The House on May 9th passed, 391-29, a bill that would authorize funds to clean up the Long Island Sound. Long Island Sound is one of 28 estuaries recognized under the National Estuary program as being of national significance. Development and a growing population have contributed to environmental and public health problems in the area. The legislation also would require efforts to reduce nitrogen discharges into the sound and authorize states to provide additional subsidies to designated distressed communities from state clean water funds. Protecting our fragile waterways and coastal environments is essential.
Estuaries are partially enclosed bodies of water that flow into an open sea or ocean.
They provide habitat for about 75 percent of America's commercial fish at some point during the life cycle. Congress created the national estuary program in 1987 to provide state and local governments with help in preparing conservation and management plans for threatened estuaries of national significance.