About BTNEP (bĭt-něp)

On September 13, 1990, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the State of Louisiana committed to a cooperative agreement under the National Estuary Program to form the Barataria-Terrebonne National Estuary Program (BTNEP).

A partnership of all the stakeholders of the Barataria-Terrebonne estuarine complex was created including government, business, scientists, conservation organizations, agricultural interests and individuals called the Management Conference.

The Barataria-Terrebonne National Estuary Program operates under the Comprehensive Conservation Management Plan (CCMP). The plan includes the implementation of science-based, consensus-driven actions that utilize partnerships focused on the estuary’s rich cultural, economic, and natural resources.

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Comprehensive Conservation Management Plan

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These following goals provide the basis for all plans found in the CCMP:

  • Preserve and restore wetlands and barrier islands
  • Support diverse, natural biological communities
  • Develop and meet water quality standards that protect both estuarine resources and human health
  • Promote environmentally responsible economic activities that sustain estuarine resources
  • Generate national recognition and support
  • Implement comprehensive education and awareness programs that enhance public involvement and maintain cultural heritage
  • Create an accessible, comprehensive database with interpreted information for the public
  • Create clear, fair, practical, and enforceable regulations
  • Develop and maintain multi-level, long-term, comprehensive watershed planning
  • Be compatible with natural processes
  • Forge common-ground solutions to estuarine problems
  • Formulate indicators of estuarine ecosystem health and balance estuary use