Title 15 — Commerce and TradeRelease 119-73not60

§1511c Estuarine Programs Office

Title 15 › Chapter 40— DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE › § 1511c

Last updated Apr 3, 2026|Official source

Summary

The head of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration must create an Estuarine Programs Office inside NOAA. The office must make and run a national estuary plan that brings together NOAA’s research, rulemaking, and resource duties. It must coordinate estuary work inside NOAA (like research, fisheries, coastal management, and habitat protection) and with other federal and state agencies. It must give technical help to NOAA leaders and to federal, state, and local governments on checking estuary health; naming estuaries of national or regional importance; finding ways to restore and protect estuaries; and tracking how well estuary plans work. Congress may fund the office up to $500,000 for fiscal year 1987, $530,000 for 1988, $560,000 for 1989, and $600,000 for 1990.

Full Legal Text

Title 15, §1511c

Commerce and Trade — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)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)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)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.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

15 U.S.C. § 1511c

Title 15 — Commerce and Trade

Last Updated

Apr 3, 2026

Release point: 119-73not60