(a) Establishment

The Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (hereinafter in this section referred to as the “Administrator”) shall establish within the Administration an Estuarine Programs Office.

(b) Functions

Terms Used In 15 USC 1511c

  • Fiscal year: The fiscal year is the accounting period for the government. For the federal government, this begins on October 1 and ends on September 30. The fiscal year is designated by the calendar year in which it ends; for example, fiscal year 2006 begins on October 1, 2005 and ends on September 30, 2006.

The Estuarine Programs Office shall—

(1) develop and implement a national estuarine strategy for the Administration that integrates the research, regulatory, and trusteeship responsibilities of the Administration;

(2) coordinate the estuarine activities of the various organizations within the Administration, including activities in estuarine research and assessment, fisheries research, coastal management, and habitat conservation;

(3) coordinate the estuarine activities of the Administration with the activities of other Federal and State agencies; and

(4) provide technical assistance to the Administrator, to other Federal agencies, and to State and local government agencies in—

(A) assessing the condition of estuaries;

(B) identifying estuaries of critical national or regional importance;

(C) identifying technical and management alternatives for the restoration and protection of estuarine resources; and

(D) monitoring the implementation and effectiveness of estuarine management plans.

(c) Authorization

There are authorized to be appropriated to the Administration not to exceed $500,000 for fiscal year 1987, $530,000 for fiscal year 1988, $560,000 for fiscal year 1989, and $600,000 for fiscal year 1990 to carry out the provisions of this section.