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<DIV><A name=OLE_LINK1><FONT size=2><FONT face=Tahoma>Restore America’s
Estuaries announced today that 80 federal programs are authorized to fund
habitat restoration in FY2003. According to Restore America’s Estuaries’ latest
study, <I>Funding for Habitat Restoration Projects: A Citizen’s Guide,
</I></FONT></FONT></A><SPAN style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK1"><SPAN
style="mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt"><FONT size=2><FONT face=Tahoma>programs have
varying funding levels that could be used for restoration. Programs range from
the Estuary Habitat Restoration Act, which provides $1 million to restore
degraded estuary habitats, to the Surface Transportation Program, a $5.9 billion
program which may be used for habitat restoration in conjunction with
transportation enhancements projects within the National Highway
System.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office"
/><o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></SPAN></SPAN></DIV>
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style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK1"><SPAN style="mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt"><FONT
size=2><FONT face=Tahoma> <o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></SPAN></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoHeader
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify; tab-stops: -.75in -.5in 0in .5in 49.5pt"><SPAN
style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK1"><FONT size=2><FONT face=Tahoma><SPAN
style="mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt">According </SPAN>to Mark Wolf-Armstrong,
President of Restore America’s Estuaries, “This research clearly shows the
breadth and depth of opportunity for funding habitat restoration. Unfortunately,
the potential is far greater than the reality. Many of these programs have the
authority to spend for restoration, but do not. As our coastal natural resources
continue to decline, we need to push for more resources directly applied to
restoration.”</FONT></FONT></SPAN></P><SPAN
style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK1"></SPAN>
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size=2><FONT face=Tahoma> <o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
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face=Tahoma size=2>The 80 programs fall under seven federal agencies: the
Environmental Protection Agency, and the Departments of Interior, Agriculture,
Commerce, Defense, Transportation, and Health and Human Services. The funding
guide provides a quick, comprehensive and accessible review of the often hidden
federal funds that may be used to implement on-the-ground habitat restoration
projects. Its design and layout provides users with easy access to critical
information about funding sources, eligibility and contact. The guide is
available online as a printable PDF document and as an interactive database
at </FONT><A href="http://www.estuaries.org/policyandfunding.php"><FONT
face=Tahoma color=#800080
size=2>http://www.estuaries.org/policyandfunding.php</FONT></A><FONT face=Tahoma
size=2>. </FONT></P>
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size=2><FONT face=Tahoma> <o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
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size=2><FONT face=Tahoma><I>Funding for Habitat Restoration Projects</I> was
originally created in 1996 in an effort to bring organization and order to the
information available regarding federal programs that fund (or could fund)
restoration activities. Today, it reaches farther to play a key role in Restore
America’s Estuaries’ National Strategy to Restore Coastal and Estuarine
Habitat. </FONT></FONT><FONT face=Tahoma size=2>For more information, see:
<A href="http://www.estuaries.org/">http://www.estuaries.org</A>.</FONT></P>
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face=Tahoma size=2></FONT> </P>
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face=Tahoma size=2></FONT> </P>
<DIV align=left>
<DIV align=left><FONT face=Arial color=#000080
size=1>**********************************</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial color=#000080 size=1>Nicole M. Maylett<BR>Conference
Coordinator<BR>Restore America's Estuaries<BR>3801 North Fairfax Drive<BR>Suite
53<BR>Arlington, VA 22203</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#000080 size=1></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial><FONT color=#000080 size=1>(703) 524-0248 (voice)<BR>(703)
524-0287 (fax)<BR></FONT><A href="mailto:nmaylett@estuaries.org"><FONT
color=#000080 size=1>nmaylett@estuaries.org</FONT></A><BR><A
href="http://www.estuaries.org/"><FONT color=#000080
size=1>www.estuaries.org</FONT></A></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial><FONT size=2></FONT><FONT size=2></FONT><FONT
size=2></FONT><FONT size=2></FONT><FONT size=2></FONT><FONT
size=2></FONT><BR></FONT><FONT face=Arial><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 8pt; COLOR: red; FONT-FAMILY: Wingdings; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Tahoma; mso-hansi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings"><SPAN
style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 8pt; COLOR: red; FONT-FAMILY: 'Wingdings 3'; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Tahoma; mso-hansi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: 'Wingdings 3'"><SPAN
style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: 'Wingdings 3'"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA">*<SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA">*<SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA">*</SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 8pt; COLOR: red; FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt">Save
the date for the</SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 8pt; FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><B><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 9pt; COLOR: navy; FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt"><FONT
size=1><SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>2nd
National Conference on<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></B></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><B><SPAN
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size=1><SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN>Coastal and Estuarine Habitat Restoration</FONT></SPAN></B><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 8pt; COLOR: navy; FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt"><BR></SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 8pt; COLOR: navy; FONT-FAMILY: 'Wingdings 3'; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Tahoma; mso-hansi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: 'Wingdings 3'"><SPAN
style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: 'Wingdings 3'"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA"><FONT
color=#004080>*<SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA">*</SPAN></FONT></SPAN></SPAN></SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 8pt; COLOR: navy; FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt"><FONT
color=#004080> </FONT>September 12-15, 2004 in Seattle,
Washington<BR></SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 8pt; COLOR: navy; FONT-FAMILY: 'Wingdings 3'; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Tahoma; mso-hansi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: 'Wingdings 3'"><SPAN
style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: 'Wingdings 3'"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA"><FONT
color=#000000><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 8pt; COLOR: navy; FONT-FAMILY: 'Wingdings 3'; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Tahoma; mso-hansi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: 'Wingdings 3'"><SPAN
style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: 'Wingdings 3'"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA"><FONT
color=#004080>*<SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA">*</SPAN></FONT></SPAN></SPAN></SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 8pt; COLOR: navy; FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt"><FONT
color=#004080> </FONT></SPAN></FONT></SPAN></SPAN></SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 8pt; COLOR: navy; FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt">More
details available soon at <A href="http://www.estuaries.org/"><SPAN
style="COLOR: navy">www.estuaries.org</SPAN></A></SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 8pt; FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P></DIV></FONT></DIV>
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