Cantwell, Murray Announce $10.7 Million to Help Washington State Tribes Address Impacts of Climate Change via the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law
10 Tribes and 2 Tribal organizations receive grants funded by Bipartisan Infrastructure Law
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Maria Cantwell (D-WA) and Patty Murray (D-WA) announced that 10 Tribes and 2 Tribal organizations in Washington state will receive grants from the Bureau of Indian Affairs Branch of Tribal Climate Resilience to help combat the disproportionate impact of climate change on Tribal communities. The grants were made possible by new funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which Senator Cantwell and Murray were leaders in negotiating and passing. Funding from the grants will help Tribes in Washington state with ocean and coastal planning, relocation, and climate adaption planning that protect Tribal lands and waters. A total of 21 grants were awarded, totaling $10,767,838.
Projects being funded include $2.1 million for the Port Gamble S'Klallam Tribe to relocate threatened shoreline homes, $2 million for the Makah Indian Tribe to relocate a community health center, and $1.6 million for the Spokane Tribe of Indians to upgrade their fish hatchery to use less water.
“This over $10.7 million federal investment will help Tribes and Tribal organizations in Washington state mitigate the impacts of sea level rise, drought, and climate-related threats to their communities and way of life,” said Senator Cantwell. “Washington state Tribes are located in the eye of the climate change storm. Some Tribes need to relocate buildings and homes now because of sea-level rise and the threat of tsunamis. Others are working to protect salmon and critical fisheries from warming water temperatures and drought, while other Tribes are simply trying to find ways to adapt to their changing lands and waters.”
“From devastating wildfires to road-buckling heat, climate change is real in Washington state and it’s having a disproportionate impact on our tribes. That’s why I fought hard to pass the Inflation Reduction Act, the biggest ever climate investment in American history, and it’s why I fought to bolster our climate resiliency—and get resources to communities bearing the biggest burden of climate disasters—via the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law,” said Senator Murray. “These critical resources coming to Washington state will do just that: help our tribes and our communities become more resilient to climate change and keep Tribal communities safe, including by relocating homes and community health centers.”
The grant recipients and total amounts are:
- Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians: $114,929 (3 grants)
- Jamestown S'Klallam Tribe: $1,259,719 (2 grants)
- Lummi Nation: $146,049
- Makah Indian Tribe: $2,356,574 (2 grants)
- Point No Point Treaty Council: $145,854
- Port Gamble S'Klallam Tribe: $2,302,800 (3 grants)
- Quinault Indian Nation: $150,000.00
- Samish Indian Nation: $116,637
- Spokane Tribe of Indians: $1,839,990 (2 grants)
- Suquamish Indian Tribe: $250,000
- Swinomish Indian Tribal Community: $302,834 (2 grants)
- Tulalip Tribes of Washington: $1,897,381 (2 grants)
Full descriptions including project details for each grant are available HERE.
Senators Cantwell and Murray have strongly supported funding through these programs through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. This announcement is part of a $45 million nationwide investment, supported by $20 million in funding from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and $25 million from fiscal year 2022 annual appropriations.
A summary of awards by Tribe, title, funded amount, and project description is provided on the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) Tribal Climate Resilience website.
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