to remove 300 barriers to fish passage and to open 300 miles of habitat each year. That is 2,400 barriers removed and 2,400 miles of habitat restored. In 2007, for every Federal dollar spent on this program it leveraged about $2 in local and State dollars.

I will continue the fight to protect this salmon recovery funding. But more must be done. This legislation will complement ongoing recovery efforts to ensure the future viability of healthy wild Pacific salmon runs by establishing a Federal program supporting voluntary public-private incentive-based efforts to proactively maintain the rivers that are home to the thriving populations of Pacific salmon--known as our ``Salmon Strongholds.''

This bill does that by establishing a new regional Salmon Stronghold Partnership program that provides Federal support and resources to protect a network of the healthiest remaining wild Pacific salmon ecosystems in North America. The bill promotes enhanced coordination and cooperation of Federal, tribal, State and local governments, public and private land managers, fisheries managers, power authorities, and nongovernmental organizations in efforts to protect salmon strongholds.

It is time to increase funding to recovery efforts, but also focus on prevention. It is time to adopt the kind of comprehensive solution that can solidify wild Pacific salmon's place in American culture for generations to come.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the RECORD.

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