WHEREAS:

1. Morro Bay has been designated a "State Estuary" by the California Legislature, which requires that a management plan for the Estuary be prepared; and

2. Section 320 of the Federal Clean Water Act establishes the National Estuary Program (NEP) for the purpose of funding development of resource conservation and management plans in selected estuaries of national interest; and

3. In 1995, the Central Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board prepared a nomination of Morro Bay to the NEP, which the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) supported and authorized by Resolution No. 95-13, and which was approved by the Administrator of U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA); and

4. The Morro Bay NEP was established in 1995 as a cooperative venture among the SWRCB, U.S. EPA, and other State and local agencies and interest groups and has received NEP funding partly through SWRCB since that time; and

5. The Morro Bay NEP expects to receive NEP funds for this final year in the planning phase; and

6. Through U.S. EPA Assistance Agreement No. CE999410, by which the SWRCB receives funds for the Morro Bay NEP, SWRCB has currently to date accepted $308,241 in NEP funds; and

7. U.S. EPA has indicated that future funds for the Morro Bay NEP will be granted through an amendment to Assistance Agreement No. CE999410, which will not thereby exceed $500,000 in the aggregate for the planning phase. The acceptance of this grant augmentation by the Executive Director requires specific authorization by the SWRCB; and

8. SWRCB continues to support the Morro Bay NEP effort and wishes to see the project achieve its goals.

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT:

The SWRCB authorizes the Executive Director to apply for and accept Federal funds, not to exceed in the aggregate $500,000, to support the final year of the planning phase of the Morro Bay NEP Project.

The undersigned, Administrative Assistant to the Board, does hereby certify that the foregoing is a full, true, and correct copy of a resolution duly and regularly adopted at a meeting of the State Water Resources Control Board held on May 27, 1998.

/s/

Maureen Marché

Administrative Assistant to the Board