NEP Reauthorization
Federal laws often have a date that requires Congress to review it for public value and whether its programs should continue. The National Estuary Program was created under Section 320 of the Federal Clean Water Act in 1987. This Act has not been reauthorized in several years and, therefore, creates uncertainty about the future of the National Estuary Program. The National Estuary Program could be reauthorized along with the entire Clean Water Act or reauthorized as Section 320 alone. 

The following bills have been introduced in the 106th Congress specifically to reauthorize Section 320, the National Estuary Program:

House Bill H.R. 1237  Sponsors Actual Bill
Senate Bill S. 878   Sponsors Actual Bill

These bills accomplish the following:

  • Provide a five-year reauthorization for the National Estuary Program (Fiscal Years 2000 to 2004).
  • Allow federal funding to be used for both development and implementation of management plans (CCMPs).
  • Set an authorization level of $50 million annually; and
  • Increase the match required to use the federal funds for implementation of estuary plans (CCMPs) from 25 percent to 50 percent.
Additional bills have been introduced to address estuary issues that include NEP re-authorization:
  House Bill H.R. 1096  Sponsors Actual Bill
                                                       DeLauro-Lowey Water Pollution Control and Estuary Restoration Act         

This bill would accomplish the following:

  • Provide a five-year reauthorization for the National Estuary Program (Fiscal Years 2000 to 2004).
  • Set an authorization level of $28 million annually.
  • Specify certain technical and budget requirements from each NEP site.
  • Allow federal funding to be used for both development and implementation of management plans (CCMPs).

Senate Bill S. 835

Sponsors

Actual Bill

Estuary Habitat Restoration Partnership Act of 1999

This bill would accomplish the following:

  • Provide a two-year reauthorization (Fiscal Years 2000 and 2001).
  • Set an authorization level of $25 million annually.
  • Allow federal funding to be used for both development and implementation of management plans (CCMPs).                           

The House of Representatives  http://clerkweb.house.gov/mbrcmtee/mbrcmtee.htm

The Senate  http://www.senate.gov/