LoBiondo Bill Protecting Nation’s Estuaries Heads to President’s Desk

WASHINGTON, DC – A bipartisan bill to invest in estuary restoration that Reps. Frank LoBiondo (NJ-02) and Rick Larsen (WA-02) introduced is headed to President Obama’s desk for his signature. The House and Senate have agreed to legislation that reauthorizes the National Estuary Program through 2021, funding local efforts to restore and protect sensitive estuaries and their wildlife. LoBiondo and Larsen hailed the bill’s passage as a bipartisan success for a healthy environment.
“Too often there is only focus on those issues that divide us rather than unite us.  Congress came together to promote sensible, cost-effective programs that protect unique ecosystems in South Jersey and across the country. Communities in my district have long recognized the economic and environmental importance in protecting cherished local resources in the Delaware Estuary and Barnegat Bay Estuary. Working closely with local residents involved in preserving both estuaries, we have had continued success in raising public awareness and responsibly caring for our natural treasures to keep our waters clean for future generations,” said LoBiondo. “I am once again proud to partner with Representative Larsen on bipartisan solutions to the issues our nation faces.”
“Passing this bipartisan bill to ensure local communities can continue protecting and restoring estuaries is a major victory for clean water and healthy habitats today and long into the future,” Larsen said. “The Puget Sound is the second largest estuary in the country, and the Pacific Northwest depends on it for a healthy environment and a strong economy. Unique habitats where rivers meet the ocean support many species of fish, birds and other wildlife. Healthy estuaries also sustain economic activity like fishing, tourism and outdoor recreation. I thank Representative LoBiondo for working with me to make progress for our environment and our economy”
Established in 1987, the NEP’s goal is to improve the quality of estuaries by developing plans for attaining or maintaining water quality. This includes protection of public water supplies and the protection of indigenous populations of shellfish, fish, and wildlife. According to the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the nation’s estuaries provide habitat for 75% of the U.S. commercial fish catch and 80-90% of the recreational fish catch.
Larsen has long supported estuary restoration in the Pacific Northwest. For example, the Qwuloolt Estuary Restoration Project will be one of the largest tidal marsh restoration projects ever completed in Washington State when it is finished. Funding from the National Estuary Program, which is administered by the Environmental Protection Agency, helps build the comprehensive plan for Puget Sound recovery through the Puget Sound Partnership.
South Jersey is home to two of the nation’s 28 designated NEP organizations: The Partnership for the Delaware Estuary and the Barnegat Bay Partnership. Located in South Jersey, Delaware, and Southeastern Pennsylvania, The Delaware Estuary is home to the second largest concentration of migrating shorebirds in the Western Hemisphere, as well as dozens of protected species, and the largest population of horseshoe crabs in the world.  The Barnegat Bay watershed is the entire land area that drains to the Barnegat Bay, comprised of eleven (11) sub-watersheds and the barrier island communities. LoBiondo continues to work closely with both local NEP organizations.
The bipartisan legislation would also reduce federal spending while ensuring that money goes directly to NEP partner organizations. Initially passed by voice vote in the House, the legislation was modified by the Senate before returning to the House. The modified legislation – S.1523 – was approved by the full House sending it to President Obama for his signature.