State funds from fines levied by Washington’s Department of Ecology will help fund local improvement projects.
Ecology awarded $651,000 in grants to 14 projects across the state. The projects will significantly improve water quality and the natural environment in multiple watersheds. There are seven projects in the eastern half of the state and seven in the western half.
The grants will help projects aimed at restoring and enhancing rivers, floodplains and salmon habitat; providing public outreach and education; removing invasive plant species and installing native vegetation; building watersheds resilient to climate change; and helping respond to an environmental emergency.
Among the projects in Western Washington, two are in Clark County. The Clark Conservation District will receive a $49,861 grant to support Poop Smart Clark, a program that reduces and prevents fecal bacterial pollution through source identification, targeted outreach and voluntarily implementing best management practices. Funding will support existing outreach efforts, connect residents with program resources and create behavior change.
Clark Public Utility District will receive $49,895 to enhance streamside habitat in Rock Creek. This project will improve water quality and enhance wildlife habitat by planting native trees and shrubs to increase stream shade, boost stream flows and stormwater infiltration, and reduce turbidity.
