INTRODUCTION The estuaries of the United States are recognized as one of our nation's most valuable natural features. Until passage of the Coastal Zone Management Act (CZMA) of 1972, however, there were no federal laws to regulate development and exploitation of this fragile ecotype (Wright, 1987). The coastal zone management initiative recognizes that coastal resources management must embrace land and water issues jointly and concurrently. "It is clear that land, or "dryside”, developments can have a strong effect on water, or "wetside", resources" (Clark and McCreary, 1987). History has shown that some of the most controversial coastal management issues involve controlling "dryside" impacts. One of the CZMA's primary goals was to bring "dryside" land development under control through a joint land-use regulatory undertaking with the states (Clark and McCreary, 1987). "While the coastal management program was thought to have a good potential for success in "dryside" control, neither Congress nor any of the outside proponents believed that adequate protection for research estuaries could be guaranteed by regulation" (Clark and McCreary, 1987). At the same time, there was a growing need for more and more information regarding the functions and processes of estuarine ecosystems, and human's effects on them, but fewer and fewer undisturbed or non-polluted estuarine areas remained for scientific study and public education. (Division of Coastal Management, 1985). In response to these issues, Congress established the National Estuarine Sanctuary Program. The primary purpose of the program, now renamed the National Estuarine Reserve Research System (NERRS), was to forestall ecological degradation of certain estuaries, and to encourage long-term scientific research in these field "laboratories." Today, the program also has a strong emphasis on public education, helping to provide citizens with an opportunity to acquire knowledge, skills, values, and attitudes concerning the protection of estuaries. LEGISLATIVE HISTORY OF THE NATIONAL ESTUARINE RESERVE RESEARCH Section 315 of the CZMA of 1972, as Amended The NERRS was created by Section 315 of the CZMA of 1972 (PL 92-583). Provisions under Section 315 authorized the Secretary of Commerce to, "Acquire, develop, or operate estuarine sanctuaries, to serve as natural field laboratories in which to study and gather data on the natural and human processes occurring within the estuaries of the coastal zone" (16 U.S.C. 1461, 1972). The intent was to maintain a representative sample of unique natural areas in "near-baseline" conditions (Clark and McCreary, 1987). In addition, under the 1972 Act, the program was to, "Acquire lands to provide for access to public beaches and other public coastal areas of environmental, recreational, historical, aesthetic, ecological, or cultural value, and for the preservation of islands" (16 U.S.C. 1461, 1972). To accomplish these goals, the Secretary was authorized to make financial assistance awards on a 50-50 basis to coastal states (including the Great Lakes). The grant funds were to be used for planning, acquisition, and the first 5 years of managing the approved sanctuaries. Section 303 of the Coastal Zone Management Improvement Act of 1980 In regards to the Estuarine Sanctuaries, Section 303 of the Coastal Zone Improvement Act (CZIA) of 1980 (P.L. 96-464) contained a few minor alterations to the language of the original bill. Perhaps the most striking change in respect to the NERRS program involved the amendments to Section 303 of the original CZMA. This Section (16 U.S.C. 1452), also known as the "Congressional Declaration of Policy”, included guidelines that the coastal states must follow in their respective coastal programs. The first provision called for, "The Protection of natural resources, including wetlands, floodplains, estuaries, beaches, dunes, barrier islands, coral reefs, and fish and wildlife and their habitat, within the coastal zone” (16 U.S.C. 1452, 1980). In addition, the guidelines provided each state with, "Assistance to support comprehensive planning, conservation, and management for living marine resources..." (16 U.S.C. 1452, 1980). Clearly, these guidelines directed states to give a priority to the protection of estuarine areas. With this amended Declaration of Policy, Congress had voiced its support for the mission of the Estuarine Sanctuary Program. The Clark Report (“Assessing the National Estuarine Sanctuary Program”) In 1974, NOAA published guidelines for selection and operation of sanctuaries and for the operation of the Estuarine Sanctuary Program (ESP) (Clark, 1982). To aid in the selection of sites, the NOAA guidelines contained a biogeographic classification system (BGC) which defined 11 "types" of estuarine ecosystems including a brief description of each. Based on the BGC classification, the first 12 sites were selected (Clark, 1982). In 1981, the Office of Coastal Zone Management (OCZM) commissioned John Clark (1982) to evaluate the 1974 BCG system and make specific recommendations. Clark added 27 biogeographical subcategories termed Regions to the original 11 ecosystem classifications, and suggested a typology classification to be used for site evaluation and selection which considered estuary characteristics that were not related to regional locations. This two-tiered approach allowed for "regional differentiation" as well as ensured a "variety of ecosystems" for the ESP. Section 6041 of the Coastal Zone Management Reauthorization Act of 1986 While the original goal of the ESP was to acquire, develop, and operate estuarine areas as natural field laboratories, the Coastal Zone Reauthorization Act of 1986 (PL 99-272) added a new emphasis to the Program-that of education-deleted the nonfunded section for barrier island acquisition, and changed the name of the program to the NERRS. The 1986 Act also called for revisions of the procedures for selecting, designating, and operating Estuarine Sanctuaries, as suggested in the "Clark Report." In addition, a new preacquisition framework was included, whereby eligible states could apply for awards to aid in selecting an estuarine sitein conformity with the classification scheme and typology in site selection. The 1986 reauthorization language emphasized, for the first time, the research value of a site. An area can be designated a National Estaurine Research Reserve if the Secretary of Commerce finds, among others, that "the area is a representative estuarine ecosystem that is suitable for long-term research and contributes to the biogeographical and typological balance of the System. That is why it was renamed to National Estuarine Research Research System. Site Description Clark defined an Estuarine Sanctuary as, “A research area which may include any part or all of an estuary and any island, transitional area, and upland in, adjoining, or adjacent to such estuary, and which constitutes to the extent feasible, a natural unit, set aside to provide scientists and students the opportunity to examine, over a period of time, the ecological relationships within the area" (Clark, 1982). Currently, there are 18 established Reserves in the NERRS protecting approximately 262,000 acres of estuarine lands. This figure represents less than 20 percent of the total number of estuaries in this country. Table 1 lists the NERRS sites by region. In addition to the 18 Reserves now in the system, new sites are proposed in Maryland (two components), South Carolina (two reserves); Virginia (four components); the St. Lawrence River Basin, Delaware (two components); San Francisco Bay, and major expansions proposed at Rookery Bay, Maryland and North Carolina. The goal of the NERRS is to establish and manage a system of reserves representing different coastal regions and estuarine types that exist in the United States and its territories. The completed NERRS will include a site representing each of the nation's biological and geographic coastal regions (Wright, 1987). Clark believed that to fulfill this goal the NERRS should contain a total of at least 27 sites (Clark, 1982). Acquiring NERRS Funds and Funding Levels Funding appropriations for the NERRS are designed to accomplish numerous objectives. NOAA is authorized to make 50 percent grants to coastal states to help defray the costs associated with the designation and operation of the reserves. Three types of grants are available: 1) the preacquisition award, for site selection and draft management plan preparation; 2) the acquisition and development award, for land acquisition, minor construction activities (such as nature trails and boat ramps) and program development, and 3) the operation and management award, for assistance in implementing the research, educational, and administrative programs that are detailed in the individual research reserve management plans. Any coastal state with laws that afford long-term protection to estuarine resources is eligible for the matching grants. At the conclusion of federal financial assistance, funding for the long-term operation of the reserve becomes the state's responsibility (Jarman, 1987). Following a "start-up" appropriation of $4,000,000, funding levels during the initial stages of the program (FY 1975-1978) remained below $2 million. Because the program was new, it took most of the coastal states a few years "start-up" time to begin their Estuarine Research Reserve programs. As more and more states began their programs, funding levels began to increase. Beginning in FY 1979, funding levels approached $3 million, and they remained at this level during most of the 80s although there were some fluctuations. Funding finally broke the $3 million level in 1990 with a $3.49 million appropriation. Research Programs Although protection of estuaries is a primary goal of the NERRS, many estuaries are part of a multiple-use system where natural resources are used as well as studied. In order to stimulate high-quality research within designated estuaries, the Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management's Marine and Estuarine Management Division (MEMD) provides limited financial support for research in the NERRS. Funds are available on a competitive 50 percent matching basis to any university, qualified public or private research institution, or coastal state to conduct estuarine research. Each reserve management plan specifies priorities and outlines research needs within its system. In addition to these site-specific needs, NOAA announces annual research opportunities for each fiscal year. A phased monitoring program was started in 1989. Phase I concerns site characterization. Phase II is the development of a site profile document. Phase III is a long-term monitoring program. Education Programs Educational programming at the Reserves creates a direct link between estuarine scientists and the public. A variety of classes, guided walks, and workshops are offered at the Reserves and are available to schools from kindergarten through college level (OCRM, 1987). Specifically, the 1985 Coastal Zone Management Reauthorization Act authorized the award of grants for educational and interpretive activities, including: design, development, and distribution/placement of educational media; development and presentation of curricula, workshops, lectures, for on-site facility and field use; extension/outreach programs; and creative and innovative methods for implementing interpretive or educational projects (Federal Register, 1988). CONCLUSION Estuaries are among the most biologically productive systems on earth. The NERRS was originally conceived to protect natural estuarine areas as laboratories for teaching and research. The program has certainly accomplished this mandate, currently 18 Reserves protect over 262,000 acres of estuarine acreage. Each of these Reserves has its own character and flavor, a |