The Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council (RESTORE Council) announces that it has reached an important milestone: It has awarded over $1 Billion in funding for restoration activities across the gulf coast using funds from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill settlement.  “EPA is thrilled that the RESTORE Council has been able to invest $1 billion dollars in Gulf Coast restoration and in the communities that call this national treasure home,” said Janet McCabe, EPA Deputy Administrator and RESTORE Council Chair. “These funds are giving local communities and habitats a second chance to grow and thrive and they will help ensure the long-term health and resilience of the Gulf Coast ecosystem.” The infographic below summarizes this investment. 

 

RESTORE Council Background

The RESTORE Council was established in 2012 by the Resources and Ecosystems Sustainability, Tourist Opportunities, and Revived Economies of the Gulf Coast States Act of 2012 (RESTORE Act), a federal law enacted in response to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. The RESTORE Council consists of the governors of five Gulf Coast states (Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas) and the cabinet heads of six federal agencies (the U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Department of the Army, U.S. Department of Commerce, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, and U.S. Department of the Interior, as well as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency).  

The RESTORE Council oversees administration of 60% of the funds made available from the Gulf Coast Restoration Trust Fund established in the wake of the oil spill. Under the 2016 Deepwater Horizon consent decree among the United States, the five Gulf States, and British Petroleum (BP), BP makes payments into the Trust Fund over a 15-year period ending in 2031. 

As funds become available, the RESTORE Council works collaboratively and with input from stakeholders across the Gulf to develop Funded Priorities Lists (FPLs), which designate ecosystem projects and programs for funding. FPL funding decisions are guided by criteria set forth in the RESTORE Act and the Council’s Comprehensive Plan for Restoration. In addition, the RESTORE Council oversees funding for State-led restoration and recovery efforts provided in State Expenditure Plans (SEPs)developed under the RESTORE Act. After FPLs and SEPs are approved, funding is administered through federal awards to the sponsors identified to implement the approved activities.

 

 

 

These are just a portion of the metrics being tracked by the Council and are provided to highlight some of the progress being made to improve the health and productivity of the Gulf ecosystem.

Learn more about:

Story Map- Draft 2022 Comprehensive Plan Update

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Keala J. Hughes

Director of External Affairs & Tribal Relations

(504) 717-7235

 

keala.hughes@restorethegulf.gov