On our recent trip to Washington, D.C., for Puget Sound Day on the Hill, we heard over and over again that no one knows what will happen next because of the unprecedented maneuvers of the Trump Administration. Leaving D.C. we understood that EPA funds for Puget Sound restoration are likely preserved through September 2017 – incredibly good news.

Unfortunately, future Puget Sound funding is still at risk as negotiations for the next fiscal year were just beginning. EPA provides hundreds of millions of dollars that pass through the Department of Ecology to fund local government infrastructure modernization. Cuts to EPA, NOAA, and other federal programs would undermine our progress in Puget Sound. And in state budget discussions in Olympia, environmental and social service programs are already under tremendous pressure adding more stress and uncertainty about the future. Each one of these makes a difference for Puget Sound.

This means our work needs to adapt to a quickly evolving federal and state landscape.

The People For Puget Sound program recently launched a new webpage – five actions you can take to stand up for Puget Sound. We feature specific actions needed at the federal, state, and local level, refreshed weekly. Some are as simple as a few clicks, like thanking key members of our federal delegation. Take action today!

We will not save Puget Sound by hoping for it – we need to work for it. Join the chorus of voices and take action today.