PUGET SOUND, WA (MyBellinghamNow.com) – State agencies in Washington have partnered to award money to projects with the intent on restoring and preserving the Puget Sound.

The Habitat Strategic Initiative Lead (SIL) is putting about $8.5 million into projects that advance Puget Sound habitat recovery. The Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) and the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) have announced this month’s investment list.

Of the 21 proposals selected, Friends of the San Juans will receive nearly $500,000 to expand capacity for reducing shoreline armoring impacts in northern Puget Sound.

The Lummi Nation is getting just shy of $500,000 as well to do restoration work on the Nooksack Watershed. And the Skagit Watershed Council will receive around $226,000 for building reliable habitat restoration in the Whidbey Basin.

A full list of the 21 successful proposals can be found here.