A dozen Washington state tribes and tribal organizations will receive nearly $11 million dollars in federal grants to help mitigate the disproportionate impacts of sea-level rise, drought and other climate change-related stressors to the land and water.

Coastal tribes like the Makah and Quinault, who have lived on the shores since time immemorial, have had to begin to move their communities to higher ground. Other inland tribes have seen rivers and streams become increasingly low, warm and hostile for the fish they rely on.

The grants will help tribes like the Port Gamble S'Klallam and Makah relocate threatened homes and health facilities from shorelines. It will allow the Spokane, Suquamish, Lummi and Tulalip Tribes to research how climate change is affecting finfish, shellfish and other marine resources.

For many, the grants will go toward rolling out the tribes' existing climate-adaptation plans. For the Jamestown S'Klallam Tribe near Sequim, that means being equipped for the next heat wave, bout of unhealthy air quality from wildfire smoke, or drought.

"Washington state Tribes are located in the eye of the climate change storm," Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., said in a statement.

The funding announced this week is part of $45 million for tribal climate-resilience projects, included in the bipartisan infrastructure law passed by Congress late last year, and $25 million from fiscal year 2022 annual appropriations.

Other items that may interest you

321 N. Pearl St. Centralia, WA 98531 360-736-3311