Puget Sound Partnership
http://www.psp.wa.gov/
The Puget Sound Partnership is a community of citizens, scientists, tribes, and governments dedicated to the restoration and protection of the Puget Sound ecosystem. The main goal of the organization is to create a road map—The Puget Sound Partnership Action Agenda—for creating a healthier Puget Sound and then achieving it. Decisions are based on science and attention is given to the actions that will make the most impact.
For the results of the latest public opinion survey, see here:
http://www.mypugetsound.net/index.php?option=com_docman&task=doc_download&gid=1619&Itemid=172

Puget Sound Partnership: Puget Sound Action Agenda
http://www.psp.wa.gov/aa_action_agenda.php
The Puget Sound Partnership was charged by Washington State’s governor and legislature to develop an action agenda outlining the work needed to restore the Puget Sound, determine accountability for attaining results, and promote public awareness. The Puget Sound Partnership Action Agenda is meant to evolve over time as new evidence and strategies emerge. The agenda is  based on answering these critical questions: What is a healthy Puget Sound? What is the status of Puget Sound and what are the biggest threats to it? What actions should be taken that will move us from where we are today to a healthy Puget Sound by 2020? Where should we start?

People for Puget Sound
http://pugetsound.org/
The former organization, People for Puget Sound, was a community of citizens, scientists, tribes, and governments dedicated to the restoration and protection of the Puget Sound ecosystem. While it is now defunct the website still presents great sources of information on the work particular to the Sound. There are also links to the organizations that have accepted stewardship of various aspects of the work formerly underway through PPS.

For the stewardship of Washington Environmental Council’s stewardship of PPS, see here:
http://wecprotects.org/issues-campaigns/puget-sound
For more information about the transition of PPS, see here:
http://pugetsound.org/membership

The University of Washington: The Lushootseed Peoples of Puget Sound Country
http://content.lib.washington.edu/aipnw/thrush.html
A collection of essays by Coll-Peter Thrush that explore the history and culture of the Native American tribes of the Puget Sound Salish Coast, collectively known as the Lushootseed peoples.

The University of Washington: Digital Collections
http://content.lib.washington.edu/
The University of Washington Library’s Digital Collection is extensive; it includes essays, documents, maps, photographs, reports and so on. Subjects include Alaska and the Yukon, Pacific Northwest, Seattle, and Science and Engineering. The Digital Collection also includes a Special Collections section, which includes archival material on American Indians of the Pacific Northwest, Salmon in the Pacific Northwest and Alaska, and the Pacific Northwest Historical Documents Database.

The University of Washington: Map Collection and Cartographic Information Services Unit
http://www.lib.washington.edu/Maps/
Early Washington Maps is a collection that spans 300 years and documents the history and cultural movements of the people and the land constituting the Pacific Northwest.  Among other features this collection maps the various development visions resulting from land and sea explorations in addition to tracking settler land transfers.

Enduring Legacies: Native Case Studies
http://nativecases.evergreen.edu/
The mission of the Enduring Legacies Native Cases Initiative is to develop culturally relevant curriculum and teaching resources in the form of case studies on key issues in Indian Country.  Access cases and incorporate them into classes, workgroup trainings, or other similarly instructive functions.

Puget Sound Geography and Storytelling Sites of the Salish People: Coast Salish Villages of Puget Sound
http://coastsalishmap.org/
This resource gives a brief overview of the culture and history of the Coast Salish people who live in the Puget Sound area. In addition, it provides an interactive map that displays known villages giving a description of each.

Puget River History Project
http://riverhistory.ess.washington.edu/
The Puget River History Project’s aim is to aid in the restoration and management of Puget Sound rivers by researching and providing a complete understanding of lowland rivers. The hope is that this greater understanding will lead to more solid restoration and management processes. The project coalesces 3 study areas: landscape evolution, GIS mapping of pre-settlement landscape, and landscape processes and dynamics.

History Link
http://www.historylink.org/index.cfm
History Link is an online encyclopedia on Washington State history produced by a non-profit corporation managed by a board of community leaders, scholars, and educators. All essays and features on the website have been vetted by History Links’ professional staff.  There are three types of resources the website provides- overview essays, events attached to specific dates, and people’s histories (which includes reminiscences, documents, and historical accounts.). A search for Lake Washington yields over 300 results.

Puget Sound River History Project: GIS Geodatabase of Pre-Settlement Riverine and Nearshore Habitats in Puget Sound
http://riverhistory.ess.washington.edu/ims/index.php
The GIS database can be used to learn about river landscape changes in the Puget Sound region prior to Euro-American settlement through land cover and land-form imagery of the river valleys and nearshores. As a collaborative project of the Puget Sound River History Project, the Bullitt Foundation, The Natural Science Foundation, and the Puget Sound Regional Synthesis Program (PRISM),the hope is that the database will  eventually  be the basis of an online atlas.

University of Washington School of Oceanography: Combined Bathymetry and Topography of the Puget Lowland, Washington State
http://www.ocean.washington.edu/data/pugetsound/psdem2005.html
A downloadable, poster-sized, color map of the Puget Lowland in Washington State.

Oregon State University: ENVISION Puget Sound
This growth and development study focused on exploring trajectories of change in the Puget Sound Region of Washington. It reports on the potential impacts of alternative growth and development strategies on nearshore ecosystem processes and services. Includes downloadable datasets.
http://envision.bioe.orst.edu/studyareas/pugetsound/
For the final report, see here:
http://envision.bioe.orst.edu/studyareas/pugetsound/PSNERP_Final_Report.pdf

Puget Sound Health: “Sound Science, Synthesizing Ecological and Socioeconomic Information about the Puget Sound Region”
http://www.nwfsc.noaa.gov/publications/documents/Sound%20Science%20.pdf
The report opens with a comprehensive explanation of the current state of   Puget Sound’s ecosystem degradation. Issue papers from scientists are presented. The report’s main arguments are that scientists and decision makers must be connected in order for anything to be achieved and that an understanding of how ecosystems, species, and the processes that support them are connected is crucial to any attempt to reverse or otherwise address the problems.

Pacific Northwest Research Station: Science Update: New Findings About Old-Growth Forests
http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/pubs/science-update-4.pdf
In this report the Pacific Northwest Research Station examines the state of research on old-growth forests and addresses the difficulty in defining ‘old-growth’. New findings suggest conservation and restoration efforts need to be updated to reflect the complexities of the modern day old-growth forests, particularly when it comes to the canopy structure.

Pacific Northwest Research Station: Science Update: Restoring Complexity Second-Growth Forests and Habitat Diversity
http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/scienceupdate1.pdf
In this report the Pacific Northwest Research Station explores the second-growth forests, which lack the complexity of old-growth forests, that have been planted on federal lands dedicated to old-growth values and the likelihood of them becoming old-growth forests themselves. The report offers two options: 1) to let these plantations grow into old-growth forests naturally over time, or 2) to think stands in order to restore the habitat more quickly.

Washington State Department of Natural Resources: “Identifying Mature and Old Growth Forests in Western Washington”
http://www.dnr.wa.gov/ResearchScience/Topics/ForestResearch/Pages/lm_oldgrowth_guides.aspx
The purpose of guide is to help readers identify mature and old growth forests in Western Washington. The guide explores how to determine the ecology, disturbance history, and the age of a given stand or tree by the environmental features and the characteristics of the tree(s).

Soils for Salmon
http://www.soilsforsalmon.org
http://your.kingcounty.gov/solidwaste/soils/salmon.asp
The Soils for Salmon educational program is committed to protecting and restoring the habitats of certain Puget Sound endangered species such as the Hood Canal chum, the Puget Sound Chinook salmon, and the coastal Puget Sound bull trout. They achieve their goal by educating and promoting about the relationship between soils, hydrology and salmon habitats, as well as techniques to increase storm water detention and biofiltration in soils in development sites. The website includes case studies and best practices for professionals and homeowners, as well as general information on the purpose of building healthier soil.

WA Dept of Ecology: Impaired Waters 303(d) Mapping Viewer
http://apps.ecy.wa.gov/wqawa2008/viewer.htm
This website provides an interactive map that allows users to explore bodies of water in Washington State, which were included in the 2008 Water Quality Assessment report. The map shows contaminated waters and sediments, and categorizes the levels on contamination into 5 levels.

United States Environmental Protection Agency: Toxic Release Inventory
http://www.epa.gov/triexplorer/
The Toxic Release Inventory is a database of data on the disposal of more than 650 toxic chemicals from thousands of facilities across the United States and how these facilities are managing these chemicals. One of the main purposes of the database is to keep communities informed of toxic chemical releases into the environment.

United States Environmental Protection Agency: EnviroMapper.
http://www.epa.gov/emefdata/em4ef.home
This interactive map gives the user information on the air, land, water, waste, toxics, radiation, facilities, and compliance of any given area in the United States.

Washington Toxics Coalition
http://watoxics.org/
The work of this coalition is centered on keeping toxins out of workplaces, homes and schools by educating communities, endorsing alternatives, and advocating policy changes. The website offers information on how to get involved, common toxic chemicals, current campaigns and living healthy.

Pacific Northwest Research Station
http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/publications/sci-update.shtml
This website provides PDF versions of the PNW Science Update periodical, which is published several times a year, ranging from 2002 to 2011. The PNW Science Update provides readers with scientific information that pertains to environmental issues in the Pacific Northwest, and our natural resources.

Puget Soundkeeper Alliance
http://pugetsoundkeeper.org
The Puget Soundkeeper Alliance is committed to eliminating pollution in the Puget Sound. The Alliance achieves this by patrolling and monitoring the Puget Sound waters, by taking legal action to enforce the Clean Water Act, by actively taking part in government and legislation against pollution, and by building partnerships with businesses. The website also offers resources on cleanup and restoration projects that volunteers can participate in.

Sightline Institute
http://www.sightline.org
Sightline Institute is a non profit research center committed to proving citizens and decision-makers with policy research and tools for creating long-term solutions to the sustainability challenges we are facing.

Clean Boating Foundation
http://www.cleanboatingfoundation.org/
The Clean Boating Foundation is a market-driven foundation that is committed to encouraging boatyards to exceed the Washington Boatyard Permit environmental requirements. The main objective of the Clean Boating Foundation is to create a list of standards that boatyards can use to become certified  “Clean.” The Clean Boatyard Program allows boatyards to apply for  the clean certified boatyards certification and the leadership clean certified boatyards certification. The website also offers resources for boatyards.

Facing the Future
http://www.facingthefuture.org
Facing the Future’s philosophy is that the crises that we are currently facing– from environmental degradation and climate change to poverty and conflict– are all connected and the ay to combat them is by systematically educating people to live sustainable lives. The website is aimed at school educators and administrators. The website offers resources and information on environmental issues across the globe, professional development, service learning sustainability and curriculum. The website also offers resources for service learning action projects for students in Washington State and globally.

RE Sources for Sustainable Communities
http://www.re-sources.org
RE Sources is an educational organization whose aims are to promote waste reduction, to empower schools to reduce their carbon footprint, to advocate for clean air, water and energy, and to provide sustainability tools to the community. RE Sources supports a number of programs that aim to reduce pollution and encourage waste reduction including the North Sound Baykeeper and Youth Programs in schools.

National Wildlife Federation
http://www.nwf.org
The National Wildlife Federation is dedicated to confronting global warming, protecting and restoring wildlife habitats, and connecting people with nature. The website is largely a storefront, the proceeds of the items bought are used towards helping protect wildlife.

Futurewise
http://futurewise.org
Futurewise is an activism based organization that works to make certain that Washington State  authorities are managing growth responsibly. Some of Futurewise’s recent accomplishments include improving the public transportation system– including refocusing the state’s budget, increasing the amount of protected lands, and assisting Bothell with zoning issues that made it impossible to build affordable housing.

Pacific Education Institute (GreenSTEM)
Engaging Students in Protecting the Puget Sound http://www.westsoundgreenstem.net/pacific-education-institute-guides.html
GreenSTEM works through school districts in the West Sound region to reach students and engage them in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) based sustainable design and field based action projects and investigations. The website offers student’s stories, past work of the project, and information on the GreenSTEM SUMMIT conference.

WA State Department of Ecology Shoreline Management
http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/sea/shorelines/index.html
The work of this department is centered on protecting and restoring the shorelines in Washington State. The department participates in the nation-wide Coastal Zone Management Program and receives federal funding for managing the shorelines.

Status of Local Shoreline Master Programs
http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/sea/shorelines/smp/status.html
This website provides the status on the state mandated update to the Shoreline Master Programs (SMPs) for the 260 towns, cities, and counties that were required to participate.

WA State Department of Commerce Growth Management Services
http://www.commerce.wa.gov/Services/localgovernment/GrowthManagement/Pages/default.aspx
The Washington State Department of Commerce’s Growth Management Services provides information on current growth management projects, education and short course training, comprehensive planning and development regulations, general information on growth management topics, grants, and an introduction to the Growth Management Act.

Puget Sound Regional Council (PSRC)
http://www.psrc.org/
The Puget Sound Regional Council works to ensure that central Puget Sound has a thriving future by managing its regional transportation, growth management, and economic development. PSRC works with local government and businesses to build a common vision for the region.

American Planning Association
www.planning.org
The American Planning Association is a nonprofit educational organization that is committed to providing leadership to communities by advocating community planning, education and citizen empowerment. Their vision for the communities they serve includes sustainability on all levels, the protection of natural resources, and involved citizens.

Center for Urban Waters
http://www.urbanwaters.org/
The Center for Urban Waters is a research center created by a community of scientists, engineers, policymakers, and analysts. The Center is dedicated to protecting and restoring urban waterways. The research conducted at the Center is led by the University of Tacoma. The website offers information on research and collaboration projects, information on the Center for Urban Waters’ lab and facilities, and information on how to get involved.

Stormwater Policy
http://pugetsound.org/policy/stormwater/stormwater-policy
The purpose of People For Puget Sound’s Stormwater Policy is to prevent a generation of storm water runoff as much as possible. Their goal is for stormwater runoff to no longer pose a threat to human, fish, and wildlife health by the year 2020.

New State Stormwater Permits Present Opportunities for Puget Sound  (Washington Environmental Council)
http://wecprotects.org/press-room/press-releases/new-state-stormwater-permits-present-opportunities-for-puget-sound
The Washington State Department of Ecology has issued stormwater permits for large and medium sized cities that set a standard for preventing polluted stormwater runoff into our waterways.

WSU Puyallup Low Impact Development Research Program at the Washington Stormwater Center 
http://www.wastormwatercenter.org/low-impact
Best available science suggests that a broad category of new stormwater management practices that come under the heading of low impact development (LID) or green stormwater infrastructure (GSI) can improve flow control, water quality treatment and protection of receiving waters. Accordingly, many states across the U.S. are considering adoption of LID practices. The use of LID practices will be required for managing stormwater in western Washington over the next few years as the new NPDES permit is phased in. The mission of the WSU Puyallup LID Research Program is to reduce the impacts of stormwater on streams, lakes, wetlands, and coastal areas through effective, research-based application of LID management principles and practices.

Washington State Aquatic Reserves
http://pugetsound.org/policy/issues
The Washington State Aquatic Reserves program was created to ensure the restoration, preservation, and improvement of marine and freshwater state lands. Citizen stewardship committees are being created for Nisqually Reach, Maury Island, Smith and Minor Islands, Fidalgo Bay, and Cherry Point.

American Rivers
http://www.americanrivers.org
An activist organization that works to protect and restore the rivers and streams throughout America. The organization has divided the country into 9 regions, which helps them to address the specific needs of each community more easily. They operate a number of programs that include raising awareness, restoring dams, advocating against projects- such as logging- that could be harmful to rivers and watersheds, and protecting critical watersheds, wetlands, and other natural landscapes.

Glacial Monitoring Program
http://www.nps.gov/noca/naturescience/glacial-mass-balance1.htm
This long-term monitoring program was created to gain a better understanding of climate change, glacial resources, and the effects of glaciers on other resources within the North Cascades National Park Service Complex (NOCA). The goals of the programs include monitoring NOCA glaciers, relate glacial changes to aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems, link glacial observations to climate and ecosystem change, and share information on glaciers.

WA State Department of Ecology: State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA)
http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/sea/sepa/e-review.html
SEPA is a state policy that provides a way to determine the environmental impacts of a project before it is approved or denied. A information gained from the SEPA review process is used to change, deny, or approve the a proposal.

Planetizen
http://www.planetizen.com/
(They also have some very good “top planning book” lists.)
Planetizen is a resource for urban planning news, commentary, interviews, event coverage, book reviews, announcements, jobs, and training. They provide a forum for people to discuss important Urban Planning issues.

Power Past Coal
http://www.powerpastcoal.org/
This is the main activist site related to fighting coal trains.