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Puget Sound

U.S.-Canada Cooperation in the Salish Sea

The U.S. and Canadian federal governments have a unique responsibility to address the transboundary environmental challenges of our shared Salish Sea ecosystem (including Puget Sound).

In 2000, EPA and Environment and Climate Change Canada signed a Joint Statement of Cooperation that commits us to work collaboratively to achieve our common goals. This agreement calls for our two agencies to develop and periodically update action plans to achieve the goals outlined in the Statement of Cooperation.

The 2017-2020 Action Plan focuses on:

  1. Promoting information exchange and coordination, including the Health of the Salish Sea Ecosystem Report and the Salish Sea Ecosystem ConferenceExit.
  2. Supporting coordination and information sharing at the tribal/First Nation, state/provincial, and federal levels.
  3. Support information sharing activities relating to major federal initiatives and environmental assessments.

Documents


Workgroup

Staff from EPA and Environment Canada hold periodic meetings to discuss issues relating to our Joint Statement of Cooperation.

For more information, or for copies of proceedings from workgroup meetings, contact Lisa Chang (chang.lisa@epa.gov), 206-553-0226, or Michael Rylko (rylko.michael@epa.gov), 206-553-4014.