On December 23, 2022, the James M. Inhofe National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023 amended the Clean Water Act by adding a new section titled "Puget Sound Coordinated Recovery" which established EPA's Puget Sound Recovery National Program Office and the Puget Sound Federal Leadership Task Force.

What we do

In collaboration with the state advisory committee and the Puget Sound Tribal Management Conference, the Puget Sound Federal Leadership Task Force:

• Upholds federal trust responsibilities to restore and protect resources crucial to Tribal treaty rights.
• Provides a venue for dialogue and communication across member agencies.
• Enables and encourages member agencies to act consistently with the objectives and priorities of the:
  • Puget Sound Action Agenda.
  • Salmon recovery plans.
  • Treaty Rights at Risk Initiative (pdf)(1.6 MB).
  • Coastal Nonpoint Pollution Control Program.
• Provides advice and support on scientific and technical issues.
• Ensures that Puget Sound restoration and protection activities are consistent with national security interests.
• Develops and approves a federal action plan.

Member agencies

Puget Sound Federal Leadership Task Force Members

Agency	Name	Title
EPA	Vacant	Water Division Director, Region 10 Task force co-chair
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration	Jennifer Quan	Regional Administrator, NOAA Fisheries West Coast Region Task force co-chair
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers	Colonel Kathryn P. Sanborn	Seattle District Commander Task force co-chair
Bureau of Indian Affairs	Bryan Mercier	Director, Northwest Region
U.S. Geological Survey	Jill Rolland	Regional Director, Interior Regions 9 (Columbia-Pacific Northwest) & 12 (Pacific Islands)
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service	Hugh Morrison	Regional Director, Pacific Region
National Park Service	David Szymanski	Pacific West Regional Director
Navy Region Northwest	William Bulis	Executive Director
Joint Base Lewis-McChord	Colonel Kent Park	Joint Base Commander
U.S. Forest Service	Jacque Buchanan	Regional Forester, Pacific Northwest Region
Natural Resources Conservation Service	Roylene Comes At Night	Washington State Conservationist
Farm Service Agency	Jon Wyss	Washington State Executive Director
Federal Highway Administration	Ralph Rizzo	Washington Division Administrator
Federal Transit Administration	Susan Fletcher	Regional Administrator, Region 10
U.S. Coast Guard	Rear Admiral Charles E. Fosse	Thirteenth District Commander
Federal Emergency Management Agency	Vince J. Maykovich	Deputy Regional Administrator, Region 10

Plans and reports

The task force is required to develop a federal action plan and publish a biennial report that summarizes progress, challenges, and milestones. Current and past reports are available below.

Note: The Puget Sound Federal Leadership Task Force continues to use work products produced by the former Puget Sound Federal Task Force, which operated under a Memorandum of Understanding from September 2016-December 2022.

• Puget Sound Federal Leadership Task Force Biennial Report (pdf) (2.36 MB, May 2024)
• Clean Water Act - Puget Sound Coordinated Recovery (pdf) (80.75 KB, December 23, 2022)
• Puget Sound Federal Task Force Action Plan 2022-2026 (pdf) (3.14 MB, May 2022)
• Puget Sound Federal Task Force 2017-2021 Progress Report (pdf) (3.21 MB, November 2021)
• Puget Sound Federal Task Force Accomplishments Report (pdf) (2.51 MB, August 2018)
• Puget Sound Federal Task Force Action Plan - Interim Draft 2017-2021 (pdf) (1.71 MB, January 2017)
• Puget Sound Federal Task Force Memorandum of Understanding (pdf) (3.77 MB, September 30, 2016)

Contacts

For questions or more information about the Puget Sound Federal Leadership Task Force, please contact:

• Erik Peterson (peterson.erik@epa.gov), 206-553-6382
• Diane Hennessey (hennessey.diane@epa.gov), 206-553-6385