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CEREMONY FOR MORRO BAY ESTUARY PROGRAM SCHEDULED

Release Date: 4/18/2001
Contact Information: Lisa Fasano, U.S. EPA, 415/744-1587

     SAN FRANCISCO   The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will participate in a celebration of the recent signing that moves the Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan for the Morro Bay National Estuary Program into implementation.

               WHO:           Morro Bay National Estuary Program, federal, state         and local officials

               WHAT:          Local celebration and boat tour for Comprehensive Conservation and
               Management Plan signed in Washington, DC on January 19, 2001

               WHERE:         Windows on the Water Restaurant, 699 Embarcadeo in Morro Bay, CA

               WHEN:          Thursday, April 19 at 11:00 a.m.

               VISUALS:       The Morro Bay Estuary encompasses over 2,000 acres of tidal wetlands, mudflats, and open water habitat.  The distinct Morro Bay rock, towering at 576 feet, stands at the entrance to the bay's mouth.  The estuary contains rich eelgrass beds providing habitat for a number of threatened or
endangered species such as the Morro Bay kangaroo rat, the southern sea otter, the western snowy plover, and the steelhead trout.

CELEBRATION PARTICIPANTS INCLUDE:  
                              Roger Briggs, Executive Officer, Central Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board
               Rodger Anderson, Mayor for City of Morro Bay
               Cheryl McGovern, U.S. EPA Pacific Southwest Region
               Greg Haas from office of Congresswoman Lois Capps
               Pedro Nava, California Coastal Commission
               Richard Macedo representing Shirley Bianchi, 2nd District San Luis    Obispo
               County Board of Supervisors