Puget Sound cleanup planned

Three environmental organizations say they are starting a long-term, multi-billion-dollar effort to return Puget Sound to health.

Leaders from People for Puget Sound, The Trust for Public Land and The Nature Conservancy -- calling their coalition the "Alliance for Puget Sound Shorelines" -- say they will focus on shoreline restoration, the Seattle Post-Intelligencer reported.

The first contribution to the newly created coalition was a $3 million gift from the Russell Family Foundation.

The goal is to raise $80 million during the first three years of the project, which will include establishing 10 new parks and protected natural areas around the sound.

Coalition officials told the Post-Intelligencer they also will develop a 10-year, multi-billion-dollar recovery plan for the sound, to be similar to the magnitude of projects to save Chesapeake Bay and Florida's Everglades.

Copyright 2006 by United Press International