This agreement provides funding to the squaxin tribe natural resources department to continue to advance the puget sound partnership action agenda recovery goals by supporting recovery of fish…

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 10 awarded a $600,000 Cooperative Agreement to the Squaxin Island Tribe's Natural Resources Department 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 advancement of Puget Sound Partnership Action Agenda recovery goals through three primary service areas: fish population recovery in the Deschutes River through a state-tribal partnership with the Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife for coho salmon egg collection and hatchery production at Minter Creek; engagement in regional management forums including the Council of Alliance for a Healthy South Sound, Lead Entity Salmon Recovery Implementation, and coordination of the biennial South Sound Science Symposium; and development of Geographic Information System (GIS) services for natural resource tracking and data-driven management decisions.

The deliverables produced through this cooperative agreement include web and hard copy maps, environmental datasets, internal reports, and technical analyses supporting the Squaxin Natural Resources Department's operations and ecosystem recovery initiatives. Recipients will provide semiannual Financial and Ecosystem Accounting Tracking System (FEATS) reports to EPA documenting project outcomes. The anticipated results include sustainable salmon populations in South Sound, establishment of custom databases and data collection applications for efficient environmental data management and analysis, and enhanced organizational capacity for environmental data tracking and reporting. No subawards are included in this assistance agreement.

This agreement provides funding to the squaxin tribe natural resources department to continue to advance the puget sound partnership action agenda recovery goals by supporting recovery of fish populations in the deschutes river, supporting engagement in the puget sound management conference, and utilizing geographic information system (GIS) services for natural resource tracking. This project will focus on providing GIS services for the natural resources staff and will make data-driven management decisions. This agreement also provides funding for an established state and tribal partnership focusing on fish hatchery production, and staffing regular attendance at partner meetings. Activities:the activities to be performed include partnering with the washington state department of fish and wildlife to collect and raise coho salmon eggs at the minter creek hatchery to be released into tributaries in the deschutes river. Staff will regularly participate in meetings such as the council of alliance for a healthy south sound and lead entity salmon recovery implementation, and will coordinate the biennial south sound science symposium. Staff will also be a resource to the squaxin natural resource department for GIS services for several puget sound recovery related applications. Subrecipient:no subawards are included in this assistance agreement.outcomes:the anticipated deliverables include web maps, hard copy maps, datasets, internal reports, and technical input which will be provided to and benefit other staff within the tribe. Semiannual reporting in the form of a financial and ecosystem accounting tracking system (feats) report will be provided to EPA. The expected outcomes include healthy, sustainable salmon populations in south sound, solutions and means for the squaxin natural resources department to efficiently organize, collect, and manage environmental data through custom databases and data collection applications, and perform data analysis to produce effective map products and conduct data-driven decision-making about natural resources, and coordinate implementation of elements of the EPA puget sound comprehensive conservation and management plan (ccmp) relevant to south sound and squaxin island tribe. The intended beneficiaries are members of the squaxin island tribe and surrounding communities.