Murray-Led Effort Saves Pacific Salmon Recovery Program

Press Release

Murray-Led Effort Saves Pacific Salmon Recovery Program

Obama Administration agrees to amend their Fiscal Year 2010 Budget proposal after Murray, Cantwell, Dicks and West Coast Congressional members call to restore program and funding

Today, U.S. Senators Patty Murray (D-WA), Maria Cantwell (D-WA) and Congressman Norm Dicks (D-WA 6th) announced that the Obama Administration has agreed to amend their Fiscal Year 2010 Budget to reinstate the Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund (PCSRF) and restore $50 million in funding for the program. The Administration's decision comes less than two weeks after Murray led West Coast Congressional members in writing to key Obama Administration officials urging them to restore funding for the program. The Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund is a dedicated federal resource for Western states to restore salmon and steelhead populations.

"The Obama Administration heard our call loud and clear," said Senator Murray, a member of the U.S. Senate leadership. "Salmon are a way of life in Washington state, and eliminating the Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund threatened our heritage, our culture, and our economy. The Administration's decision is a good indication that they are getting on the same page when it comes to the importance of salmon restoration in our region."

"Wild Pacific salmon are central to the culture, economy, and environment of western North America," said Senator Cantwell. "Protecting and preserving endangered salmon stocks is critical to the health of Washington state's economy. Since 2000, the Pacific Coast Salmon Recovery Fund has allowed Washington state 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's 2,400 barriers removed and 2,400 miles of habitat restored. In 2008, for every federal dollar spent on this program it leveraged about $2 local and state dollars. This funding is critical to support projects for salmon recovery through local, state, federal, and tribal efforts."

"This is a tremendously encouraging decision: a sign that the new Administration at every level is serious about the recovery of threatened and endangered salmon populations on the west coast," said Congressman Norm Dicks.

The decision by the Obama Administration effectively restores $50,000,000 in federal funding to be used for salmon restoration efforts in Washington, Oregon, California, Nevada, Idaho, and Alaska. Last year, the Bush Administration included only $35,000,000 for the program. The disbursement among states of funding will be done competitively.

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