The Coastal America Partnership

In 1992, President Bush began a modest effort called Coastal America to bring federal agencies together in joint programs to address coastal issues such as habitat loss and degradation, water pollution, and contaminated sediments. By 1995, the original partnership of four agencies (the Environmental Protection Agency, the Fish and Wildlife Service, the Army Corps of Engineers and the National Marine Fisheries Service) had grown to embrace 20 agencies. Recent Coastal America projects include the following:

Wetlands Restoration: Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts

In conjunction with the development of a high-speed rail corridor, agencies cooperated to restore tidal flow and wetlands constricted by past road and rail construction.

Right Whale Protection/Vessel Traffic Safety: Florida, Georgia

Cooperative effort to prevent ships from colliding with right whales and safely maintain vessel traffic by real-time monitoring of whale locations during calving season.

Sonoma Baylands Restoration/Dredge Material Disposal: California

Use of dredge material from the Petaluma River and Oakland Harbor to restore wetlands in the Sonoma Baylands, thus increasing the depth of ship channels and enhancing access to ports while improving the bay habitat.

Oyster Reef Creation/Coal Ash Disposal: Texas

Successful establishment of oyster reefs in coastal waters using fly ash waste product from coal-fired plants in the Houston/Galveston area, thus resolving a waste disposal problem and promoting oyster production.

Duwamish River Restoration/Waterfront Development: Washington

Restoration of the inter-tidal habitat important to the salmon fishery along the urbanized Duwamish River in Seattle, thus increasing salmon and other wildlife populations while enhancing public access and improving the quality of life in this active waterfront area.