U.S. Senate Approves Whitehouse-Vitter Estuary Legislation

Press Release

The U.S. Senate today unanimously approved bipartisan legislation authored by Sens. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and David Vitter (R-LA) to reauthorize the National Estuary Program (NEP). The program was first established in 1987 by the late Senator John Chafee (R-RI) to protect and restore estuarine habitats threatened by pollution and overdevelopment. Authorization for this important program expired in 2010.

"Estuaries provide vital ecosystems for fisheries and wildlife, and they also serve as buffers against dangerous winds and storm surges -- protecting homes and critical infrastructure in our coastal communities," said Whitehouse. "This legislation will help ensure that we continue protecting these vital resources, and I thank Senator Vitter for working with me to get this done. On a Rhode Island note, I'm proud to continue Senator John Chafee's legacy in championing this program."

"Given that Louisiana's Barataria-Terrebonne Estuary plays an important role in protecting thousands of miles of our coastal wetlands and preserving our rich cultural heritage, Louisianians are certainly familiar with the need for a robust estuary program," said Vitter. "My bipartisan legislation will provide much needed improvements to the National Estuary Program, which will restore some of our most vulnerable wildlife, fish, and shellfish habitats in the heart of the Barataria and Terrebonne basins."

Source