On Tuesday, the Bipartisan Congressional Estuary Caucus, whose leadership includes two Florida Republicans, brought out a resolution to honor this week as National Estuaries Week.
U.S. Rep. Bill Posey, R-Fla., offered the resolution with the support of U.S. Reps. Brian Mast, R-Fla., Suzanne Bonamici, D-Oreg., and Rick Larsen, D-Wash. Other backers include U.S. Rep. Greg Steube, R-Fla.
“The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) established National Estuaries week in 1988 to raise awareness about the vital role estuaries play in our communities and economies, and to encourage more local involvement in caring for these diverse ecosystems,” Posey’s office noted.
“Our Indian River Lagoon is important to our quality of life, our local economies, tourism, and it provides a critical habitat to many indigenous species of wildlife and plant life,” said Posey on Tuesday. “National Estuaries Week encourages concerned citizens to become more involved in efforts to care for and manage the health of these critical ecosystems.”
“The devastating problems facing the Indian River Lagoon, Caloosahatchee, St. Lucie and Lake Worth Lagoon demonstrate over and over again that our economy, public health and environmental protection go hand-in-hand. National Estuaries Week is a reminder of the importance of these critical habitats. We must continue to fight to protect and restore our waterways,” said Mast.
“Oregon’s economic vitality depends on the health of the lower Columbia River estuary,” said Bonamici. “Rising sea levels, ocean acidification, hypoxia, and harmful algal blooms threaten this irreplaceable resource. We must invest in research and restoration projects to protect and restore the vitality of the Columbia River estuary and estuaries across the country. I am pleased to join my co-chairs on the Congressional Estuary Caucus in recognizing National Estuaries Week to draw more attention to these valuable ecosystems.”
“In the Pacific Northwest, protecting estuaries is vital for the environment and the economy,” said Larsen. “Washington’s Second District is home to parts of Puget Sound, the nation’s largest estuary by water volume, and its connecting rivers and streams, diverse wildlife and marine ecosystems. I will continue work with the Caucus to champion efforts to protect these critical natural resources and secure federal funding to preserve Washington’s lands and waters for current and future generations to enjoy.”
“The Congressional Estuary Caucus was founded as a bipartisan working group to give our estuaries a voice in Congress and advance meaningful bipartisan legislation to support their health and preservation,” Posey’s office noted.
The resolution was sent to the U.S. House Natural Resources Committee.
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