On November 22, 2013, the District Court for the Western District of Washington at Tacoma entered a Consent Decree in to resolve violations of unauthorized fill to 6.1 acres of wetlands without a Clean Water Act Section 404 permit. The Port of Tacoma, an independent municipal corporation, and two contractors have agreed to complete mitigation projects at a cost of $3.05 million at two Port-owned sites near Tacoma, Washington. The mitigation includes fill removal and restoration at one site; off-site creation, restoration, and/or enhancement of 7.56 acres of degraded wetlands to compensate for losses at a second site; and 3400 feet of additional stream channel enhancements. These projects will restore or replace important water quality improvement functions of the affected wetlands and also restore habitat for a variety of birds, small mammals, and fish, including endangered salmonids. The defendants have agreed to pay a penalty of $500,000.