Langevin, Keating, Cicilline Amendment Restores Funding to Southern New England Estuaries Geographic Program

Press Release

The House today adopted by voice vote an amendment introduced by Congressman Jim Langevin (D-RI), with Congressmen Bill Keating (D-MA) and David Cicilline (D-RI), that would provide $1 million for the Southern New England Estuaries Geographic Program.

"Estuaries are essential for healthy coastal ecosystems. They provide benefits of great economic and ecologic significance, including vital nesting and feeding habitats for aquatic plants and animals. Yet they are increasingly affected by impacts of human activity along our coasts," said Langevin. "These funds will be used to continue efforts to protect and restore our coasts and estuaries, which are critical for our environment, and our economy. I'm grateful to my colleagues for supporting this amendment, to Congressman Cicilline for his advocacy and to Congressman Keating for being a tremendous partner in ensuring that our southern New England estuaries stay healthy for generations to come."

"I applaud the inclusion of this amendment and am grateful for the work of my colleagues from Rhode Island and our partners in the Senate," said Keating. "It is only appropriate that we celebrate today's amendment as a collective effort to combat a regional issue. Rhode Island and Southeastern Massachusetts, including Narragansett Bay and Buzzards Bays, share a fragile coastline that is intricately affected by the nutrient runoff. Funding for this program will provide stakeholders in our region with additional resources to ensure nutrient reduction and combat threats to the watershed."

"It is critical that we stop the degrading effects of commercial and industrial development and climate change to the Southern New England watershed and the many regional habitats located there that our wildlife depend on," said Cicilline. "This amendment helps restore federal funding that will advance research that can mitigate these circumstances, protect our coastlines, and preserve natural habitats. I am proud to have worked with my colleagues to restore and preserve our region's natural beauty and resources for generations to come."

The Southern New England Estuaries Geographic Program supports projects and science to restore the health of southern New England's estuaries, watersheds and coastal waters, and also ensures access to resilient, self-sustaining ecosystems and associated populations of fish and shellfish. The program was funded at $5 million last year. This amendment restores a portion of that funding, offset by a $1 million reduction in the EPA Science and Technology account.

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