Wednesday December 28, 2022
Forks Forum —
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has given groups on the North Olympic Peninsula $18.7 million to remove barriers and replace culverts to improve fish passage and infrastructure in the region.
NOAA is funding 10 projects across the state and 36 projects across the nation, totaling $38.9 million in grants for fish barrier removal.
The primary Peninsula beneficiaries of the funding — which was championed by U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Mountlake Terrace, and U.S. Rep. Derek Kilmer, D-Gig Harbor — will be the Quillayute, Quinault and Hoh tribes, although proponents said there also will be impacts on the public as well as reservation infrastructure.
“These first projects from the NOAA’s Restoring Fish Passage Through Barrier Removal Program will jump start salmon recovery on the Olympic Peninsula by removing salmon-blocking culverts and other stream obstructions,” Cantwell said in a press release.