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Salmon are among the Northwest's greatest resources. Around Puget Sound, several wild salmon runs have been protected under the Federal Endangered Species Act. When the Port of Seattle designs and constructs marine facilities, plans to avoid, minimize, and, when appropriate, compensate for any anticipated effects on aquatic habitat potentially used by salmon are always key parts of the program.
As integral parts of major infrastructure projects, the Port has constructed 3.7 acres of aquatic habitat restoration and enhancement areas and made other environmental improvements. For example:
When Pier 66 was built --combining restaurants, marina, maritime museum, conference facilities, cruise ship terminal, and public shoreline access areas -- concrete pilings replaced creosote-treated wood pilings and over-water structures were designed to allow more light into the water. 
Creosote pilings upgraded to concrete provide cleaner water, more light and a healthier habitat.
When the Terminal 5 project doubled the cargo terminal area and capacity, it also made possible restoration of approximately1.6 acres of aquatic habitat in the upstream portion of the Duwamish Waterway, where habitat important to juvenile salmon was once abundant but had become rare.The Port's beneficial planning in conjunction with marine projects has:
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