Infrastructure Law & Inflation Act Brings New Fish Passages to WA

NOAA Fisheries has announced two funding opportunities for fish passage under the Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act

The two funding opportunities for fish passage, including one funding opportunity focused on tribes, comes from significant funding made available under the Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act. Under those bills, tribes are eligible to apply for both funding opportunities.

Nearly $175 million in funding is available through the Restoring Fish Passage through Barrier Removal funding opportunity. Projects will be selected through this opportunity to reopen migratory pathways and restore access to healthy habitat for fish around the country.

Interestingly, this funding will also support the locally led removal of dams and other in-stream barriers... a controversial move to say the least. According to officials, the selected projects will be focused upon sustaining the nation’s fisheries and contribute to the recovery of threatened and endangered species. They may also provide community and economic benefits, such as jobs and climate resilience. How, exactly, this is supposed to operate has yet to be clarified.

In total, nearly $85 million in funding is available for fish passage and tribal capacity building through the Restoring Tribal Priority Fish Passage through Barrier Removal funding opportunity. It is hoped that this funding will support federally recognized tribes, Alaska Native Corporations, and tribal organizations in implementing on-the-ground fish passage work and in building tribal organizational capacity.

Selected projects will be expected to reopen migratory pathways and restore access to healthy habitat for tribally important species... primarily salmon.

NOAA says it will accept proposals between $300,000 and $12 million from tribes and from organizations that represent tribes through formal legal agreements. Applications are due by November 8, 2023.