An evolutionary perspective on the development and assessment of the national estuary program

Abstract

This article addresses the U.S. approach to managing environmental quality in estuarine regions. It reviews the progress that has been achieved in managing coastal environmental quality and looks at the factors that have affected the design of coastal and estuarine management programs by examining five experiences in environmental management that have been important influences on the development of the National Estuary Program (NEP): the Delaware River Basin Commission (DRBC); the federal river basin commissions; the Section 208 area‐wide waste treatment planning; the federal coastal zone management program; and the Chesapeake Bay Program. These programs offer important strengths and weaknesses as models for managing estuarine environmental quality. The authors propose evaluation criteria based on the strategy, structure, and process of coastal environmental programs, which can be used to evaluate the structure and management process of contemporary coastal environmental programs such as the National Estuary Program, as well as to assess their contributions to the evolving field of coastal environmental management.

Keywords:

• Coastal management
• environmental management
• environmental planning
• estuary management
• governance
• and water quality management