Section 1 Short title
This Act may be cited as the “Enhancing Science, Treatment, and Upkeep of America’s Resilient and Important Estuarine Systems Act” or the “ESTUARIES Act”.
Enhancing Science, Treatment, and Upkeep of America’s Resilient and Important Estuarine Systems Act
AN ACT
To amend the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to reauthorize the National Estuary Program, and for other purposes.
Sec. 2 National estuary program
Section 320 of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1330) is amended—
in subsection (a)(2)(B), by striking “and Pensacola and Perdido Bays, Florida” and inserting “Pensacola and Perdido Bays, Florida; and Mississippi Sound, Mississippi”; and
in subsection (i)(1), in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by striking “2026” and inserting “2031”.
Sec. 3 Ineligibility with respect to fiscal years 2025 and 2026
With respect to the amendment made by section 2(1), the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency may not use for the implementation of that amendment, including, with respect to Mississippi Sound, Mississippi, convening a management conference, developing or carrying out a comprehensive conservation and management plan, or providing grants under section 320 of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1330)—
any amounts appropriated to carry out the national estuary program under that section for fiscal year 2025; or
unless the total amount appropriated to carry out that program for fiscal year 2026 is at least $850,000 more than the total amount appropriated to carry out that program for fiscal year 2024, any amounts appropriated to carry out that program for fiscal year 2026.