President signs Estuaries and Clean Waters Act of 2000

Capital Reports 14nov00

WASHINGTON -- President Clinton has signed the Estuaries and Clean Waters Act of 2000. This legislation reauthorizes the National Estuary Program, the Chesapeake Bay Program, the Long Island Sound Program, the Clean Lakes Program, and authorizes pilot programs of alternative water sources, a Lake Ponchatrain restoration program and funds for the cleanup of the Tijuana River near San Diego.

The Act establishes a national goal of restoring one million acres of estuary habitat by 2010 and authorizes a total of $275 million over the next five years for matching funds for local estuary habitat restoration projects. It also establishes an Estuary Habitat Restoration Council that is responsible for developing a National Habitat Restoration Strategy within one year and for reviewing and establishing funding priorities among restoration projects. EPA serves on the Council, which is chaired by the U.S. Army.

• To view the law, visit: http://www.epa.gov/owow/estuaries