Since 1990, when Congress passed the Coastal Wetlands Planning, Protection, and Restoration Act, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has been working with coastal States to acquire, restore, manage or enhance coastal wetlands through a matching grants program.
Coastal wetlands are valuable resources.
They protect against flooding, help maintain water quality, and provide habitat for 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.