THE BARNEGAT BAY ESTUARY PROGRAM

In 1995, the Office of the Governor of New Jersey requested the admission of Barnegat Bay into the EPA's National Estuary Program. This program was established by Congress under the 1987 Clean Water Act to protect and restore environmentally important coastal areas. The Estuary was officially accepted into the program on April 16, 1996 with a signing of a joint USEPA/State Conference Agreement making Barnegat Bay one of twenty-eight estuary programs nationwide. The Barnegat Bay Estuary Program has been funded by the USEPA for four years. In this time period the BBEP has utilized the funds for science, education, and research related environmental and social issues. These efforts will culminate in the development of a Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan (CCMP) to protect the Estuary.

The Barnegat Bay Estuary Program (BBEP) is "a partnership of federal, state, and local interestes" (BBEP 1997) overseeing the development of a management plan and the community efforts in the Bay area. The Program is made up of subcommittees who oversee the various aspects of the management plan: the Citizens Advisory Committee, the Science and Technical Advisory Committee, the Management Committee, and the Policy Committee.

One way in which the BBEP involves and receives input from the community is through the Citizens Advisory Committee (CAC). This committee is made up of various community members who provide public input into the decision making process. The CAC also established a Public Outreach Work Group (POWG) to design a Public Outreach Strategy for the Bay and to put that strategy to work. This committee meets regularly to work on specific projects to reach out to the community.

The CCMP is currently under final review by the Management Committee. A final Draft plan will be presented to the Policy Committee and the USEPA in January 2001 for final approval. The plan contains action items and solicits commitment from various agencies and programs for the implementation of items identified by the program that will assure the protection of the Barnegat Bay Estuary. The action items were summarized by the Bureau and forwarded to the appropriate Management Team members for review in early December. The plan will also provide a solid foundation for the development of a watershed management plan for Watershed Management Area 13.

Related Links

	Barnegat Bay Estuary Program
	NJDEP Strategy for Barnegat Bay