I 
114TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 3630 
To amend the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to provide assistance 
for programs and activities to protect the water quality of Puget Sound, 
and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
SEPTEMBER 28, 2015 
Mr. HECK of Washington (for himself, Ms. DELBENE, Mr. LARSEN of Wash-
ington, Mr. KILMER, Mr. MCDERMOTT, Mr. REICHERT, Mr. SMITH of 
Washington, Mr. DEFAZIO, and Mr. NEWHOUSE) introduced the fol-
lowing bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and 
Infrastructure 
A BILL 
To amend the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to pro-
vide assistance for programs and activities to protect 
the water quality of Puget Sound, and for other pur-
poses. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Promoting United Gov-
ernment Efforts to Save Our Sound Act’’ or the ‘‘PUGET 
SOS Act’’. 
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SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds the following: 
(1) Puget Sound and its tributary waters are 
one of the most ecologically diverse ecosystems in 
North America with natural resources that have eco-
logical, economic, and cultural importance to the 
United States. The health and productivity of Puget 
Sound is not only the cornerstone of the region’s 
quality of life and vibrant economy, but its commer-
cial aquaculture, agriculture, and port activities rip-
ple throughout the Nation. 
(2) Threats to Puget Sound, such as water pol-
lution, sediment contamination, environmental deg-
radation, and habitat loss, jeopardize the economic 
productivity and natural resources that support the 
increasing population of the region. 
(3) For nearly a decade, State, local, and tribal 
governments, cooperative partnerships, and con-
cerned citizens have worked together in a deliberate 
and coordinated way to manage resource allocation 
toward habitat restoration, improving water quality 
and shellfish farms, and developing a body of sci-
entific knowledge, all of which have advanced the 
Puget Sound recovery efforts. 
(4) Despite significant and nationally recog-
nized accomplishments, the rate of damage to Puget 
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Sound still exceeds the rate of recovery. To outpace 
mounting pollutants and other cascading negative 
impacts, the next step in fortifying the recovery sys-
tem is to align Federal recovery and protection ef-
forts seamlessly with State, local, and tribal invest-
ments. 
(5) At this time, water and air pollution, sedi-
ment contamination, habitat loss and decline, and 
water flow disruption continue to devastate the fish, 
marine mammal, bird, and shellfish populations of 
Puget Sound, threatening local economies and tribal 
treaty rights and contributing to— 
(A) significant declines in the populations 
of wild Chinook Salmon, Coho Salmon, Summer 
Chum Salmon, Steelhead, and Pacific Herring, 
which are essential food sources for humans, 
fish, seabirds, mammals, and other wildlife; 
(B) risks to the sustainability of fish and 
shellfish populations, and their food chains, re-
productive cycles, and habitats, which also 
threaten Federal obligations to protect tribal 
culture, traditions, and economies; 
(C) 113 marine species being listed at risk 
or vulnerable to extinction, according to State, 
Federal, and provincial lists that identify the 
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species of Puget Sound and surrounding areas, 
including the iconic population of southern resi-
dent Orca whales; 
(D) sediment contaminated with toxic sub-
stances (such as polychlorinated biphenyls 
(PCBs), heavy metals (mercury), and oil 
(grease)), all of which are polluting Puget 
Sound, threatening public health, and posing 
significant dangers to humans, fish, and wild-
life; 
(E) rivers and beaches that fail to meet 
water quality standards and become unsafe for 
business and recreational activities, such as 
fishing and swimming; 
(F) the closing of shellfish beds from con-
taminated pollution caused by sources such as 
stormwater and agricultural runoff; and 
(G) mortalities and morbidity in shellfish 
due to the acidification of Puget Sound. 
SEC. 3. DECLARATION OF POLICY; PURPOSE. 
(a) DECLARATION OF POLICY.—It is the policy of the 
United States that the Federal Government should sup-
port, partner, and collaborate with the regional efforts 
that are addressing environmental and natural resource 
issues involving Puget Sound because— 
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(1) Puget Sound is a national treasure, the re-
covery and protection of which will significantly con-
tribute to the environmental, cultural, and economic 
well-being of the United States; 
(2) a more deliberate coordination of Federal 
investments with regional, local, and tribal recovery 
and preservation efforts will be the most effective 
and efficient use of public resources; and 
(3) it is the role of the Federal Government to 
align its efforts and resources to— 
(A) fully implement and enforce the goals 
of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, the 
Endangered Species Act of 1973, and all other 
Federal laws that contribute to the recovery 
and protection of Puget Sound; 
(B) uphold Federal trust responsibilities to 
restore and protect resources crucial to tribal 
treaty rights; 
(C) support regional, local, and tribal ef-
forts to address environmental challenges and 
(D) encourage local citizen and community 
stewardship. 
(b) PURPOSE.—It is the purpose of this Act to ensure 
that the recovery and protection programs, projects, and 
initiatives that the Federal Government undertakes in, or 
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