July 6th, Carol M. Browner, Administrator of the US Environmental Protection Agency, announced that seven estuaries in eight states would be added to the EPA's National Estuary Program. Browner's comments at the announcement emphasized both the environmental and economic benefits of healthy estuaries. She noted that more than half of all Americans live in coastal counties, where almost one-third of the Gross National Product is produced.
Estuaries are essential to our nation's economic productivity.
These funds bring representatives from government agencies, local residents, business leaders, educators, and scientists together to develop a comprehensive plan to protect and revitalize the estuary. The funding also supports new technologies and innovative programs to help restore and protect the estuaries. After completion of management plans, the estuary programs will be eligible for additional funding to help support activities related to their implementation. The existing estuary programs have addressed a wide range of issues in their planning efforts, including the reduction of contamination from runoff, preventing shoreline erosion, creation of new marshlands, reduction of hazardous waste generated by industrial activities, improving habitat for commercially harvested species and wildlife, and improving local economies. In areas where the resultant plans have gone into implementation, EPA and the estuary programs have identified numerous successes.