EPA announces $13.5M for Calif. estuaries

In California, the San Francisco Bay-Delta, Morro Bay, and Santa Monica Bay National Estuary Programs will each receive up to $4.5 million over five years to protect and restore water quality and habitat. The funds come as part of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) investment of $132 million over the next five years for the National Estuary Program.

“Protecting the water quality of these three incredibly important California estuaries — the San Francisco Bay-Delta, Morro Bay, and Santa Monica Bay — not only defends critical habitats, but protects the quality of life and economic foundations of our communities,” said EPA Pacific Southwest Regional Administrator Martha Guzman. “These investments of Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funds will build the resilience of California’s iconic coastal communities facing climate change impacts such as sea level rise.”

The San Francisco Estuary Partnership has made decades of environmental progress under the Estuary Blueprint through leveraging the resources and expertise of agencies, academia, scientists, environmental advocates, and communities. The newly updated Blueprint expands the scope of planning for estuary-wide restoration with actions that will build shoreline resilience and weave in social equity considerations to improve both environmental and community health outcomes.

San Francisco Estuary Partnership Director Caitlin Sweeney said the funding will quickly be put to use: "With the newly updated San Francisco Estuary Blueprint, our region is ready to direct this new funding to immediate action to deliver climate adaptation, community engagement and equity initiatives, supported by hundreds of collaborating organizations and agencies."

Morro Bay on California’s Central Coast is a resource for local communities and families from across California, many of whom have a long-standing tradition of escaping the summer inland heat to enjoy the cool bay breeze and waters. Morro Bay and its surrounding watershed host important habitat for eel grass, oysters, sea otters, and steelhead.

Santa Monica Bay draws over 50 million visitors to its beaches every year. The Santa Monica Bay National Estuary Program is at the forefront of working with local partners to protect coastal resources such as kelp forests and beaches for the benefit of land and marine habitats as well as for the public.

The National Estuary Program (NEP) is a place-based program that, since 1987, has funded projects that restore water quality and ecological integrity across 28 estuaries of national significance. The BIL funding will accelerate work on Comprehensive Conservation Management Plans, which are structured frameworks for protecting and restoring estuary resources and meeting water quality needs.