WASHINGTON — The Nature Conservancy in Washington state has given U.S. Rep. Derek Kilmer its “Champion of Nature” award.
Mike Stevens, state director for The Nature Conservancy in Washington state, presented the award Oct. 8 after he and members of the organization’s trustee board and staff traveled to Capitol Hill to urge Congress to renew the Land and Water Conservation Fund, which expired Sept. 30.
Kilmer, a Democrat from Gig Harbor and a Port Angeles native, represents the 6th Congressional District, which includes the North Olympic Peninsula.
“Representative Kilmer clearly understands the benefits of clean water and Puget Sound recovery to Washington’s communities and families,” Stevens said in a news release.
“We are grateful for his leadership to introduce the Promoting United Government Efforts to Save Our Sound Act last month, which will protect tribal treaty rights and bring much-needed resources to restore the Sound.”
The act was introduced by Reps. Derek Kilmer and Denny Heck, D-Olympia, in September to designate Puget Sound as a water body of national significance, require that adequate federal resources are allocated to Puget Sound recovery and coordinate and align federal agency efforts with the state-led efforts under the Puget Sound Action Agenda.
“It’s an honor to receive this award from The Nature Conservancy,” Kilmer said in the release.
“Generations have enjoyed the ability to swim, fish and dig for clams in the iconic waters of the Puget Sound. I’m proud to partner with The Nature Conservancy to protect this legacy.”
In the Capitol Hill meetings, representatives of Conservancy asked members of Congress to renew and fully fund the Land and Water Conservation Fund, which had funded public land projects for 50 years.
Kilmer is a co-sponsor of a bill that would permanently reauthorize the act.
Members of the conservancy also urged sustainable funding for conservation programs.
