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Championing Estuaries
Final House and Senate Dear Colleague Letters in Support of NOAA Restoration Programs Estuary Restoration Act of 2000
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For more information about legislation and appropriations related to coastal and estuarine habitat restoration, please contact Angela Gustavson, Director of Government Relations at (703) 524-0248 or agutavson@estuaries.org.
2008 Budget Priority Fact Sheets: NOAA, USFWS, USACE
Click for link to WRITTEN TESTIMONY OF ROBERT STOKES, CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD, RESTORE AMERICA'S ESTUARIES AND PRESIDENT, GALVESTON BAY FOUNDATION
PUGET SOUND INITIATIVE SYMPOSIUM
CH2MHILL Puget Sound Initiative SymposiumOn April 16, CH2MHILL held its Puget Sound Initiative Symposium, a one-day session discussing current and anticipated efforts toward a healthy and sustainable Sound. Panel topics included learning from past restoration projects, water management, and funding opportunities >>Read More
CURRENT LEGISLATIVE UPDATE:
From RAE Newsletter November 2008 Volume 4 Issue 8
Public Lands Package for Lame-Duck Session
Congress likely will hold a lame-duck session after the election starting around November 17th. One of the issues that would be taken up during the lame-duck session would be an omnibus package of more than 150 public lands, water, and resources bills. If the Senate passes this package, it is likely that the House will follow suit.
The Senate public lands package has been held up by Senator Coburn (R-OK), who objects to about 100 of those bills because he says they would put some lands off-limits to development or cost the government too much money. There are several ocean and coastal-related bills that may be included in this package, including legislation to authorize the Coastal and Estuarine Land Conservation Program. Democratic leadership is hoping that the Republican support that they have will convince Coburn to allow the package to go through; they could also override Coburn's hold if they are able to get at least 60 votes. If the Senate does not pass these bills, Congress plans to take them up next year as one of the early items on their agenda.
From RAE Newsletter October 2008 Volume 4 Issue 7
RAE Testifies at House Hearing on the San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge Complex
On September 10, the House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife, and Oceans held a hearing on H.R. 6479, the San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge Complex Establishment Act. This bill, introduced by Rep. Pete Stark (D-CA), would establish the San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge Complex to include seven existing National Wildlife Refuges in the San Francisco and Monterey Bay areas. H.R. 6479 establishes that this Complex needs the Department of Interior's focused attention and increased resources for habitat restoration and other purposes.
The Complex would be the largest urban wildlife refuge in the nation, covering 46,000 acres in the San Francisco Bay and Monterey Bay areas that provide habitat for hundreds of species, including at least 128 threatened or endangered species.
Angela Gustavson, Director of Government Relations for Restore America's Estuaries (RAE), testified at a hearing on behalf of RAE. David Lewis, Executive Director of Save the Bay—San Francisco Bay also testified at the hearing.
In her testimony, Ms. Gustavson highlighted that "although only 5 percent of San Francisco Bay's original wetlands remain intact, they account for 90 percent of California's total remaining tidal wetlands, making habitat protection and restoration in this region particularly critical." Ms. Gustavson also expressed RAE's support for the bill because of opportunities the Complex offers for connecting millions of residents with the natural environment as well as the many economic benefits that will be generated for local communities and the nation.
Mr. Lewis discussed Save the Bay's strong support of the legislation because it "provides the statutory authority to manage and enhance those special places to benefit wildlife and people, furthering the mission and purpose of the Refuge System." Mr. Lewis also highlighted that the increased size and operational requirements of the Complex have not been accompanied by a comparable increase in resources. The legislation would not eliminate, reduce, or redirect any funding for the National Wildlife Refuges System, but rather would allow more cohesive management of the Complex and expand opportunities for additional support and resources within the Complex.
Other panelists included Eric Alvarez, Realty Chief for the National Wildlife Refuge System and Evan Hirsche, President of the National Wildlife Refuge Association. Although Mr. Alvarez and Mr. Hirsche expressed their support for the legislation's intent of expanding wildlife and habitat conservation in the Bay Area, they expressed their concerns with the legislation
To view the testimony and a video from the hearing, please CLICK HERE
Continuing Resolution Funds Government Programs through March 2009
Before the fiscal year ended, on September 30, President Bush signed into law a more than $630 billion continuing resolution (H.R. 2638) that would fund at current levels the budgets of most departments and federal agencies—including the Commerce, Interior, Energy, and Agriculture departments and U.S. EPA—until March 6, 2009. The Senate had approved the temporary-budget bill by a vote of 78 to 12 on September 27, after the House approved it earlier in the week.
The bill provides a multibillion-dollar boost for emergency spending for disaster relief and loans to automakers. The length of the continuing resolution and the inclusion of disaster relief spending may lessen the chances that Congress will return for a lame-duck session following the November elections.
In a defeat for environmentalists, the continuing resolution does not include an extension of the moratoria that prohibit offshore drilling in many areas of the outer continental shelf, effectively opening up such areas to drilling. Democratic leaders had hoped to extend the offshore drilling bans, but that would have risked drawing opposition from Republicans and the White House. Companies are not expected to move forward with drilling in new offshore areas any time soon, however, partly because it will take the Department of Interior time to issue new leases, and the ban could potentially be re-instated by the next President before drilling begins.
Houses Passes Bill to Authorize the Coastal and Estuarine Land Conservation Program
On September 22, the House passed H.R. 1907, the Coastal and Estuarine Land Conservation Program Act by a vote of 313-59. The bill, which had been introduced by Rep. Saxton (R-NJ), would authorize NOAA's current Coastal and Estuarine Land Conservation Program, which supports the acquisition of critical coastal and estuarine areas that have significant conservation, recreation, ecological, historical, or aesthetic values. The legislation authorizes $60 million in appropriations for fiscal years 2009 to 2013. In addition, H.R. 1907 provides more flexibility for states and territories in meeting the non-federal match requirements and includes language to confirm that land acquisition would be from willing sellers.
The Senate version of the bill, S. 1142, introduced by Senator Gregg (R-NH) passed the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation in June 2007, but still awaits Senate floor action. The Senate is working on an omnibus package of more than 150 public lands, water, and resource bills that could go to the Senate floor during a lame-duck session mid-November. Many of these bills have been held up by Senator Coburn (R-OK) who objects to these bills because they would put some public lands off-limits to development or cost the government money.
House Passes No Child Left Inside Legislation
On September 18, the House passed H.R. 3036, the No Child Left Inside Act of 2008 by a vote of 293-109. This legislation, introduced by Rep. Sarbanes (D-MD), would prepare students for the workforce of the 21st century and combat what's been called "nature-deficit disorder." The legislation would reauthorize the National Environmental Education Act of 1990 at a level of $14 million for FY 2009.
The legislation would establish a national capacity environmental education grant program to encourage the development of programs to help environmental education become more effective and widely practiced. These environmental education grants could be used for the development of state environmental literacy plans, implementing academic standards and curricula, evaluating the effectiveness of environmental education programs in improving student's scores in other academic areas, and increasing the number of environmental educators in elementary and secondary schools.
In August 2007, Senator Reed (D-RI) introduced a similar bill, S. 1981, the No Child Left Inside Act of 2007, which would amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 regarding environmental education.
For more information about recent legislation and funding related to coastal and estuarine habitat restoration, please contact Angela Gustavson, Director of Government Relations at (703) 524-0248 or agustavson@estuaries.org.
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From RAE Newsletter September 2008 Volume 4 Issue 6
RAE Member Testifies at Chesapeake Bay Hearing
On July 30, the House Water Resources and Environment Subcommittee held a hearing on protection and restoration of the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Wastewater treatment plants, agricultural runoff, and population growth have contributed to a decline in health of the Bay. During the hearing, many of the issues plaguing the Bay were discussed, including nutrient runoff, low oxygen levels, and declining blue crab, oyster, and shad populations.
The first panel included Representatives Sarbanes (D-MD) and Wittman (R-VA) who addressed the need for bipartisan support for the Chesapeake Bay. Rep. Sarbanes spoke about H.R. 6550, a bill he introduced on July 17 to amend the Water Resources Development Act of 1996 to make modifications to the Chesapeake Bay environmental restoration and protection program. The bill would expand the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' work in the Chesapeake Bay watershed to include projects in all six states within the watershed and the District of Columbia. Additionally, the bill creates small watershed grants for technical and financial assistance to local governments and nonprofit organizations in the Chesapeake Bay region.
Rep. Wittman spoke about his extensive background working on water quality issues in the Chesapeake Bay. In his testimony, he called for the need for adaptive management and performance-based measures to assess progress toward meeting restoration goals. Rep. Wittman also expressed that nongovernmental organizations are vital partners to restoring the Bay. In addition, Rep. Wittman spoke about H.R. 6771, a bill he introduced on July 31 to require the Office of Management and Budget to prepare a crosscut budget for restoration activities in the Chesapeake Bay watershed and to require EPA to develop and implement an adaptive management plan.
The second panel included: Mr. Benjamin Grumbles, Assistant Administrator for the Office of Water at EPA; Ms. Anu Mittal, Director, Natural Resources and Environment Team at the Government Accountability Office; and Mr. Wade Najjum, Assistant Inspector General at EPA. In his testimony, Mr. Grumbles expressed that the Chesapeake Bay Program and its partners must aggressively adapt, innovate, and accelerate implementation efforts to restore and protect the Bay. He discussed the Chesapeake Bay Action Plan, recently submitted by EPA to Congress, which emphasizes coordination and integrated restoration efforts.
The third panel included RAE Board member, Roy Hoagland who testified on behalf of the Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF). Mr. Hoagland is the Vice President of Environmental Protection and Restoration for CBF. In his testimony, Mr. Hoagland discussed the health and condition of the Chesapeake Bay, federal response to the Bay's challenges, and the development of a Chesapeake Bay Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL).
This panel also included: Mr. Donald Boesch, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science; Mr. J. Charles Fox, Senior Officer of the Pew Environmental Group; Mr. William Matuszeski, Former Director of the EPA Chesapeake Bay Program Office; Mr. Tayloe Murphy, Attorney-at-Law; and Ms. Ann Swanson, Executive Director of the Chesapeake Bay Commission. To view witness testimony from the hearing, visit: http://transportation.house.gov/hearings/hearingDetail.aspx?NewsID=707
For more information about recent legislation and funding related to coastal and estuarine habitat restoration, please contact Angela Gustavson, Director of Government Relations at (703) 524-0248 or agustavson@estuaries.org.
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From RAE Newsletter August 2008 Volume 4 Issue 5
Comprehensive Oceans Legislation Introduced in Senate
On July 23, Senator Boxer (D-CA) introduced S. 3314, the National Oceans Protection Act, which is a comprehensive ocean and coastal policy bill that addresses the recommendations of the U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy and Pew Oceans Commission. Senator Boxer had originally introduced a comprehensive ocean policy bill in the 109th Congress, but this new version has narrowed the focus to ocean governance, research, education, and funding.
The Joint Oceans Commission Initiative (JOCI), which was created to push forward implementation of both Commission reports, had given the U.S. an average grade of C in its 2007 report card assessing progress towards implementing its recommendations. JOCI gave particularly low grades to the nation on national ocean governance reform, federal coordination of regional efforts, ocean research and education, and funding.
S. 3314 would provide for a comprehensive national ocean policy, and implement many of the recommendations called for by the Commissions and JOCI, including strengthened national leadership and regional ocean governance, expanded ocean research and education, and increased funding for ocean and coastal management.
Specifically, the bill would codify the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), create a National Oceans Advisor to the President, and enhance coordination among federal agencies on ocean policy. S. 3314 would also establish Regional Ocean Partnerships to enhance collaboration among states and the federal government in protecting ocean resources. Additionally, Senator Boxer proposed an Oceans and Great Lakes Conservation Trust Fund to provide funding to states for ocean management.
The bill has some similarities to H.R. 21, the Ocean Conservation, Education, and National Strategy for the 21st Century Act, which is the comprehensive ocean governance bill that had been introduced on the House side.
Press Conference Held to Support Oceans-21 Legislation
On July 18, the Natural Resources Defense Council held a press conference to garner support for H.R. 21, the Ocean Conservation, Education, and National Strategy for the 21st Century Act, known as Oceans-21. The press conference featured Margo Pellegrino, who just the day before completed a 500 mile paddle by kayak from New Jersey to Washington, D.C. Margo made the trip to raise awareness of the health of our oceans, and to support Oceans-21, a bill introduced by Representative Farr (D-CA). Along the way, she collected S.O.S. ("Save Our Seas") messages from concerned coastal residents, urging their representatives to support the act and help restore and protect our oceans.
Pellegrino described the ominous signs of destruction she saw along the Atlantic coast, from foul-smelling water and out of control algae blooms to beaches awash with trash. She also emphasized the importance of preserving the health of our oceans for her children and future generations. She presented Representative Saxton (R-NJ)—a co-sponsor of Oceans-21 from her home state of New Jersey—with a water-worn bottle she found kayaking in a New Jersey river. As Representative Saxton accepted his gift, Pellegrino announced that she would deliver the S.O.S. messages she gathered during her trip to members of Congress, urging them to help pass the bill. For emphasis, the messages were rolled up and put in bottles, all of which were found in the ocean and estuaries.
Representatives Farr and Saxton spoke passionately during the press conference about the need for Congress to pass Oceans-21. Although our oceans support a $117 billion economy, they face a variety of threats, including overfishing, habitat degradation, and pollution. At present, our oceans are managed by over 100 different laws which are implemented by 20 different agencies, without an overarching vision. Oceans-21 takes a "big picture" approach to establish comprehensive, coordinated legislation for the health of ocean ecosystems. It requires agencies to administer U.S. policies and laws which factor in restoration, maintenance, and protection concerns when making decisions that affect oceans. Additionally, it establishes a national Ocean Advisor to the President and an interagency committee on Ocean Policy. The bill also calls for Regional Ocean Partnerships to manage ecosystems on the local level, as well as an Ocean and Great Lakes Conservation Trust Fund.
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From RAE Newsletter July 2008 Volume 4 Issue 4
RAE President, Jeff Benoit, Testifies at House Hearing on Coasts and Estuaries
On June 26, Jeff Benoit, President of Restore America's Estuaries, testified at a hearing before the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment. This hearing, entitled "Protecting and Restoring America's Great Waters I: Coasts and Estuaries," focused on the current state of these ecosystems and in particular, the efforts of the National Estuary Program (NEP) to improve and restore them. Additional witnesses included: Craig Hooks, Director of EPA's Office of Wetlands, Oceans, and Watersheds; David Kennedy, Director of NOAA's Office of Ocean and Coastal Resources Management; Richard Ribb, Director of the Narragansett Bay Estuary Program; and Michael Carlin, Assistant General Manager of Water Enterprise at the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission.
The NEP was established in 1987 through amendments to the Clean Water Act, is stakeholder driven, and takes a watershed-based approach through development of Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plans (CCMPs). The witnesses discussed some of the successes of the NEP as an estuarine conservation and restoration program, and made some recommendations for improvements to increase the program's effectiveness. Mr. Benoit recommended that the NEP be reauthorized and offered some recommendations to strengthen the program and build upon its successes. He discussed the need for adequate funding and targeted priorities to locally implement the CCMPs, and noted that, "NEPs also need to be able to be flexible, current, and adaptive so that they can address new issues as they arise."
A second panel gave testimony with regard to Puget Sound and efforts to protect it. Witnesses included Rep. Norman Dicks (D-WA); Bill Ruckelshaus, Chair of the Leadership Council for the Puget Sound Partnership; Kathy Fletcher, Executive Director of People for Puget Sound (a RAE member organization); and Ron Kreizenbeck, Senior Advisor for the Puget Sound Partnership.
Rep. Dicks discussed H.R. 6364, a bill he introduced entitled, The Puget Sound Recovery Act of 2008. The bill calls for a Puget Sound office through which EPA will coordinate recovery funding and projects. It also requires a biennial progress report from EPA to Congress on Puget Sound restoration. Kathy Fletcher also called for increased federal government involvement in recovery efforts, citing the Sound's multiple federally-listed endangered species and its status as an international marine ecosystem, sharing waters with the United States and Canada as issues necessitating a strong federal role. Overall, the panel emphasized that Puget Sound recovery is and should be a national priority.
House and Senate Appropriations Committees Begin Considering Bills
Congress began work on next year's spending bills in June, with votes on the 12 different spending measures at the Subcommittee and full Committee level scheduled to stretch out through the end of July. With the appropriations process behind schedule and it being an election year, it is likely that most spending bills will not progress beyond Committee markup. A continuing resolution through the new Administration is likely. A long-term continuing resolution at current or reduced levels would be a problem for many agencies, including NOAA. The President's budget request for NOAA for FY 2009 was $4.1 billion, which was the first time in recent years that it was above the previous year's enacted level. NOAA's budget has been level-funded at $3.9 billion since FY 2005.
In June, both the House and Senate held Subcommittee and full Committee markups to consider the Commerce-Justice-Science (CJS) appropriations bills. Funding provided for NOAA in both the House and Senate bills was higher than funding provided by the President's FY 2009 budget request.
The Senate CJS Appropriations Subcommittee held a markup for their bill on June 18 and the full Committee considered the bill the following day. The Senate bill provided $4.45 billion for NOAA for FY 2009, $342 million above the President's budget request and $550 million above the FY 2008 enacted level. This was close to the $4.5 billion level recommended by the Friends of NOAA Coalition.
Typically, the House has proposed less than the Senate for NOAA, although the gap has narrowed in recent years. The House CJS Appropriations Subcommittee marked-up their bill on June 12 and the full Committee considered the bill on June 25, which contained $4.3 billion for NOAA, about $200 million below the Senate mark. This is $180 million more than the President's budget request and $380 million more than NOAA's FY 2008 budget.
There has been continued concern that although the budget numbers are higher for NOAA overall, that much of the funding is going to support satellite programs and not other critical programs in the agency. During the markup, Rep. Patrick Kennedy (D-RI) noted the tension between ocean programs and satellites, specifically remarking on the increased funding required for satellites and climate change research to the detriment of funding for wet programs like salt marsh restoration, monitoring of fish stocks, endangered species protection, and coastal zone management.
Senate Ends Debate on Lieberman-Warner Climate Security Act
On June 2, Senate floor debate began on the Lieberman-Warner Climate Security Act. The bill had been introduced in October 2007 by Senators Lieberman (I-CT) and Warner (R-VA) as S. 2191, primarily to direct EPA to establish a program to decrease emissions of greenhouse gases. The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee held several hearings to consider this legislation, and approved the bill at the end of last year.
This May, Senator Boxer (D-CA) introduced a substitute bill, S. 3036, in cooperation with the original authors. The bill still contained a national wildlife adaptation program to assist fish and wildlife and their habitat in becoming more resilient, adapting to, and surviving the impacts of climate change and ocean acidification. The bill would provide funding from the auction of emission allowances that would go to support natural resource adaptation activities in federal agencies. Funding that would go to the Department of Commerce would support adaptation activities to protect, maintain, and restore coastal, estuarine, and marine resources and habitat, including programs such as the Community-based Restoration Program, Open Rivers Initiative, Coastal and Estuarine Land Conservation Program, Coastal Zone Management Act, and others.
However, falling a dozen votes short of the 60 required to end a Republican filibuster, the legislation died by the end of the week. The legislation was defeated on a cloture vote, a procedural vote used in the Senate to place a time limit on consideration of a bill and overcome a filibuster. Under the cloture rule, three-fifths of the full Senate must vote to invoke cloture. It is expected that the bill will not return to the Senate floor for further debate.
House Subcommittee Passes CZMA Reauthorization Bill
On June 4, the House Committee on Natural Resources, Subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife, and Oceans held a markup on several bills, including H.R. 5451, the Coastal Zone Reauthorization Act of 2008. An amendment in the nature of a substitute for H.R. 5451 was offered by Chairwoman Bordallo (D-GU), which included provisions from H.R. 5452, H.R. 5453, and H.R. 3223, which would amend the Coastal Zone Management Act (CZMA) to allow for the development and funding of climate change adaptation planning, to provide financial assistance for planning and assessment around offshore alternative energy development, and to create a working waterfronts grant program. In addition, Rep. Saxton (R-NJ) offered two amendments. The first amendment would strengthen the National Estuarine Research Reserve System, and passed by voice vote. Rep. Saxton offered his second amendment to provide grants to coastal communities, but he withdrew it because he wanted to wait and offer it at the full Committee markup.
The House Natural Resources Committee had scheduled a markup session on H.R. 5451 for June 11; however, they ended up pulling the bill after several weakening amendments were proposed the day before the scheduled markup. Some of those amendments would have weakened the CZMA's consistency provision, which requires federal agency activities that have foreseeable effects on coastal uses and resources to be consistent with enforceable policies of state coastal management programs.
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From RAE Newsletter May/June 2008 Volume 4 Issue 3
Senator Boxer Releases New Version of the Climate Security Act
On May 21, Senator Boxer (D-CA) released a substitute climate change bill. This bill makes a number of significant changes compared with an earlier version of the Lieberman-Warner Climate Security Act that was approved last December by the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works. Senators Lieberman (I-CT) and Warner (R-VA) coauthored the original bill and agreed to the substitute amendment.
The new bill includes an $800 billion tax break to help Americans deal with high energy prices, greater use of international forestry programs, and a cost-containment program that creates a bank of extra greenhouse gas emission allowances to be auctioned off if the price for a carbon credit reaches a predetermined amount. The legislation is still scheduled to go to the Senate floor for debate starting on June 2, and many of the new provisions were included to win additional votes for the bill.
Of interest to Restore America's Estuaries, the bill still contains a national wildlife adaptation program to assist fish and wildlife and their habitat in becoming more resilient, adapting to, and surviving the impacts of climate change and ocean acidification. The bill would provide funding from the auction of emission allowances that would go to support natural resource adaptation activities in federal agencies. Funding that would go to the Department of Commerce would support adaptation activities to protect, maintain, and restore coastal, estuarine, and marine resources and habitat, including programs such as the Community-based Restoration Program, Open Rivers Initiative, Coastal and Estuarine Land Conservation Program, Coastal Zone Management Act, and others.
Oceans-21 Bill Clears Major Legislative Hurdle
In April, the House Subcommittee on Fisheries, Oceans, and Wildlife held a mark-up session for H.R. 21, the Ocean Conservation, Education, and National Strategy for the 21st Century Act, known as Oceans-21. The bill was introduced by Representative Farr (D-CA) in 2007, and has been the result of a multi-year effort by the House Oceans Caucus to develop comprehensive, bipartisan legislation based on recommendations from the U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy and Pew Oceans Commission.
Oceans-21 would establish a national ocean governance structure, codify the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and enhance regional coordination and planning. The bill would establish a national ocean policy and principles, and create a national ocean advisor, committee on ocean policy, and council of advisors on ocean policy.
Ranking Member Henry Brown (R-SC) and other Republicans filed 17 amendments for consideration, which removed definitions and particular sections of the bill. After offering 11 amendments, most of which failed, they did not offer the remaining amendments.
The bill passed the Subcommittee with an 11-3 vote, and now is ready to be considered by the House Natural Resources Committee. Representatives Bordallo (D-GU), Abercrombie (D-HI), Capps (D-CA), Faleomavaega (D-AS), Gilchrest (R-MD), Kennedy (D-RI), Kildee (D-MI), Kind (D-WI), Ortiz (D-TX), Pallone (D-NJ), and Saxton (R-NJ) voted in favor, while Representatives Brown (R-SC), Sali (R-ID), and Wittman (R-VA) voted against the bill.
Restore America's Estuaries, along with a number of nongovernmental organizations, sent a letter to members of the Subcommittee to encourage them to hold a mark-up session for this bill. Restore America's Estuaries was pleased that the Subcommittee took up this legislation and passed it, and we are now working in partnership with a coalition to encourage the full Committee to consider and pass Oceans-21.
Please see below for Legislative Updates from past newsletters:
RAE Chair Testifies at House Subcommittee Hearing on CZMA Bills, President's FY 2009 Budget is Released
From RAE Newsletter March/April 2008 Volume 4/Issue 2
Fiscal Year 2008 Appropriations Finalized, America's Climate Security Act Passes through Senate Committee
From RAE Newsletter January/February 2008 Volume 4 Issue 1
Reauthorization of the Estuary Restoration Act Aids Threatened Coastal Habitats
From RAE Newsletter November/December 2007 Volume 3 Issue 3
2007 Budget, Community-based Restoration Program, Open Rivers
From RAE Newsletter May/June 2007 Volume 3 Issue 2
NOAA's Community-based Restoration Program Authorized
Marine Debris Cleanup Gets Congressional Boost
Congress Fails To Pass Final Appropriations Bills
From RAE Newsletter January 2007 Volume 3 Issue 1
Congress Stalls on 2007 Appropriations
Congress Fails to Move WRDA
Magnuson-Stevens Has Breath of Life in Lame Duck
Restore America's Estuaries Pushes for Water Quality Programs in Farm Bill
From RAE Newsletter December 2006 Volume 2 Issue 11
Restore America's Estuaries Promotes Restoration in Washington, D.C.
From RAE Newsletter Issue November 2006 Volume 2 Issue 10
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