This agreement provides funding to the swinomish tribe to coordinate habitat restoration efforts throughout the skagit river watershed and in swinomish BAY to help clean up and restore the health of…

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 10 awarded a $600,000 cooperative agreement to the Swinomish Indian Tribal Community under the Geographic Programs - Puget Sound Protection and Restoration: Tribal Implementation Assistance Program (CFDA 66.121) effective October 1, 2025, through September 30, 2030. The award supports the tribe's coordination of habitat restoration efforts throughout the Skagit River watershed and Swinomish Bay to advance ecosystem recovery and water quality improvement in the Puget Sound region. No subawards are included in this assistance agreement; the tribe will directly implement all funded activities.

The tribe will deliver comprehensive habitat restoration and water quality management services, including identifying and implementing priority restoration projects, conducting shellfish habitat restoration activities, developing clam gardens to enhance shellfish harvesting, and managing freshwater and marine water quality initiatives. Deliverables include annual reports documenting priority restoration actions, written summaries of policy meetings and annual activities related to salmon and shellfish habitat restoration, and habitat management maps for Swinomish Bay and Swinomish Channel. Staff will coordinate field work, manage water quality data, and participate in regional planning forums to complement Puget Sound Partnership Action Agenda objectives. Benefits will accrue to salmon species and shellfish resources critical to tribal members through coordinated planning, development, and monitoring of restoration projects across the watershed.

This agreement provides funding to the swinomish tribe to coordinate habitat restoration efforts throughout the skagit river watershed and in swinomish BAY to help clean up and restore the health of puget sound. The tribe will determine priority restoration projects, water quality, and nearshore shellfish recovery within the watershed and implement them. Funding will also be used to continue the staff work in coordinating swinomish field work and water quality data management for puget sound tribal implementation projects and to complement puget sound partnership action agenda actions.activities:the activities to be performed include identify and manage restoration projects, shellfish habitat restoration, and freshwater and marine water quality projects in the skagit river watershed. Staff will improve clam garden development for improved shellfish harvesting. The staff will attend policy meetings regarding skagit river watershed habitat restoration and in puget sound.subrecipient:no subawards are included in this assistance agreement.outcomes:the anticipated deliverables include annual reports describing priority restoration actions in the skagit river watershed and written summaries of meetings regarding salmon and shellfish habitat restoration. The staff will prepare written summaries of annual activities and create maps of habitat management in swinomish BAY and swinomish channel. Salmon species and clams and other shellfish important to swinomish tribal members will benefit from the planning, development and coordination of habitat restoration and monitoring projects throughout the skagit river watershed and swinomish BAY.