A bill to amend the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to reauthorize the National Estuary Program.

Mr. President, I am joined today by Senators Sarbanes,

Snowe, Breaux, Boxer and Lautenberg in introducing legislation to reauthorize a highly successful and collaborative program known as the National Estuary Program (NEP).

In 1987, Congress created the NEP to restore designated estuaries of national significance. Since 1987, the EPA estimates that the NEP has preserved, restored or created approximately 719,000 habitat acres, and has leveraged $200 million in local, State and private sector funding, with an average leveraging ratio of 11 to 1. The NEP has accomplished this by fostering and maintaining strong partnerships among Federal, State and local governments, the private sector and local stakeholders, and by using a consensus, community-based approach with strong local control in developing and implementing their Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plans (CCMPs).

Today, there are 28 estuaries in the NEP, covering more than 42 percent of the continental U.S. shoreline. Nearly half of the U.S. population resides in coastal areas, with thousands of new residents arriving every year. In the United States, estuaries provide habitat for three-quarters of America's commercial fish catch, and 80-90 percent of the recreational fish catch.

Estuarine-dependent fisheries are among the most valuable, with an estimated worth of $1.9 billion nationwide. Coastal recreation and tourism generate an additional $8 to $12 billion annually. According to recent analyses by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), estuaries of the NEP employ 39 million people and support total economic output and employee wages estimated in the trillions. The tourism sector alone employs 1.2 million people and generates more than $87 billion in expenditures.

Despite their economic and environmental importance, the Nation's estuaries are under increasing threat by the many competing demands placed upon them. Estuaries in the NEP face numerous challenges, including over-enrichment of nutrients, loss of habitat, declines in fish and wildlife, and introduction of invasive species, causing severe declines in water quality, living resources and overall ecosystem health. According to the recent EPA National Coastal Condition Report describing the ecological and environmental conditions of U.S. coastal waters and estuary resources, the overall condition of our Nation's coastal waters is fair to poor, and 44 percent of estuarine habitats are impaired for human or aquatic life use.

The NEP offers an effective means to deal with these national problems. The flexible and collaborative nature of the NEP has allowed the local Estuary Programs to develop innovative approaches to address the problems facing estuarine systems, approaches uniquely tailored to local environmental conditions, and to the needs of local communities and constituencies. At the same time, the national structure provided by the NEP has facilitated the sharing of management approaches, technologies, and ideas that underscore this program's success. Indeed, the National Commission on Ocean Policy highlighted the NEP's focus ``on bringing together stakeholders in particular areas that are in or approaching a crisis situation.'' Additionally, the Commission found ``the assessment and planning process used by the NEP holds promise for the future of ecosystem-based management.''

Reauthorizing the NEP is an important step in the process of addressing the threats to the health and stability of our Nation's estuaries, which remain one of our Nation's most important economic and environmental resources. The legislation introduced today would reauthorize funding for the NEP at $35 million annually to provide the funds necessary for this program to succeed into the future. I look forward to working with my colleagues on reauthorization of the NEP in the months ahead.

I ask by unanimous consent that the text of the legislation be printed in the Record.

Mr. President, I am joined today by Senators Sarbanes,

Snowe, Breaux, Boxer and Lautenberg in introducing legislation to reauthorize a highly successful and collaborative program known as the National Estuary Program (NEP).

In 1987, Congress created the NEP to restore designated estuaries of national significance. Since 1987, the EPA estimates that the NEP has preserved, restored or created approximately 719,000 habitat acres, and has leveraged $200 million in local, State and private sector funding, with an average leveraging ratio of 11 to 1. The NEP has accomplished this by fostering and maintaining strong partnerships among Federal, State and local governments, the private sector and local stakeholders, and by using a consensus, community-based approach with strong local control in developing and implementing their Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plans (CCMPs).

Today, there are 28 estuaries in the NEP, covering more than 42 percent of the continental U.S. shoreline. Nearly half of the U.S. population resides in coastal areas, with thousands of new residents arriving every year. In the United States, estuaries provide habitat for three-quarters of America's commercial fish catch, and 80-90 percent of the recreational fish catch.

Estuarine-dependent fisheries are among the most valuable, with an estimated worth of $1.9 billion nationwide. Coastal recreation and tourism generate an additional $8 to $12 billion annually. According to recent analyses by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), estuaries of the NEP employ 39 million people and support total economic output and employee wages estimated in the trillions. The tourism sector alone employs 1.2 million people and generates more than $87 billion in expenditures.

Despite their economic and environmental importance, the Nation's estuaries are under increasing threat by the many competing demands placed upon them. Estuaries in the NEP face numerous challenges, including over-enrichment of nutrients, loss of habitat, declines in fish and wildlife, and introduction of invasive species, causing severe declines in water quality, living resources and overall ecosystem health. According to the recent EPA National Coastal Condition Report describing the ecological and environmental conditions of U.S. coastal waters and estuary resources, the overall condition of our Nation's coastal waters is fair to poor, and 44 percent of estuarine habitats are impaired for human or aquatic life use.

The NEP offers an effective means to deal with these national problems. The flexible and collaborative nature of the NEP has allowed the local Estuary Programs to develop innovative approaches to address the problems facing estuarine systems, approaches uniquely tailored to local environmental conditions, and to the needs of local communities and constituencies. At the same time, the national structure provided by the NEP has facilitated the sharing of management approaches, technologies, and ideas that underscore this program's success. Indeed, the National Commission on Ocean Policy highlighted the NEP's focus ``on bringing together stakeholders in particular areas that are in or approaching a crisis situation.'' Additionally, the Commission found ``the assessment and planning process used by the NEP holds promise for the future of ecosystem-based management.''

Reauthorizing the NEP is an important step in the process of addressing the threats to the health and stability of our Nation's estuaries, which remain one of our Nation's most important economic and environmental resources. The legislation introduced today would reauthorize funding for the NEP at $35 million annually to provide the funds necessary for this program to succeed into the future. I look forward to working with my colleagues on reauthorization of the NEP in the months ahead.

I ask by unanimous consent that the text of the legislation be printed in the Record.