The U.S. House of Representatives passed the Pensacola and Perdido Bays Estuary of National Significance Act on Dec. 9.

This action directs the administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to formally enroll the Pensacola and Perdido Bays Estuary Program (PPBEP) into the National Estuary Program and designate Pensacola and Perdido Bays as "Estuaries of National Significance."

The bill passed unanimously in the U.S. Senate in March and now heads to President Biden to be signed into law.

"Designation as a National Estuary Program is a generational investment in the restoration and conservation of our estuaries and watersheds. Children growing up in Northwest Florida today enjoy much of the same quality of life their parents and grandparents grew up with: access to fishing, swimming and exploring our area's beautiful natural resources," Pensacola and Perdido Bays Estuary Program Executive Director Matt Posner said in the release, noting this designation allows the program to build on existing efforts to support this way of life "for generations to come."

U.S. Sens. Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Rick Scott (R-FL) introduced the legislation to federally designate the PPBEP to leverage federal, state and local government funding to address water quality and resource challenges in Pensacola and Perdido Bays.

Rubio said in a press release that the EPA's National Estuary Program has a successful track record of cooperative federalism across the nation, including with the four existing Florida programs.

Enrolling the PPBEP into this program will provide support for restoration, conservation and monitoring efforts in Pensacola and Perdido Bays while enhancing economic activity in the Florida Panhandle, he said.

EPA's National Estuary Program was established by Congress in 1987 to support non-regulatory, science-based and locally driven programs across the U.S. to address resource management challenges. The PPBEP will be the first new National Estuary Program added to the existing 28 programs in over 30 years.

"This is an overdue recognition of the economic and environmental importance of Pensacola and Perdido Bays to Northwest Florida and our nation," Florida Chief Resilience Officer Wes Brooks said. "The National Estuary Program designation will supplement current local and state investments that are already generating regional water quality improvements and enhancing the resilience of surrounding local communities."

The health and resilience of Pensacola and Perdido Bays are critical to the regional economy. Through the National Estuary Program, local communities are impowered to identify natural resource challenges and implement solutions through science-based, community-driven actions. The designation ensures a commitment to improving water quality and enhancing community resilience in Northwest Florida and southern Alabama through strategic partnerships and investments.

Since creation in 2018, PPBEP and its partners have secured over $30 million to implement priority restoration, resilience and conservation projects in the Pensacola and Perdido Bay watersheds. This action ensures funding and policy decisions made today support the long-term sustainability of the region's natural resources and economy.

Many local and national partners have worked for years to secure National Estuary Program designation, recognizing working at the watershed-scale through partnerships is a far more effective and efficient approach to improving water quality, restoring habitat and supporting community resilience.

"We welcome the increased prioritization of the Pensacola and Perdido watersheds. The watersheds connect Alabama and Florida's lands and waters, and the human and natural species that depend on them. With the passage of S.50, we celebrate and look forward to bigger and better partnerships in the future," The Nature Conservancy in Alabama Executive Director Mitch Reid said.