About the Program

The Harbor Estuary Program (HEP) is a National Estuary Program authorized in 1987 by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The program is a multi-year effort to develop and implement a plan to protect, conserve, and restore the estuary. Participants in the program include representatives from local, state, and federal environmental agencies, scientists, citizens, business interests, environmentalists, and others.

The primary planning document produced by the program is the Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan (CCMP), completed in March of 1996 and signed by the governors of New York and New Jersey the fall of 1997.

Today, HEP is using its Action Plan (Click Here), completed in 2008, to guide its efforts and further refine its focus areas. And, in early 2010, HEP rolled out its "Waters We Share" campaign to spotlight the Harbor's Restoration Plan (Click Here).

The New York-New Jersey Harbor Estuary was designated an "Estuary of National Significance" in 1988 by the US Environmental Protection Agency, in response to a request by the two state Governors. The HEP was convened as a partnership of federal, state, and local governments; scientists; civic and environmental advocates; the fishing community; business and labor leaders; and educators (called the Management Conference). The mission of the Conference was to develop a plan to protect and restore the Estuary. In 1987, Congress also required the preparation of a restoration plan for the New York Bight, the ocean area extending approximately 100 miles beyond Harbor waters. Because the Harbor and Bight are inextricably linked within the larger ecosystem, the two plans were joined.

New York/New Jersey Harbor Estuary Program • 290 Broadway, 24th Floor • New York, NY 10007-1866
Phone: 212-637-3816 • Fax: 212-637-3889 • E-mail: info@harborestuary.org