National Estuary Program Guidance
Authorized in 1987, Section 320 of the Clean Water Act authorizes and establishes the requirements of the National Estuary Program (NEP). Since it was established, the NEP has successfully adapted to new opportunities, challenges and expectations. To enable continued responsiveness to changing conditions, this document contains Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) guidance for the 28 designated estuaries of national significance or individual NEPs about comprehensive conservation management plans, annual workplans, reporting requirements, and major assistance agreement policies funded by the EPA through CWA Section 320 grants and cooperative agreements. This guidance is intended to promote those efforts by consolidating the major applicable requirements and policies into one document for the EPA Regions to use in their oversight of the NEPs and be used as a reference for the NEPs in the course of their work.