Geographic Programs - Puget Sound Protection and Restoration: Tribal Implementation Assistance Program

Puget Sound has been designated as one of 28 estuaries of National Significance under �320 of the Clean Water Act. The goal of the National Estuary Program is to attain and maintain water quality in designated estuaries that would assure protection of public water supplies and the protection and propagation of a balanced, indigenous population of shellfish, fish and wildlife and allows recreational activities in and on the water. The Puget Sound National Estuary Program's approved Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan (CCMP) is the Action Agenda. The Action Agenda for Puget Sound charts the course to recovery of our nation's largest estuary�it complements and incorporates the work of many partners from around Puget Sound to describe regional strategies and specific actions needed to recover Puget Sound. These strategies and actions provide opportunities for federal, state, local, tribal, and private entities to better invest resources and coordinate actions. The EPA is committed to protecting and improving water quality and minimizing the adverse impacts of rapid development in the Puget Sound Basin. These commitments include protecting the watersheds and waters of Puget Sound by protecting the fundamental watershed processes that provide and create aquatic habitats and by reducing the generation and release of toxic, nutrient and pathogen pollution. The Puget Sound Protection and Restoration: Tribal Implementation Assistance Program is aimed at assisting the Indian Tribes of the greater Puget Sound basin in their efforts to carry out work critically needed for Puget Sound protection and restoration. This work includes activities identified in, or consistent with, the Action Agenda such as efforts called for by established salmon recovery plans in the Puget Sound basin. EPA has a trust responsibility to Federally recognized Indian Tribes. EPA also recognizes that Federally recognized Indian Tribes in the greater Puget Sound basin have a critical role in the protection and restoration of the ecosystem and its resources. EPA seeks to provide financial assistance to these Tribes to help them implement priority strategies and actions in or consistent with the approved Clean Water Act �320 CCMP for Puget Sound. Program has considered relevant approaches to achieving the intended goals and objectives of the program consistent with statutory requirements, including priorities in Executive Order 14052 (Implementation of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act), to invest public dollars equitably, create jobs and high labor stands, ensure goods and services are made in America, and build infrastructure that is resilient and helps combat the climate crisis using Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) funds. Funding Priorities - Fiscal Year 2023: Tribal Capacity (non-competitive) Capacity grants will be continued with funding in FFY2023 funding to support each Tribe and Consortium to participate in the Puget Sound Management Conference, depending on appropriations. Eligible tasks include representing tribal interests in Management Conference forums and processes and other activities like identifying limiting factors to habitat protection and salmon and shellfish recovery. Tribal Implementation Lead (competitive) This grant was competed and will be funded with Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act funding for five years, to support eligible subaward work which includes watershed and marine/estuary habitat restoration projects. We anticipate that many of these projects will directly address salmon and shellfish recovery

Types of Assistance: COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS