It will be at least two years before military bases in Kitsap County and the rest of the Puget Sound region need to worry about additional base closures according to U.S. Rep. Jay Inslee, D-Bainbridge Island.

Inslee also told the city councils of Bainbridge Island and Poulsbo in two recent meetings that he hopes cities in Kitsap County will take advantage of funds which will become available next year courtesy of a bill he helped push through Congress. The bill allocates $40 million to improve salmon habitat in the Puget Sound region.

Inslee believes another round of base reduction and closures is inevitable, but not until the next Congressional session. Inslee added he has been focusing his efforts on keeping Keyport open.

The recently re-elected congressman also urged members of the Poulsbo City Council to apply for funds to help fund a fish park at the head of Liberty Bay, while assuring Bainbridge council members he will be certain Navy officials know the city is interested in acquisition of a 16-unit housing project on the island if the Navy declares it surplus.

Even though Navy officials have said there is a critical housing shortage in the county for its personnel, and it has no plans to declare the units surplus, Inslee said he has a meeting scheduled with Admiral Vinson Smith about the matter.

The project, located between Madison and Grow avenues in Winslow, was built to house Army personnel who operated Nike missile batteries on the island. The Navy inherited the project from the Army when the batteries were dismantled. Last year, the city asked Inslee’s office to look into whether the housing was still needed by the Navy.