In 1965, California enacted the McAteer-­‐Petris Act to establish BCDC. In the over third of a century since BCDC was established, a number of state and federal laws have been enacted which contribute to the protection of San Francisco Bay. Under the federal Clean Water Act the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board regulate discharges into the Bay and protect Bay Area wetlands. The National Environmental Policy Act and the California Environmental Quality Act provide government agencies and members of the public with the critical information they need to evaluate whether development in and around the Bay should be authorized. The federal Coastal Zone Management Act established a voluntary partnership between coastal states and the federal government to protect the national interest in coastal resource management. And the California Coastal Act was passed to protect the state's Pacific Ocean coastal zone. BCDC was not made redundant by the passage of these laws nor does BCDC duplicate the roles of other agencies. Instead, the Commission plays a critical role in Bay governance, a role which complements the responsibilities and authorities of other public agencies involved in Bay protection and development.</p>