Thurston County has been awarded a $489,000 grant from the Washington State Department of Commerce to support salmon recovery efforts in South Puget Sound. The county is partnering with the Thurston Conservation District on the initiative, which focuses on local planning efforts tied to salmon recovery.
The grant was announced January 29, 2026.
Separately, Thurston County is updating its permitting fee structure for the first time since 2009. County officials say the increase reflects rising costs from inflation and new state requirements. The update is intended to better align fees with the actual cost of processing permits and to improve the overall permitting experience.