waters of the Sound. As a means of achieving this goal, PSEP 
objectives have been established as follows: 
1. Evaluate available information to define the nature 
and extent of existing and developing water 
quality-related problems in Puget Sound, particularly 
those associated with chemical contamination. 
2. Identify deficiencies in the data available to support 
development of pollution abatement and long-range 
estuary management decisions and develop and implement 
programs to collect and evaluate the additional needed 
information. 
3. Develop and implement appropriate abatement and 
remedial action plans to correct priority Puget Sound 
water quality problems. 
4. Establish long-term water quality management policies 
to ensure protection of public health and the natural 
resources of the estuary. 
5. Improve communication and coordination of water 
quality management activities among federal, state, 
and local agencies and interested and effected 
citizen's groups. 
The selection of PSEP goals and objectives and the 
identification of the program's technical emphases were 
influenced by several assumptions. 
The first assumption guiding PSEP efforts has been that prompt 
action must be taken to address presently known, acute 
environmental problems associated with chemical contamination 
of the Sound. Historically, regulatory agencies with 
responsibilities in the Sound focused most of their attention 
on limiting the discharge of conventional pollutants from large 
facilities. Regulating the discharge of toxic chemicals, and 
establishing linkages between small facilities and 
environmental impacts has been more difficult. These 
difficulties result from the complexity of water quality 
problems and the uncertainties associated with identifying 
contaminant sources. 
The PSEP program operates on the premise that, in order to 
protect the Sound, it will not be possible to wait until all 
cause and effect relationships are established before taking 
action to resolve pollution problems. Chemical contamination 
can result from the discharge of large or small facilities, and 
can be expected wherever industrial or municipal activity is 
concentrated. Because chemical contamination poses a threat 
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