The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has selected the Hudson River Foundation as the new host for the New York-New Jersey Harbor & Estuary Program.
The Harbor & Estuary Program, which has worked to protect and restore waterways throughout the New York-New Jersey Harbor for more than 25 years, had been located at the EPA Region 2 office in New York City. The EPA determined that having the program hosted by an outside non-federal organization would enhance the program’s visibility, increase the opportunities for public-private partnerships and align the program with the vast majority of estuary programs throughout the country, which are hosted by external organizations. Funding for each of the 28 National Estuary Programs was $512,000 last year.
“The New York-New Jersey Harbor & Estuary Program has played a critical role in protecting, restoring and enhancing waterways for decades,” said EPA Regional Administrator Judith A. Enck. “Under the new leadership of the Hudson River Foundation, the Harbor & Estuary Program will continue to be an important resource in ensuring the health of the harbor for the people of New York and New Jersey.”
The EPA sought interest among organizations to potentially host the New York-New Jersey Harbor & Estuary Program on June 11, 2013 and held a public information session on June 26. After receiving statements of interest from three organizations, the EPA chose the Hudson River Foundation because it believes that the foundation will be the most effective.
Congress established the National Estuary Program in the 1987 amendments to the Clean Water Act. Its purpose is to promote the development and implementation of comprehensive management plans for estuaries of national significance that are threatened by pollution.
At the request of the governors of New York and New Jersey, the EPA accepted the New York-New Jersey Harbor & Estuary into the National Estuary Program in 1988. Since that time, it has been an effective partnership for advancing regional efforts to achieve the goals of the Clean Water Act for fishable and swimmable waters throughout the nation.
Source: EPA
