HR3962-119

What This Bill Does

The ESTUARIES Act amends section 320 of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act. It extends the National Estuary Program authorization date from 2026 to 2031 and adds Mississippi Sound, Mississippi, to the statutory list of estuaries of national significance. That designation would make Mississippi Sound eligible for the National Estuary Program framework used for comprehensive conservation and management planning, monitoring, restoration coordination, and federal support through EPA.

The bill also protects existing National Estuary Program funding from being immediately diverted to the new Mississippi Sound designation. EPA may not use fiscal year 2025 National Estuary Program funds to implement the Mississippi Sound amendment. EPA also may not use fiscal year 2026 National Estuary Program funds for Mississippi Sound unless total FY2026 National Estuary Program appropriations are at least $850,000 higher than the FY2024 total. In practical terms, Mississippi Sound is added to the program, but early implementation funding is conditioned on additional appropriations rather than taking money from existing estuary programs.

Who Benefits and How

Mississippi Sound coastal communities benefit because the bill puts the Sound into the National Estuary Program pipeline for restoration planning and EPA coordination. Mississippi Sound local governments benefit from a clearer federal framework for estuary conservation work. Commercial fishing businesses in Mississippi Sound and recreational fishing businesses in Mississippi Sound benefit if estuary restoration improves water quality, habitat, and long-term fishery conditions. Existing National Estuary Program estuaries benefit from the FY2025 and FY2026 funding guardrails, which reduce the risk that the new designation dilutes their current funding.

Who Bears the Burden and How

The EPA Administrator and EPA National Estuary Program staff bear implementation burdens because they must add Mississippi Sound to the statutory program while observing the FY2025 prohibition and FY2026 funding threshold. A future Mississippi Sound management conference or local implementation partners may wait longer for initial federal support if Congress does not increase FY2026 National Estuary Program appropriations by at least $850,000 above the FY2024 level.

Key Provisions

• Extends the National Estuary Program authorization date from 2026 to 2031.
• Adds Mississippi Sound, Mississippi, to the Federal Water Pollution Control Act list of estuaries of national significance.
• Bars EPA from using FY2025 National Estuary Program funds to implement the Mississippi Sound designation.
• Bars EPA from using FY2026 National Estuary Program funds for Mississippi Sound unless FY2026 appropriations exceed the FY2024 total by at least $850,000.
• Protects existing National Estuary Program participants from immediate funding dilution while creating a path for Mississippi Sound participation.