subscribe to the Partnership Newsletter link

What is the Action Agenda?

Much has been done to protect Puget Sound, but the job is far from finished. For the first time, our entire region is joining together to take action in a coordinated way, acting quickly on the greatest threats and greatest opportunities for the Sound.

The Puget Sound Partnership is a community effort, engaging elected and public officials, tribal and business leaders, scientists, environmentalists and, most importantly - citizens. We are all working collaboratively to develop the Action Agenda for Puget Sound by our December 1, 2008 deadline.

The Action Agenda will be the roadmap to health for the Puget Sound. It will prioritize cleanup and improvement projects, coordinate federal, state, local, tribal and private resources, and ensure that we are all working cooperatively. We will base decisions on science, focus on actions that have the biggest impact, and hold people and organizations accountable for results.

Work to develop the Action Agenda will focus on these key issues:

What is a healthy Puget Sound?

The first step is to define a healthy Puget Sound. The legislation that created the Partnership established a list of goals that, although broad, form our working definition of a healthy Sound. Other goals can be added as our work proceeds.

What is the current status of Puget Sound's health and what are the biggest threats to it?

Before the Partnership can successfully determine how to achieve a healthy Puget Sound, we need to fully understand its current baseline condition - status and threats. This work is necessary so that we can tell if we are making progress.

What actions must be taken that will move us from where we are today to a healthy Puget Sound by 2020?

Building on the research data acquired early in this process, this step will help us understand what we need to do to achieve a healthy Sound. These actions will form the foundation of the Action Agenda.

Where should we start?

Prioritizing actions is critical to achieving our goal of a healthy Sound. This list of priorities will form the Action Agenda and become the roadmap for restoring Puget Sound.