{"id":20286,"date":"2024-08-21T11:57:40","date_gmt":"2024-08-21T15:57:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.merkley.senate.gov\/?p=20286"},"modified":"2024-08-21T11:57:42","modified_gmt":"2024-08-21T15:57:42","slug":"merkley-wyden-announce-over-35-million-to-support-salmon-recovery-efforts-in-oregon","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.merkley.senate.gov\/es\/merkley-wyden-announce-over-35-million-to-support-salmon-recovery-efforts-in-oregon\/","title":{"rendered":"Merkley, Wyden Announce Over $35 Million to Support Salmon Recovery Efforts in Oregon"},"content":{"rendered":"

$3+ million directly heading to Klamath Basin for habitat restoration following dam removal<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Washington, D.C. \u2013 Oregon\u2019s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden announced today that Oregon\u2014as well as the Klamath Basin\u2014is receiving $35,148,287 from the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration\u2019s (NOAA) Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund (PCSRF), a federal grant program to help restore Pacific salmon and steelhead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cOregon\u2019s salmon population is critical in sustaining our commercial and recreational fisheries and empowering the well-being and cultural heritage of Tribes who have been here since time immemorial,\u201d dijo Merkley.<\/strong> \u201cThis federal funding will support the restoration of Oregon\u2019s vibrant salmon runs by repairing and reviving their water habitat. This critical investment moves us one step closer to a healthier ecological future for the region, and I will continue fighting to protect our waterways and fish populations, including our beloved coho salmon.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cSalmon are synonymous with Oregon, and that historic connection to jobs, recreation and natural treasures deserves protecting and enhancing for generations to come,\u201d dijo Wyden.<\/strong> \u201cThis major federal investment in habitat restoration helps to rebuild robust salmon runs for Tribes and Oregon communities, and I\u2019ll keep battling for similar resources to achieve that objective throughout our state.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Crucially, over $3 million in federal funds are heading directly to the Klamath Basin to support recovery and restoration efforts for salmon and ongoing Klamath Dam removal efforts. This funding will be distributed between two grant recipients: the Klamath River Inter-Tribal Fish and Water Commission ($2,427,664) and the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board ($640,000).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Merkley\u2014as a senior member of the Appropriations Committee\u2014secured language in fiscal year 2024 government funding legislation directing NOAA to provide an update on recovery and restoration efforts for coho salmon and related salmonids in the Klamath Basin, as well as an investment strategy. He has also used his role on the powerful committee to secure robust funding for the protection, conservation, and restoration of salmon and steelhead species for Western states and Tribes via federal programs such as the PCSRF.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Created in 2000, the PCSRF is designed to address declining Pacific salmon and steelhead populations by supporting conservation efforts in California, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and Alaska. The program is essential to preventing the extinction of the 28 listed salmon and steelhead species on the West Coast.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This latest PCSRF funding for Oregon was also supported by the historic Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Inflation Reduction Act<\/em><\/a>.<\/em> A full list of the PCSRF grants heading to Oregon\u2014as well as the Klamath Basin\u2014can be found below:<\/p>\n\n\n\n