This bill, the ESTUARIES Act, amends the National Estuary Program to officially add the Mississippi Sound and extends its funding authorization through fiscal year 2031, while placing specific restrictions on using funds for the Mississippi Sound's inclusion in fiscal years 2025 and 2026.
Shomari Figures
Representative
AL-2
The ESTUARIES Act amends the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to officially add the Mississippi Sound to the National Estuary Program and extends the program's funding authorization through fiscal year 2031. However, the bill places specific restrictions on the EPA Administrator regarding the use of funds to implement this addition during fiscal years 2025 and 2026. This ensures that the expansion of the program is contingent upon specific funding levels in the near term.
ESTUARIES Act Adds Mississippi Sound to Federal Program, But Puts Funding on Ice Until 2027
The “Enhancing Science, Treatment, and Upkeep of America’s Resilient and Important Estuarine Systems Act” (ESTUARIES Act) is an environmental bill that makes two big changes to the federal National Estuary Program. First, it officially adds the Mississippi Sound to the list of estuaries eligible for federal protection and management resources. Second, it extends the overall program’s funding authorization, setting aside up to $26.5 million annually through fiscal year 2031, which replaces the old 2026 deadline. This means long-term stability for water quality projects from Puget Sound to Long Island Sound.
The Good News: Long-Term Commitment to Water Quality
For the 28 estuaries currently in the program, the extension of funding authorization through 2031 is a huge win. These funds are used for crucial work like restoring coastal habitats, cleaning up polluted runoff, and developing comprehensive conservation plans. For example, if you live near an estuary, this money helps ensure your local beaches stay open and the fish population remains healthy. This long-term commitment (Section 2) allows local governments and non-profits to plan multi-year projects rather than scrambling for annual funding.
The Catch: A Two-Year Time-Out for Mississippi Sound
While the bill officially welcomes the Mississippi Sound into the National Estuary Program, it immediately hits the brakes on implementation. Section 3 explicitly prohibits the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from using any program funds in fiscal year 2025 to start the process for Mississippi Sound. This means no money for convening a management conference or developing the necessary conservation plan—the first steps required to get real work done. For the residents and businesses along the Mississippi coast who were just promised federal help, this means waiting at least a year for the ball to drop.
The 2026 Funding Hurdle
The delay continues into fiscal year 2026, but with a twist. The EPA is only allowed to begin funding the Mississippi Sound’s inclusion if the total appropriation for the entire National Estuary Program in 2026 is at least $850,000 more than what the program received in 2024. Think of it like this: the Mississippi Sound is waiting in the lobby, and the only way the door opens is if Congress gives the program a significant budget raise. If Congress only bumps the budget up by $800,000, then the Mississippi Sound stays locked out for another year. This provision (Section 3) creates a situation where the new estuary’s entry is dependent on a national funding increase, which could strain the existing estuaries if the increase falls short and they have to compete for resources.