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Tampa Bay National Estuary Program (NEP) (XLC)XLC Logo

The Tampa Bay National Estuary Program (NEP), on behalf of its local government and agency partners, proposes to introduce a Comprehensive Conservation and Managment Plan (CCMP) for Tampa Bay. Developed with strong community participation, the CCMP is based on a prioritized ecosystem approach to environmental management with regulatory flexibility from federal, state, and local agencies. The Plan is comprised of five major action plans addressing the most critical air and water quality issues affecting the Tampa Bay area; each plan details the comprehensive strategies and specific targets for site-based recovery. Monitoring of environmental quality will rely primarily on "living resource" indicators (the health of aquatic habitats and fish and wildlife) to measure the success of the bay's recovery, rather than depending on the strict application of permits. NEP proposes that adaptable regulatory approaches will give local governments and industry the opportunity to seek out the most cost effective means of achieving the greatest overall environmental benefits -- through focusing on improving watersheds and developing localized programs that best reflect the environmental needs of the area, such as local permit trading and modified air and water quality standards. This project would affect regulations for the Tampa Bay Area under sections 402 and 404 of the Clean Water Act, NPDES, and concurrent state and local regulations.

Proposal Documents
Project Correspondence
Federal Register Notices
Final Project Agreement
Evaluation Documents
Other Information


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