; (B) risks to the sustainability of fish and shellfish populations, and their food chains, reproductive cycles, and habitats, which also threaten Federal obligations to protect Tribal resources culture, traditions, and economies; (C) 113 marine species being listed at risk or vulnerable to extinction, according to State, Federal, and provincial lists that identify the species of Puget Sound and surrounding areas, including the iconic population of southern resident Orca whales; (D) sediment contaminated with toxic substances (such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), heavy metals (mercury), and oil (grease)), all of which are polluting Puget Sound, threatening public health, and posing significant dangers to humans, fish, and wildlife; (E) rivers and beaches that fail to meet water quality standards and become unsafe for salmon, as well as business and recreational activities, such as fishing and swimming; (F) the closing of shellfish beds from contaminated pollution caused by sources such as stormwater and agricultural runoff; and (G) mortalities and morbidity in shellfish due to the acidification of Puget Sound. 3. Declaration of policy; purpose (a) Declaration of policy It is the policy of the United States that the Federal Government should support, partner, and collaborate with the regional efforts that are addressing environmental and natural resource issues involving Puget Sound because— (1) Puget Sound is a national treasure, the recovery and protection of which will significantly contribute to the environmental, cultural, and economic well-being of the United States and the many Tribal nations that have stewarded it for millennia; (2) a more deliberate coordination of Federal investments with regional, local, and Tribal recovery and preservation efforts will be the most effective and efficient use of public resources