[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 156 (Thursday, September 20, 2018)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1268-E1269]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      RECOGNIZING NATIONAL ESTUARY WEEK: SEPTEMBER 15 TO 22, 2018

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. BILL POSEY

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, September 20, 2018

  Mr. POSEY. Mr. Speaker, this week we celebrate National Estuary Week, 
a week dedicated to raising awareness of the importance of our nation's 
estuaries. This marks the 30th anniversary of National Estuary Week, 
and on Monday, September 17, I joined my fellow co-chairs of the 
Congressional Estuary Caucus and Restore America's Estuaries in kicking 
off this celebration with the 2018 National Estuaries Week Hill Expo. 
This Expo was a great showcase of research and resources for coastal 
habitats. The Environmental Protection Agency, National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration; and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service were 
on hand to talk with staff and Members and explain how we can improve 
the health of our estuaries.
  Former Congressman Jim Gerlach taught us ``Estuaries are coastal 
bays, harbors, sounds and lagoons, places where rivers meet the sea.'' 
My own Eighth District of Florida is home to the Indian River Lagoon, 
one of the most diverse estuaries in North America and the world. I 
grew up around Cocoa Beach, raised my family along the Lagoon, and 
worked in local real estate for many years. I learned firsthand why 
it's so important for us to work together to care for our environment.
  That is why, in early 2017, I founded the bipartisan Congressional 
Estuary Caucus with several of my colleagues to give the nation's 
estuaries a stronger voice and presence in Congress. Since that time, 
more than forty Members of Congress have joined the Estuary Caucus and 
become actively engaged in our efforts to support estuary restoration 
and conservation. The Caucus has already held eleven briefings on 
Capitol Hill about the critical role these delicate ecosystems play in 
our communities.
  Stretching 156 miles along Florida's east coast, our Lagoon is a 
sanctuary for nearly 4,000 species of wildlife, an economic engine for 
our community, and an invaluable recreational and educational resource 
for residents and visitors. Since estuaries are places where freshwater 
mixes with saltwater, preserving the delicate balance is as critical as 
it can be difficult. Our quality of life, economy and tourism, property 
values and the survival of many indigenous species of plant and 
wildlife depend on our efforts. Scientists often call them ``nurseries 
of the sea'' because estuaries are the nesting and feeding habitats for 
many aquatic plants and animals. Experts at the National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration estimate that up to 80 percent of the fish 
and shellfish that we catch spend at least part of their lives in 
estuaries. That catch includes salmon, herring, and oysters, and our 
fishing industry is valued in the billions of dollars. Estuaries also 
contribute to healthy ocean environments by filtering out sediments and 
pollutants from rivers and streams before they flow into the oceans. 
Estuaries are also important recreational destinations. Millions of 
people each year boat, swim, watch birds and other wildlife, and fish 
in our nation's estuaries. Coastal recreation and tourism generate 
billions of dollars to our economy.
  Many estuaries, including our lagoon, are experiencing challenges 
like harmful algae blooms, declines in sea grass, and invasive species. 
These threats require our immediate attention. Acidification also 
presents uncertainties within our precious estuaries. The problem of 
estuarine acidification is less well understood than acidification in 
the open ocean and could pose severe effects for the biodiversity of 
our estuaries like the Indian River Lagoon.
  As we seek to restore and protect our estuaries, I believe we have to 
adopt the proverbial ``all of the above'' strategy. That means a 
coordinated effort involving federal, state and local cooperation with 
each level of government doing what it does best. Our state and local 
government will lead the efforts that improve our water quality and 
will provide leadership in assuring we adapt to sea level rise in the 
way we build and manage our land use. The federal government supports 
state and local leadership with restoration programs that include the 
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Environmental Protection Agency, National 
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 
and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
  I've joined my colleagues, Congressman Brian Mast and Congresswoman 
Bonamici, in introducing legislation aimed at mitigating and solving 
our hypoxia and toxic algal bloom challenges. In Florida, we are 
working to raise the priority of projects that benefit the estuaries 
within the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan.
  To get a leg up on the challenges to our estuaries posed by 
acidification, I've introduced the National Estuaries and Acidification 
Research Act of 2018. This legislation creates a research program so 
that we can understand how better how acidification works in estuaries 
and how we might be able to combat it.
  For the 2018 Fiscal Year, the Interior Appropriations bill includes 
$16.8 million that will provide $600,000 to each of the 28 estuaries, 
and also includes my plan to direct $1.5 million for the National 
Estuary Program's competitive grants program for special projects and 
prevention and mitigation focused research. This is a win for our 
estuaries, communities, and economy.

[[Page E1269]]

  This week, millions of Americans will show their commitment to our 
estuaries through volunteer efforts. We all have a role to play in 
caring for our environment. It is a matter of awareness and of action. 
We must look for even more opportunities for our ``all of the above'' 
strategy for keeping our estuary economies sustainable and resilient. 
Advancing common sense ideas that strengthen our economy, protect our 
estuaries including the Indian River Lagoon, and preserve our natural 
beauty remain a top priority for me. I'm grateful for the work of 
millions of dedicated professionals and volunteers across this nation.
  National Estuary Week is a time to celebrate the contributions of our 
estuaries to our way of life and our well-being. Estuaries provide 
indispensable services to our ecology and our economy. Our estuaries 
are irreplaceable and we must protect, sustain, and restore them.
  National Estuary Week is also a time to review our progress in 
assuring the continued productivity of our estuaries, celebrating our 
successes and renewing our commitment to ensuring that future 
generations will enjoy these precious resources. I ask all Members to 
join me and the Congressional Estuary Caucus in that commitment. The 
challenge is critical and we can meet it.

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