Last week, Congressman Tim Bishop led a bipartisan effort to safeguard funding for the National Estuary Program (NEP). He and Congressman Frank LoBiondo were the authors of a letter to the House Appropriations Committee that asked for equal funding for all 28 programs funded by the NEP.
Estuaries have been shown to be some of the most productive habitats on Earth. The NEP ensures that work to protect these sensitive ecosystems continues, while reflecting local environmental and economic priorities of the surrounding communities.
Long Island is home to two estuaries of national significance that receive support from the NEP, the Long Island Sound Study and the Peconic Estuary Program, which have been critical in helping to protect Long Island’s water quality.
In 2010, the House passed legislation introduced by Congressman Bishop and Congressman LoBiondo to update management plans of the 28 estuaries of national significance and promote economic development along coastal areas. Last week’s letter requests that each estuary program continues to receive $600,000 for Fiscal Year 2015.
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Press Release, April 10, 2014