[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 108 (Thursday, September 14, 2000)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1489]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    ESTUARY RESTORATION ACT OF 2000

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                           HON. NITA M. LOWEY

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                      Tuesday, September 12, 2000

  Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 1775, 
the Estuary Restoration Act. This important piece of legislation 
provides a strong framework and strategy for protecting, maintaining 
and strengthening the nation's estuaries.
  Estuaries are essential and fragile ecosystems that deserve a 
comprehensive plan to ensure their long-term viability. They are home 
to thousands of species of aquatic plant and animal life. They are also 
some of the most productive commercial fisheries in the world. And, 
millions of Americans flock to estuarine areas for vacations and 
recreation.
  The legislation we are considering today gives us another tool to use 
for estuary preservation and restoration. This bill streamlines 
financing for estuary projects and integrates existing federal and non-
federal programs. The bill also gives priority to those estuaries 
currently part of a management plan or pollution mitigation plan. This 
is so important that my colleague, Rosa DeLauro, and I introduced H.R. 
1096, to provide special funding to States for implementation of 
national estuary conservation and management plans. I hope that with 
the passage of this legislation we can continue to provide the funding 
necessary to truly safeguard these essential natural resources.
  Unfortunately, I can also tell you, from recent experience, about the 
tenuous nature of estuaries. Many of my constituents live near and fish 
from Long Island Sound. The Sound, until recently, was the third 
largest lobster fishery in the United States, behind Maine and 
Massachusetts. But the last two seasons have been a disaster for the 
Long Island Sound fishery. All of the lobsters in Long Island Sound 
have died. Lobster harvesters are finding their traps empty and their 
lives thrown into turmoil. The cause of this die-off is being studied 
and investigated, and it reinforces the need for greater protection of 
the nation's estuary habitats.
  I am a proud cosponsor of this legislation and I urge my colleagues 
to support it.

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