Sen. Maria Cantwell and Congressman Norm Dicks have proposed new legislation that would lead to the establishment of a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) office focused on pollution in Puget Sound.
Under the Puget Sound Recovery Act, lawmakers would develop a comprehensive cleanup plan for water body, the second-largest estuary in the U.S.; the legislation would involve federal cleanup activities and matching funds to area sewer and storm water projects.
The bill proposes launching the EPA office with $20 million to support the work of the Puget Sound Partnership, the state agency responsible for restoring the water body's health by 2020.
