Thank you to all Reserves and friends who have reached out to House and Senate Appropriations Conference Committee members as they work to pass an FY 2022 budget by March 11. We are asking them to fund the NERRS at a level consistent with the Senate appropriations bill, which includes $34 million for NERRS ORF, $6.5 million for NERRS PAC, and a state match waiver for PAC funds. (The House appropriations bill is lower, including $30.5 million for ORF and $4 million for PAC.)

Knowing that Congress has to keep its foot on the gas to begin the appropriations process for FY 2023, NERRA has put forward a $42.5M NERRS ORF budget request. We ask all NERRA board members (or their partners) to schedule zoom meetings with their members of Congress in March. This is a critical time to showcase the good work we have done, our readiness for growth, and our vision for a future consistent with this ambitious funding request.

We encourage all Reserve Friends, volunteers, and partners to link arms across our estuaries and join again with NERRA as we make the case for a FY 2023 NERRS budget that supports our commitment to provide the science, data, education, training, and conservation needed by our communities and our nation.