Last week, Washington Sen. Maria Cantwell announced that $39.4 million will be granted by the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to fund nine Washington state projects to support the migration of salmon and steelhead. The grant was funded by the Inflation Reduction Act and Bipartisan support, according to a news release.
Of the included funds, the Cowlitz Indian Tribe received $1.9 million to remove a fish passage barrier and abandoned railroad crossing on Ostrander Creek. The project will allow more steelhead and salmon to travel the creek connected to the greater Cowlitz River. The passage barrier’s removal will lessen the possibility of off-stream flooding.
“Habitat restoration works, and these projects will help boost the salmon and steelhead runs our tribes and our regional economy depend on,” Sen. Cantwell stated in a press release.
