The Elizabeth River estuary is used for commercial and military use and is one of the most commonly used ports on the East Coast of the USA. From 2015-2019, 11 different conditions were measured in various areas of the Elizabeth River. Throughout the river, there were consistently high levels of nitrogen and phosphorus, along with high levels of other contaminants contributing to the poor quality of life for bottom feeders along the river.  The main cause of the pollution to the Elizabeth river has been the military and industrial activities through the 1990s. In 1993, the Elizabeth River Project was started in attempt to do a restoration project on the river. Adopting one of the fish whose species had been largely impacted by the pollution, the Fundulus heteroclitus (Mummichog), the group was able to gain traction and carry out multiple projects and has removed thousands of tons of contaminated sediment.  In 2006, Maersk-APM, a major shipping company, wanted to build a new port on the Elizabeth River. As part of the environmental mitigation they worked with the Elizabeth River Project to create the Money Point Project, which was an effort to restore Money Point, which had been deemed biologically depleted due to a black tar like substance called creosote laying at the bottom. Maersk-APM gave $5 million to help get the project up and running. By 2012, they were able to restore over 7 acres of tidal marsh, 3 acres of oyster reef and created a new shoreline. In 2019, the Money Point Project received the "Best Restored Shore" award from the American Shore and Beach Preservation Association.