ESTUARIES Act of 2025
Summary
The ESTUARIES Act would extend federal funding and support for the National Estuary Program, a non-regulatory initiative that works to restore and protect environmentally and economically important estuary areas where rivers meet the sea. The bill would reauthorize the program through 2031, ensuring continued federal resources for locally-driven conservation efforts across 28 estuaries of national significance. The legislation also adds Mississippi Sound, Mississippi to the list of designated estuaries eligible for program support.
Estuaries are critical ecosystems that provide habitat for fish and wildlife, improve water quality, and protect coastal communities from storms and flooding. The National Estuary Program has operated since 1987, directing federal funding to on-the-ground restoration and resilience projects managed at the local level. By reauthorizing the program, this bill would provide certainty and stability for ongoing environmental protection work in coastal regions across the country. The bill is currently under committee consideration and would require presidential approval to become law.
