All too often, the completion of the plan is seen as an end-point rather than a beginning and, consequently, finding a way to maintain public involvement is a great challenge. The public must be involved early in the decision-making process in order to ensure that CCMP actions are carried out. Because CCMP actions typically transcend a single agency, each local NEP must establish an appropriate institutional arrangement to ensure implementation. A few NEPs have established non-profit organizations that serve either as the coordinating body or as a complement to that group. Financing CCMP implementation can be costly.
Implementation occurs over many years and so a stable, long-term source of funding is critical.
While the EPA is committed to support the NEPs at some level during implementation, each program must identify other funding vehicles early in the planning process to ensure continued program success. NEPs must be able to leverage other sources of funds from key players, such as state and local governments, to implement CCMP commitments. Now that the NEP has reached its tenth year, the EPA is at a critical point in setting its direction for both the near and long term. There are approximately 130 estuaries in the United States. The EPA recognizes that it may not be appropriate, or even necessary, to designate all of these estuaries as NEPs.