The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) was passed to provide transformative funding spread across five years to address long-standing infrastructure, environmental, and climate challenges. BIL was signed into law in 2021, funding started flowing in 2022, and it is scheduled to phase out in 2026. In Washington State, the law was pivotal in improving habitat restoration, fish passage, Tribal treaty rights, and human wellbeing.
BIL Transformed Puget Sound Recovery Funding
Puget Sound is central to Washington’s identity and supports major sectors of its economy, including fisheries, tourism, and shipping. Targeted actions to protect salmon and restore coastal ecosystems are essential to keeping jobs and income flowing while providing cost-effective protection against flooding, storms, and sea level rise. Restoring these systems is foundational to the region’s environmental health, cultural heritage, and economic future.
Prior to 2021, many of Washington’s environmental recovery programs were underfunded. Agencies and local partners faced backlogs of shovel-ready projects, small grants that covered only a fraction of true project costs, and limited staffing capacity to design, permit, and implement complex restoration work. Historically, most of the funding for Puget Sound recovery has come from the federal government.
Against this backdrop, BIL delivered unprecedented resources to Washington’s recovery priorities, including:
- An additional $89 million for the Puget Sound Geographic Program, expanding the EPA’s ability to fund habitat restoration, stormwater improvements, and pollution reduction projects.
- An additional $132 million for the National Estuary Program (NEP), strengthening local partnerships, science, monitoring, and implementation of long-term recovery plans.
- An additional $172 million for the Pacific Coast Salmon Recovery Fund (PCSRF), accelerating salmon recovery efforts and supporting habitat restoration and treaty obligations.
- $1 billion to remove fish-blocking culverts (USDOT), addressing the legal and ecological importance of restoring fish passage.
- $2.6 billion for regional coastal resiliency and conservation projects (NOAA), supporting communities and ecosystems as they adapt to sea level rise and flooding.
BIL as a Proof of Concept
While Congress frequently passes infrastructure and environmental legislation, BIL was different in both ambition and design. Rather than short-term infusions of funding, BIL was intentionally designed at a scale large enough and a duration long enough to meaningfully address ecosystem restoration, resilience, and fish passage alongside traditional infrastructure investments. With funding certainty, the pace and scale of recovery work across the state accelerated.
Sustained, intentional investment gave Washington the opportunity to demonstrate that environmental restoration can be paired with economic opportunity and workforce development. And it’s meant to continue.
“When we passed the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, it wasn’t supposed to be a one-time deal,” said U.S. Representative Marilyn Strickland. “The intent was to renew it after we demonstrated that when we make these investments, we create jobs, restore the environment, and improve transportation. They are all linked and my goal is to keep funding it.”
As the law approaches its 2026 sunset, the looming funding cliff is making programs and partners uncertain about how to sustain momentum once this historic investment ends.
At the same time, funding recipients are navigating increasing federal administrative hurdles. They are experiencing delays due to a reduced federal workforce, withheld or paused funding, and new policies implemented after applications were submitted.
Despite these recent challenges, the last five years offer a clear takeaway: this approach worked.
In the following sections, we highlight programs and projects that showcase what BIL made possible and the current challenges funding recipiences are facing. As BIL phases out, this moment is both a celebration of what has been accomplished and a reminder of what is at stake if the momentum is lost.
BIL-Boosted Programs
One strong feature of BIL was that it didn’t seek to entirely reinvent the wheel for delivering restoration funding. Rather, it supercharged existing frameworks to ensure funding could move swiftly through tried-and-true pathways to the projects and implementers that could use it. Existing programs boosted by BIL included:
National Estuary Program (NEP)
What it is: an EPA place-based program to protect and restore the water quality and ecological integrity of estuaries of national significance, including Puget Sound. In recent years, the program has received $30M to 40M annually, which was then split across the 28 NEPs and a national competitive grant.
BIL boost: $132M over five years, roughly doubling the annual funding to each NEP. Here at the Puget Sound Partnership, that funding helped support the development of the Strategic Funding Team. This team speeds up Puget Sound ecosystem and salmon recovery by addressing challenges in finding and securing funding to create a more efficient and equitable funding system. The Strategic Funding Team provides direct assistance to Tribes and regional partners by collecting and communicating funding resources, identifying barriers to funding, and providing one-on-one grant application support.
Impact: The Strategic Funding Team directly leads to more on-the-ground implementation of ecosystem restoration and salmon recovery projects, many of which have multiple co-benefits including clean water and reduced flooding. Over the last year the Strategic Funding Team has aided 21 local governments, 5 Tribes, 23 nonprofits, 11 state agencies, and 8 federal agencies. This increased the ability of Tribes and local partners to find and apply for funding.
“The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law was a gamechanger. It enabled us to build the Strategic Funding Team, which helps Tribes, local governments, and partners navigate complex funding systems and get projects moving faster. That support is translating directly into more restoration and salmon recovery work happening on the ground across the region.”
–Jennifer Grimm, strategic funding manager at the Puget Sound Partnership
Puget Sound Geographic Program
What it is: an EPA place-based program that supports ecosystem and habitat restoration, water quality improvement and monitoring, nutrient reduction, climate resilience, environmental education and outreach, and local capacity building throughout Puget Sound. In recent years, Congress has typically appropriated $30 to $50M annually to support the Tribal Implementation Lead, the Strategic Initiative Leads, and the work of EPA’s Puget Sound Program Office itself.
BIL boost: $89M over five years, supporting a new Riparian Systems Lead grant program managed by the Washington State Department of Ecology, along with additional funding to Puget Sound Tribes to implement critical restoration work.
Impact: The initial round of the Riparian Systems Lead grant program awarded $12M to six different projects around Puget Sound, focusing on work with communities and landowners to improve the overall function of river and stream systems. At the same time, the Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission received $50M for a suite of projects related to advancing the Puget Sound Action Agenda.
“Thanks to the BIL funding and the support from EPA and our partners, we are investing in the development of locally led riparian restoration programs. These programs will accelerate our ability to plant trees and provide cool, clean water for salmon and people. We have learned through this grant about the needs for riparian land stewardship. It’s not just about planting trees; we need to maintain these investments to ensure success for decades to come. We are grateful to be part of long-term, durable solutions to riparian management challenges for landowners, Tribes, and Washington communities.”
–Tom Buroker, northwest region director at the Department of Ecology
Pacific Coast Salmon Recovery Fund (PCSRF)
What it is: a competitive grant program through which the National Marine Fisheries Service awards grants to the states of Alaska, California, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington – and the Tribes in those states – to protect, conserve, and restore at-risk salmon populations. PCSRF is the largest source of federal funding that directly supports salmon recovery on the West Coast, including through habitat restoration, barrier removal, and clean water enhancement. In recent years, the fund has received $65M annually, roughly one third of which goes to projects in Washington state.
BIL boost: $172M over five years, enabling the Recreation and Conservation Office, Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission, Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission, and Tribes to support dozens of priority restoration projects across the state.
Impact: The first three years of BIL funding for PCSRF contributed over $41M to salmon recovery work in Washington state. The Salmon Recovery Funding Board alone was able to award nearly three dozen grants to different local project implementers, including supporting the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe install new log jams along Ranney Reach and Mason County Conservation District restore the South Fork of the Skokomish River.
“We’re grateful that Congress approved the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and deeply appreciate the salmon recovery partners across Washington who helped secure a significant share of these funds. This investment accelerated recovery work, advanced major projects, and helped protect both salmon and communities from flooding this winter. We’re seeing real, on-the-ground progress, and while challenges remain, sustaining this level of investment is essential to our shared success.”
–Erik Neatherlin, director of the Governor’s Salmon Recovery Office
Clean Water State Revolving Fund
What it is: a federal-state partnership that provides low-cost financing to communities for a wide range of water quality infrastructure projects, including municipal wastewater facilities, nonpoint source pollution control, decentralized wastewater treatment systems, stormwater runoff mitigation, green infrastructure, estuary protection, and water reuse. In recent years, the fund has typically received around $1.6B annually, of which roughly $28M capitalizes projects in Washington state.
BIL boost: $11.7 billion over five years, plus an additional $1 billion for the CWSRF for emerging contaminants. For Washington state, this translated into roughly $47M in additional funding for each year of BIL.
Impact: BIL more than doubled the amount of capital available to provide innovative, cost-effective financing solutions to communities for projects that protect water quality and support long-term environmental health in Washington state, from replacing failing septic systems and upgrading aging infrastructure, to improving wastewater treatment for communities like Granite Falls and Ferndale.
“For many Washingtonians, the failure of a septic system is an emergency that threatens their ability to remain at home. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law strengthened Craft3’s ability to respond with affordable financing. This funding built on our existing, successful partnership with the Department of Ecology has invested nearly $70 million dollars to protect public health, safeguard water quality, and support the resilience of rural communities.”
–Elisabeth Zeller, CEO of Craft3
BIL-Created Programs
BIL also created new grant opportunities, including the Culvert AOP Program and the NOAA Transformational Habitat Grant. These grants are two examples of those currently facing administrative challenges.
About the Grants
National Culvert Removal, Replacement, and Restoration Grant Program (Culvert AOP Program)
- Focus: improving or restoring fish passage for anadromous fish
- Administered by: U.S. Department of Transportation in consultation with NOAA and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
- Award amount: $200 million each fiscal year from 2022 through 2026
- Award frequency: Annually awarded through competitive grant program
- Eligible applicants: state, local, and Tribal governments
NOAA Transformational Habitat Grant
- Focus: coastal habitat restoration and community resilience to climate change
- Administered by: NOAA Office of Habitat Conservation
- Award amount: $100 million available
- Award frequency: 3 rounds (1st round awarded $265 million for 38 projects, 2nd round awarded $220 million for 38 projects, and current 3rd round is hitting administrative barriers)
- Eligible applicants: higher education, non-profits, commercial organizations, and state, local, and Tribal government
City of Gig Harbor
The City of Gig Harbor’s Surface Water Program manages stormwater runoff to protect local waterways, water quality, and downstream habitat. Through education, outreach, and infrastructure improvements, the program works to minimize stormwater impacts, prevent erosion, and protect human health and salmon. These efforts are guided in part by the Clean Water Act’s National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) municipal stormwater permit, which requires local governments to manage runoff and reduce pollution before it reaches streams and oceans.
To advance these goals, the city applied for the Culvert AOP Program for the North Creek Culvert Removal Project. The project is located at a big city intersection, where a half-century-old box culvert has created a fish passage barrier.
“The culvert is in the heavily urbanized center of the city, meaning there are challenging utility factors to consider,” said Michael Abboud, the NPDES coordinator for the City of Gig Harbor. “Overcoming these challenges is possible, but has a much higher cost than other culvert replacement projects we’ve undertaken.”
North Creek, locally known as Donkey Creek, is an important salmon migratory route, but the six foot wide, 146-foot-long box culvert now restricts fish passage. Replacing the culvert with a bridge would reconnect the historic habitat in the main channel of the creek while safely conveying a 100-year flood. The project would also stabilize streambanks, reduce erosion, and minimize flood impacts on the surrounding community.
The City of Gig Harbor has already invested heavily in fish barrier removal and habitat restoration in the North Creek basin. This work includes the replacement of two other culverts with bridges, and the acquisition and protection of nearly 52 acres of surrounding land for the txʷaalqəł Conservation Area.
The North Creek project builds on that momentum. It would restore the natural stream bottom with gravel, woody debris, and deeper pools. These features provide salmon resting places, spawning habitat, and cover from predators, while also enhancing the overall biodiversity of the stream system. The project also provides a natural solution for stormwater management, reducing the need for costly infrastructure repairs following extreme weather events.
Despite its benefits, the project’s cost presents a major hurdle. The complexity of working around sewer, electrical, water, and gas utilities makes this culvert replacement roughly three times more expensive than previous projects. “The AOP grant would help the city offset that massive cost, hopefully in conjunction with other grant opportunities we’re also seeking,” explained Abboud.
At this time, the project is stalled until sufficient funding can be secured. While the city plans to complete design and permitting by the end of 2026, it can’t move into construction without grant assistance. Securing AOP funding would be a critical step toward reconnecting North Creek, restoring salmon habitat, and improving water quality and resilience in the heart of Gig Harbor.
City of Bothell
The City of Bothell’s Surface Water team manages stormwater and surface water to protect water quality, reduce flooding, and support healthy aquatic ecosystems. To advance these goals, the city is working towards restoring Waynita Creek, a tributary of the Sammamish River.
The Sammamish River and Waynita Creek Restoration Project aims to reroute the creek back to its original course to the benefit of juvenile Chinook salmon, other salmonids, native fish of all life stages, and wildlife during migration along the Sammamish River corridor. This area has historically been a logging camp, farmland, and most recently, a golf course. Throughout these uses, the creek was rerouted by installed ditches, canals, and surface water drains. Now that the golf course is closed, the city and community are transitioning the area into a city park and functional salmon habitat.
The importance of this restoration extends beyond the park itself. The Sammamish River is a critical migratory corridor for fish moving between Lake Washington and Lake Sammamish. While this area once supported functional habitat with swampy wetlands, the lowering of Lake Washington in the early 1900s consequently lowered the Sammamish River near Waynita Creek in Bothell by 8 to10 feet. This drastic change in water level terraced and disconnected the Sammamish River floodplains and drained the adjacent wetlands. Upstream tributaries, such as Waynita Creek became disconnected and its connection to the groundwater supply was severed. These changes contributed to loss of habitat, increased water temperatures, increased water velocity, sediment erosion, and introduced fish passage barriers. With high temperatures and low levels of dissolved oxygen, this stretch of the Sammamish River has become a 13-mile obstacle for migrating salmon.
The city acquired the land in 2019 to prevent one of the last significant, large-scale natural open spaces along the Sammamish River from being developed. “Our vision for this area is to restore vital salmon habitat while creating a place where the community can connect with, learn about, and enjoy nature,” says Amanda Royal, surface water program coordinator with City of Bothell. “We want this area to be a thriving home for salmon, frogs, beavers, and other native wildlife. The community’s support for this project has been incredible; people are showing tremendous heart and stewardship in bringing this project to life.”
The design is innovative and complex, integrating five hyporheic zones, three distinct wetland types, and habitat features that support future beaver occupancy. Construction sequencing, scheduled to begin in the late summer of 2026, is carefully planned to ensure efficiency, enabling work to continue well beyond the typical summer construction window.
The City of Bothell has been awarded funding from the Washington Department of Ecology Streamflow Restoration program to begin construction of this restoration effort and applied to the NOAA Transformational Habitat Grant to fill the gap in funding needed to complete the project. NOAA grant recipients were originally projected to be awarded on January 1, 2026; however, the time frame was moved back to the late spring of 2026, and awards could now be even later.
Due to funding uncertainty and the construction start date approaching quickly, the city has pivoted and shifted to a phased construction approach to move forward as more funding becomes available. The design has also incorporated several cost-saving measures such as keeping all the excavated soil onsite to create new topography within the landscape. While this allows progress, it also introduces challenges, including additional mobilization and demobilization, updates to existing deliverables, the need to plan around multiple fish windows, and the need to seek other grant opportunities to complete the project. Securing the remaining funding would enable construction to move forward without delay or phasing, transforming this critical creek for generations of salmon to come.
This project was made possible through the support and partnership of the King County Flood Control District, Lake Washington/Cedar/Sammamish Watershed (WRIA 8), Forterra, the Salmon Recovery Funding Board and Puget Sound Acquisition and Restoration Fund, and local volunteer organizations, all who have worked with the city from the beginning to make this dream a reality.
