III 

112TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. RES. 566 

Designating September 29, 2012, as ‘‘National Estuaries Day’’. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

SEPTEMBER 19, 2012 

Mr. WHITEHOUSE (for himself, Mr. AKAKA, Mr. BLUMENTHAL, Mrs. BOXER, 

Mr. BROWN of Massachusetts, Mr. CARDIN, Ms. COLLINS, Mrs. FEINSTEIN, Mrs. GILLIBRAND, Mr. KERRY, Ms. LANDRIEU, Mr. LAUTENBERG, Mr. LIEBERMAN, Ms. MIKULSKI, Mrs. MURRAY, Mr. REED, Mr. 

SESSIONS, Mrs. SHAHEEN, Mr. WARNER, Mr. WEBB, Mr. WYDEN, and 

Mr. MENENDEZ) submitted the following resolution; which was considered 

and agreed to 

RESOLUTION 

Designating September 29, 2012, as ‘‘National Estuaries 

Day’’. 

Whereas the estuary regions of the United States comprise 

a significant share of the national economy, with 53 percent of the population, 40 percent of the employment, 

and 49 percent of the economic output of the United 

States located in the estuary regions of the United 

States; 

Whereas projections indicate that 75 percent of the total population of the United States will live and work in coastal 

counties by 2025; 


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•SRES 566 ATS 

Whereas coasts and estuaries contribute more than 

$800,000,000,000 annually in trade and commerce to the 

United States economy; 

Whereas more than 43 percent of all adults in the United 

States visit a sea coast or estuary at least once a year 

to participate in some form of recreation, generating 

$8,000,000,000 to $12,000,000,000 in revenue annually; 

Whereas more than 28,000,000 jobs in the United States are 

supported by commercial and recreational fishing, boating, tourism, and other coastal industries that rely on 

healthy estuaries; 

Whereas estuaries provide vital habitat for countless species 

of fish and wildlife, including many that are listed as 

threatened or endangered; 

Whereas estuaries provide critical ecosystem services that 

protect human health and public safety, including water 

filtration, flood control, shoreline stabilization and erosion 

prevention, and the protection of coastal communities 

during extreme weather events; 

Whereas the United States has lost more than 110,000,000 

acres, or 50 percent, of the wetland of the United States 

since the first European settlers arrived; 

Whereas bays once filled with fish and oysters have become 

dead zones filled with excess nutrients, chemical wastes, 

harmful algae, and marine debris; 

Whereas changes in sea level can impact estuarine water 

quality and estuarine habitat; 

Whereas the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972 (16 

U.S.C. 1451 et seq.) declares that it is the national policy 

to preserve, protect, develop, and if possible, to restore or 

enhance, the resources of the coastal zone of the United 


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States, including estuaries, for current and future generations; 

Whereas 24 coastal and Great Lake States and territories of 

the United States contain a National Estuary Program 

or a National Estuarine Research Reserve System; 

Whereas scientific study leads to better understanding of the 

benefits of estuaries to human and ecological communities; 

Whereas the Federal Government, State, local, and tribal 

governments, national and community organizations, and 

individuals work together to effectively manage the estuaries of the United States; 

Whereas estuary restoration efforts restore natural infrastructure in local communities in a cost effective manner, 

helping to create jobs and reestablish the natural functions of estuaries that yield countless benefits; and 

Whereas September 29, 2012, has been designated as ‘‘National Estuaries Day’’ to increase awareness among all 

people of the United States, including Federal, State and 

local government officials, about the importance of 

healthy estuaries and the need to protect and restore estuaries: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) designates September 29, 2012, as ‘‘Na3 tional Estuaries Day’’; 

4 (2) supports the goals and ideals of National 

5 Estuaries Day; 


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1 (3) acknowledges the importance of estuaries to 

2 sustaining employment and the economic well-being 

3 and prosperity of the United States; 

4 (4) recognizes that persistent threats under5 mine the health of the estuaries of the United 

6 States; 

7 (5) applauds the work of national and commu8 nity organizations and public partners that promote 

9 public awareness, understanding, protection, and 

10 restoration of estuaries; 

11 (6) reaffirms the support of the Senate for es12 tuaries, including the scientific study, preservation, 

13 protection, and restoration of estuaries; and 

14 (7) expresses the intent of the Senate to con15 tinue working to understand, protect, and restore 

16 the estuaries of the United States. 

Æ 


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