ESTUARIES Act
This bill extends federal funding support for nationwide coastal and estuary protection programs through 2031. It also makes the Mississippi Sound eligible for federal conservation grants, water quality improvement projects, and coastal planning assistance. To avoid reducing money for existing estuary sites, the bill delays funding for the Mississippi Sound until at least 2026, and only allows spending that year if Congress increases the overall national program budget by at least $850,000 above 2024 levels.
What this bill touches.
Who it helps · who it burdens.
Who it helps
- Mississippi Sound coastal communities and conservation entitiesAdds the Mississippi Sound to the National Estuary Program, making it eligible for priority federal conservation planning, management conferences, and grants under Section 320 of the Clean Water Act (Sec. 2(1)).
- National Estuary Program grant recipients and participating estuariesExtends the authorization of federal appropriations for the National Estuary Program for an additional five years, through fiscal year 2031 (Sec. 2(2)).
Who it burdens
- Environmental Protection AgencyRestricts the agency from using fiscal year 2025 National Estuary Program funds on the Mississippi Sound, and conditions fiscal year 2026 funding there on total program appropriations increasing by at least $850,000 over fiscal year 2024 (Sec. 3).
The provisions, in plain language.
Adds the Mississippi Sound in Mississippi to the National Estuary Program, making it eligible for priority federal conservation planning, management conferences, and grants.
Extends the authorization of federal appropriations for the National Estuary Program through fiscal year 2031.
Prohibits the EPA from spending fiscal year 2025 National Estuary Program funds on the Mississippi Sound, and limits spending fiscal year 2026 funds there unless total program funding increases by at least $850,000 compared to fiscal year 2024.