Friends of the San Juans’ met with Representative Rick Larsen (WA-02) on San Juan Island to advocate for ongoing funding and support for salmon recovery and habitat restoration efforts, and to discuss the impacts of the recent increase in oil tanker traffic.
Eelgrass mapping efforts led by Friends of the San Juans, in partnership with Friday Harbor Labs and the Washington Department of Natural Resources, are just one part of the salmon recovery puzzle. Securing federal and state funding is crucial for implementing the priority actions that are informed by our work. Larsen expressed support for continued funding for eelgrass and other shoreline protection and restoration work via the EPA, NOAA, and US Fish & Wildlife.
Larsen also expressed renewed interest in engaging his staff around concerns about the impacts of the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion project (TMX) that has increased oil tanker traffic and imports of Canadian tar sands oil in the Salish Sea, referencing this Seattle Times editorial.
We are thankful to Representative Larsen for the federal funding that we are currently utilizing to protect the San Juan Islands and the Salish Sea. Restoring our ecosystems takes science, education, policy, and law! Protect this place with us!
Learn More
- Friends of the San Juans’ Eelgrass Research
