Citing the need to capitalize on the good conditions in the Pacific Ocean, administration officials say President Bush will pursue increased funding in fiscal 2005 for a program that stresses partnerships at the local level to do good works for Columbia River basin salmon habitat.

Top Bush Administration officials opened the president's budget plan just a crack Monday by announcing that he will seek an increase of $10 million for the Pacific Coast Salmon Recovery Fund. If approved by Congress, that would put the fund's 2005 appropriation at $100 million.

The fund administered by NOAA Fisheries provides grants to Oregon, Washington, California and Alaska and Pacific coastal and Columbia River treaty tribes to assist state, tribal and local salmon conservation efforts. Idaho too could soon benefit from the fund. The FY 2004 Omnibus bill now being considered by Congress would authorize Idaho's participation. The administration has supported Idaho's inclusion, according to information provided by NOAA Fisheries.

"This substantial funding increase will be a huge boost to existing cooperative state, tribal and federal salmon restoration efforts," said James L. Connaughton, chairman of the White House Council on Environmental Quality. "It will also enhance the pooling of capabilities, expertise and information in order to make salmon recovery more efficient and effective."

Since 2000 a total of $347.2 million has been provided by NOAA to the states and tribes. The fund has provided more than $118 million to the Washington Salmon Recovery Funding Board and more than $59 million to the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board. The funds, matched with state funding, have benefited 476 state and locally driven salmon habitat restoration and watershed subbasin assessment projects in Washington and 1,064 state and local salmon habitat restoration and subbasin assessment projects in Oregon.

Pacific coastal tribes have received more than $35 million and Columbia River tribes $12.6 million during the same time period. A total of 132 Northwest coasts and Columbia River tribal salmon habitat restoration and enhancement programs were aided by the fund during that period.

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Good Post!

Fun5,

I'm not sure that "matched with" specifically means "In equal amounts" like as in "in common with". The meaning may be more like "paired with" in many instances.

Maybe someone more knowledgeable in these things could help clarify how these funds are divided and matched?

I'm happy to at least know that the current administration cares enough to increase the historical amounts being contributed towards helping these fish.

Fun5: We pay for all of it. We pay both federal and state taxes. There is no free lunch.