U.S. Environmental Protection Agency2010-02-152010-02-151990http://hdl.handle.net/1969.3/2501144 pgs.The NEP (National Estuary Program) currently includes 12 estuaries selected to reflect specific regional problems as well as problems common to all estuaries. These 12 estuary programs also reflect varying stages of development; some were established almost five years ago, others only recently. This means that some questions asked of this report cannot be answered definitely yet. Nevertheless, the six programs have made strong advances towards restoring their estuaries. These programs confirm the need to return resources as well as decision-making power to local institutions. Even more critically, the collective experience proves that local officials, technical experts, and citizens can work together effectively to protect and manage an irreplaceable common resource. This report documents their progress.estuarine area conservationrestorationinformationestuaryBook