Overview
The Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary (FKNMS) Water Quality Protection Program (WQPP) is a twenty-year-plus collaborative effort by federal, state, and local governments, elected officials, non-governmental organizations, academics, and local citizens dedicated to protecting and improving water quality, coral reefs, seagrasses, fisheries, and recreational opportunities.
In 1990, Congress formally recognized the uniqueness of the Florida Keys ecosystem with the signing of the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary and Protection Act. Acknowledging the critical role of clean, clear water in maintaining marine resources within the sanctuary, the Act directed the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the State of Florida and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to create a Water Quality Protection Program for the Sanctuary to be managed by a Steering Committee charged with establishing guidance, developing policy, and overseeing activities to achieve the purposes of the program, including recommending the adoption or revision of water quality standards and pollution control measures, and establishing comprehensive monitoring programs to evaluate sources of pollution, the effectiveness of efforts to mitigate pollution, and progress toward achieving water quality standards and protecting sanctuary resources. This was the first such program for a marine sanctuary in the nation.
The Act also requires the formation of a Technical Advisory Committee comprised of scientists from federal and state agencies, academic institutions, non-governmental organizations, and knowledgeable citizens to assist with prioritizing scientific research and designing an effective long-term monitoring program. The management committee, comprised of federal and state managers, coordinates and facilitates the activities of the Steering and Technical committees.
