ANEP: About Estuaries - New York-New Jersey Harbor Esutary

About Estuaries:
Insights on the NEPs - New York-New Jersey Harbor Esutary

The Harbor Estuary Program has developed over 300 specific actions, through a consensus-based process. Commitments are in place for approximately 75% of the actions. Many actions are being implemented through partnerships among public agencies and with the private sector, including the following:

Identify significant habitats and develop targeted plans to protect them, including the watersheds of the Arthur Kill in NY and NJ and Jamaica Bay in NY.

Track down and clean up discharges of toxic contaminants; for example, discharges of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) from municipal sewage treatment plants.

Control nutrient loadings as necessary to alleviate low dissolved oxygen conditions; for example, by using low cost nitrogen removal methods at municipal sewage treatment plants.

HEP Habitat work group has identified priority acquisition and restoration areas throughout the estuary and published maps of them. Tens of millions of dollars have already been obtained for these sites, primarily through state bond acts.

HEP is in the process of implementing the Contaminant Assessment and Reduction Project (CARP), a $30 million program to determine the main sources of contaminants of concern to the estuary.

New York City Soil and Water Conservation District and HEP have partnered to coordinate a stewardship program which provides technical support and training to local groups interested in conduction monitoring and restoration in their local waterways.

For more information regarding the New York-New Jersey Harbor Estuary Program:

Call 212-637-3809

Write us at New York-New Jersey Harbor Estuary Program Office, USEPA, 290 Broadway, 24^th Floor, New York, NY 10007-1866

Please visit our website at http://www.harborestuary.org