H.R. 3962 — ESTUARIES Act

This section amends the National Estuary Program, which supports development of comprehensive pollution management plans for estuaries of national significance requiring multi-state controls, by (1) adding Mississippi Sound, Mississippi, to the list of estuaries eligible for priority consideration for management conferences; and (2) extending the authorization of appropriations through FY2031 (from FY2026).

This section prohibits the EPA Administrator from using National Estuary Program (NEP) appropriations for FY2025, or for FY2026 unless total appropriations for the program are at least $850,000 more than for FY2024, to implement the addition of Mississippi Sound to the list of priority estuaries under the NEP (33 U.S.C. 1330(a)(2)(B)). (Thus, no such funds may be used for convening a management conference for Mississippi Sound, developing or carrying out its comprehensive conservation and management plan, or providing related grants.)