As Chinook and steelhead continue to struggle in Washington, House and Senate Democrats have proposed competing Capital budgets that fund projects to improve salmon habitat. Both proposals are larger than the previous biennium, but both also dedicate a smaller percentage of capital spending on salmon recovery than the 2019-21 budget.

The Senate Democrats’ Capital Budget spends a total of almost $215 million on projects in six programs that improve salmon habitat, remove fish barriers, improve floodplains, and restore coastal habitat. That is about 3.3 percent of the total Capital Budget, which totals almost $6.5 billion. The House Democrats’ Capital Budget is smaller, spending $179 million out of $5.9 billion, for a total of just over 3 percent. The total is likely to fall between those two numbers.

Either way, as a percentage of the total budget, salmon recovery funding is falling behind other priorities. In the 2019-21 budget salmon recovery projects accounted for 3.4 percent of the total. Even using the Senate’s proposals, it would still fall to 3.3 percent.

The state also needs to do a better job of spending those funds so they yield the greatest benefit. One small step in that direction is House Bill 1382 which helps streamline permitting for salmon recovery projects. More needs to be done and the focus shouldn't only be on spending more money. We should make every dollar do more. The good news is that salmon recovery activists on the ground feel the same way, so there is hope for additional efforts to reduce bureaucratic delays.

These numbers also provide context for the $33 billion proposal to destroy the four Lower Snake River dams. That proposal spends 308 years’ worth of state salmon-recovery funding using the Senate's funding levels. This is ludicrous. Putting so many eggs in one basket runs counter to scientific prioritization.

According to the most recent State of Salmon report, Puget Sound Chinook and steelhead are both listed as “in crisis.” Snake River spring Chinook are also “in crisis,” but steelhead are one of two runs that are “making progress,” and Fall Chinook on the Snake are “approaching goal” for recovery. We have a great deal to do to help salmon recover statewide, but salmon are making more progress on the Snake than anywhere else.

No matter what comes out of negotiations between House and Senate Capital Budget writers, funding to help Puget Sound salmon is likely fall behind other priorities.