The Puget Sound Partnership (PSP) was established as a state agency in 2007 to coordinate and lead the effort to recover Puget Sound through a strategic, prioritized, science-based action agenda. PSP's boards?Leadership Council, Ecosystem Coordination Board, and the Science Panel?support and guide the agency in its charge of mobilizing and accelerating the science-based effort to protect and restore Puget Sound.
The Department of Ecology (Ecology) is the state's environmental agency overseeing many state and federal laws designed to protect Washington's land, air, and water. Ecology is comprised of various programs, including:
The Recreation and Conservation Office (RCO) administers several grant programs for numerous boards and councils to create outdoor recreational opportunities, protect the state's wildlife habitat and farmland, and assist salmon recovery efforts. The RCO supports the following organizations:
The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) acts to preserve, protect, perpetuate, and manage Washington's wildlife, food fish, game fish, and shellfish. WDFW establishes the time, place, manner, and methods used to harvest or enjoy fish and wildlife. As a part of its mandate to protect and preserve the state's fish and wildlife resources while providing recreational and commercial opportunities, WDFW may acquire and manage state lands.
The State Conservation Commission (Commission) is a state agency created to assist and guide conservation districts in preparing and implementing resource conservation programs. The Commission is governed by a ten-member board consisting of Governor appointees, other state agencies, and conservation districts. The Commission provides informational and technical assistance to conservation districts throughout Washington. The Commission also recommends and administers funding, distributes funds to conservation districts, and reviews conservation district budgets and annual reports.
Subject to the availability of amounts appropriated for this specific purpose, PSP, Ecology, RCO, WDFW, and the Commission must coordinate to establish a streamlined application process for state voluntary funding programs addressing ecosystem investments to:
The streamlined application process addressing ecosystem investments should also identify and implement administrative improvements for state voluntary funding programs addressing projects and activities consistent with the PSP action agenda; salmon protection, recovery, and restoration; watershed recovery; ecosystem recovery; and water quality protection and restoration.
Objectives of the streamlined application process must include:
PSP, Ecology, RCO, WDFW, and the Commission must achieve these objectives by:
PSP, Ecology, RCO, WDFW, and the Commission may achieve these objectives by:
PSP, Ecology, RCO, WDFW, and the Commission must develop and approve a biennial work plan that includes:
Substantive changes to the work plan may be made at any time as agreed upon by PSP, Ecology, RCO, WDFW, and the Commission. PSP, Ecology, RCO, WDFW, and the Commission must provide an annual report to the Legislature, beginning September 1, 2025, on the actions of the agencies and administrative improvements to state voluntary funding programs.