About

Mobile Bay is formally designated as one of the nation’s 28 estuaries of national significance under the Clean Water Act, a status authorized by Congress and administered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

This federal designation affirms the ecological, economic, and cultural importance of Mobile Bay and provides a long-term framework for coordinated protection and restoration under the Mobile Bay National Estuary Program.

As a federally recognized program, MBNEP receives core funding from EPA and operates under national guidance while remaining locally led. This structure allows the program to align federal priorities with on-the-ground needs, leverage additional public and private investment, and convene diverse partners to address complex challenges facing Alabama’s estuaries and coast.