Federal Puget Sound Grant Program

Toxics and Nutrient Grant

The goal of this National Estuary Program (NEP) -funded grant is to improve human and environmental health by preventing or reducing the release of toxics and nutrients into Puget Sound.

The thousands of toxic chemicals in use today enter the air, water, soil, animals, fish, and our bodies. Some of these compounds impair development, some affect reproduction, some disrupt body chemistry, and some even cause cancer. In addition to toxic chemicals, many nutrients occur naturally in the marine and fresh waters of the Puget Sound ecosystem, but human contributions of excess nutrients such as fertilizers and phosphates can lead to lower levels of dissolved oxygen and even dead zones where fish and other animals can no longer survive.

Watershed Protection and Restoration Grant

In partnership with Washington State Department of Commerce, we are managing funds from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to coordinate a six-year strategy to protect and restore watersheds that drain to Puget Sound. This strategy involves working in partnership with local and tribal governments and other regional entities. Projects supported with these funds make practical contributions toward achieving the Puget Sound Action Agenda's ecosystem recovery targets. Each grant supports a project that falls under one or more of these four activity areas:

• Watershed characterization
• Land use and working lands
• Strategies to manage stormwater
• Strategies for protecting and restoring watersheds