Eight existing coastal organizations (ALS, CLF, CBF, CRCL, NCCF, PFPS, STB-SF, STB-NB) were invited to attend a meeting in Philadelphia.
In its first major legislative victory, RAE led efforts to successfully advocate for Congressional passage of the Estuary Restoration Act, which was signed into law on November 7, 2000.
Also in 2009, Restore America's Estuaries established the HabNet Coalition, a group of more than 50 conservation organizations that are leading advocacy efforts in support of the U.S.
As a convener, its intent is to objectively create an open dialogue with the multitude of diverse interests involved with, or affecting, coastal habitats.
[11] In the ongoing effort to protect coastlines, RAE has recognized the importance of certain economic and ecological issues that take priority when supporting and funding restoration projects.
Estuaries are the breeding grounds for much commercially and recreationally fished wildlife, contributing billions of dollars and millions of jobs to the U.S. economy each year.
Estuaries also provide a number of ecosystem services including pollutant filtration, storm surge control, and shoreline stabilization.
[12] Restoring natural biological functions to coastlines therefore has the potential to improve water quality, human health, and coastal economies.
In April 2010, RAE hosted a Blue Ribbon Panel of experts to advise the development of a greenhouse gas emissions offset protocol that would include the restoration of tidal wetlands, marshes, and mangrove forests.
[13] The organization is currently exploring ways in which estuary restoration can be used as a carbon sequestration tool to remove a portion of the greenhouse gases that are being emitted into the atmosphere.
As a result of a collaboration between scientists and field practitioners, RAE developed a guide to for estuarine habitat restoration consisting of a set of best practices.