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Coastal Areas In The Southeast
National Information
The largest coastal and estuarine area served by an EPA regional office exists along the Atlantic Ocean from North Carolina around Florida to Mississippi in the Gulf of Mexico. Much of this area is rich in natural resources, contains major tourist destinations and continues to experience population growth. National estuaries in the Southeast are an important part of this coastal ecosystem.
Several EPA programs and partnerships protect and restore oceans, coasts and estuaries. In the Southeast, these include the following:
- National Estuaries in the Southeast
- Ocean Dumping in the Southeast
- Gulf of Mexico Program
- Mississippi River Basin and Gulf of Mexico Hypoxia
- Water Quality Protection Program for the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary (from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration)
No Discharge Zones in the Southeast
A No Discharge Zone is an area of water where discharge of waste from marine toilets is prohibited. A state with concurrence from EPA may choose to take this action if the state determines that the protection and enhancement of the quality of the specified waters require greater environmental protection than current federal standards allow. In the southeast, No Discharge Zones can be found in Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee.