In 1973, Congress passed the Endangered Species Act to protect America's endangered and threatened plants and wildlife.
Coastal wetlands are valuable resources.
They protect against flooding, help maintain water quality, and provide habitat to wildlife. Coastal environments are important economically, generating billions of dollars annually through such industries as tourism and commercial fisheries. Thousands of acres of coastal wetlands have already been lost, and additional acres have been degraded by pollution. The concentration of the U.S. population along coastal areas is a continuing source of development pressure. Under the program, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service provides matching grants for acquisition, restoration, management, or enhancement of coastal wetlands.