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ESTUARY PROTECTION AGREEMENT SIGNED

Release Date: 07/25/1996
Contact Information: Frank McIntyre, Office of External Programs; (617) 918-1095

BOSTON --- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the State of New Hampshire today committed to an agreement that will improve the water quality and enhance the living resources of New Hampshire's estuaries.

John P. DeVillars, administrator for EPA's New England region, and key New Hampshire state officials, including Jeffrey H. Taylor, director of the NH Office of State Planning, and Robert W. Varney, commissioner, NH Department of Environmental Services, signed the management conference agreement during a press conference at the Fishermen's Co-Op in Seabrook, N.H.

"You wouldn't have to go far to find someone who knows how important these estuaries are to the state's economy and quality of life - just ask the fishermen who unload their catch here or cross the bridge and ask a Hampton Beach merchant," DeVillars said. "The fishing and tourism industries are worth hundreds of millions of dollars a year to the New Hampshire economy. The Great Bay and Hampton Harbor Estuaries are well worth protecting -- from both an environmental and economic standpoint -- and we look forward to working with the state and the local communities in the coming years to get the job done.

"This agreement is the result of a tremendous commitment by scores of people since we added this project to our priority list - the National Estuary Program - a year ago," DeVillars said. "We asked how we could best focus our efforts and they responded. Members of the public, fishermen and other businesses joined the scientists and government agencies in this collaborative process to protect and improve the water quality and enhance the living resources of New Hampshire's estuaries."

The agreement outlines the legislative guidance, management structure, activities, products, and schedules to complete a Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan (CCMP) for the estuaries in three years.

"The Department of Environmental Services has provided hundreds of millions of dollars to reduce and eliminate pollution in the Seacoast area," Commissioner Varney said. "This project will help us prioritize our efforts as we continue to improve water quality in the region."

The NH Estuaries Project, covering both the Great Bay Estuary and the Hampton Harbor Estuary, will address the following items: improving water conditions for fishing and swimming; re-opening shellfish beds that are now closed; maintaining the beauty of the coastal region; restoring degraded aquatic habitats; and assisting towns and businesses to use and protect the natural resources of the coast.

"The numerous individuals who have helped shape the NH Estuaries Project generally agree that in order to succeed in protecting the estuaries' environmental quality, the project needs to be focused," Taylor said. "Therefore, most of the work will center on identifying, correcting, and preventing runoff pollution, while using shellfish as a tangible indicator of our success.

"As we move from the three-year planning stage to the implementation stage, we hope to see not only more open shellfish beds, but also generally cleaner estuaries, which will have positive impacts on recreational uses, commercial activities, and on the habitat value of the estuaries," he added. "Now that the agreement is signed, we look forward to getting the project underway."

An estuary is a coastal area, such as a bay, where fresh waters from rivers and streams mix with salt water from the ocean. In addition to their important role in the functioning of coastal ecosystems, estuaries are vital parts of the economy, supporting commercial fisheries, national and international ports, and a large number of recreational opportunities.

Great Bay and New Hampshire's 150 miles of tidal shoreline are characterized by a diversity of wildlife habitats, as well as a number of critical water supplies. The large saltwater and freshwater wetlands in the area are important for waterfowl, migratory birds, and a variety of other wildlife, including rare species such as bald eagles and common terns. An Atlantic white cedar swamp in the area has been highly ranked by the state's Natural Heritage Inventory. Shellfish, eelgrass, and other marine organisms can be found in the area's harbors and bays, along with a number of saltwater marsh plants that are rare in the state. There are also numerous community drinking water wells that ring Great Bay and line the Seacoast, and municipalities have few alternate sources of drinking water.