The Hudson River Estuary [1] and its watershed areas have just been declared as one of the country's "Great Waters," underscoring the river's importance and potential for improvement. 

The designation of the entire Hudson River system as a Great Water creates new opportunities for collaboration and improvement. The America's Great Waters Coalition made the designation this week, laying the groundwork for more effective federal contributions to the river's restoration. The new designation validates and reinforces the vision a broad array of partners has established for sustainable development centered on protecting the region's natural resources, and for connecting more people to these irreplaceable treasures.

Several prominent environmental organizations -- including Hudson River Sloop Clearwater [2], the Hudson River Watershed Alliance [3], the OurHudson Steering Committee [4], Hudson Riverkeeper [5] and Scenic Hudson [6] -- are calling for a new model for federal involvement on the Hudson River. Their goal is to sustain the river as a natural resource and a foundation for creating a sustainable economic future for the Hudson Valley.

The America's Great Waters Coalition [7] consists of 70 local, regional and national organizations that believe that speaking with a united voice and working together will help nationalize clean water, habitat restoration, watershed-based planning and public education efforts.

New York State is in a leadership position to garner federal support and attention for the Hudson because of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation's Hudson River Estuary Program [8], which has developed a regional vision for the environment and compatible economic development that builds on the Hudson Valley's history of innovation and leadership.