RESTORE Council Inititial Funded Priorities List

The RESTORE Council completed its Initial Funded Priorities List in April 2016. The list funds approximately $156.6 million in restoration activities such as hydrologic restoration, land conservation, and planning for large-scale restoration projects. It also prioritizes 12 restoration activities for possible funding in the future, subject to environmental compliance and further Council review. 

As a member on the Council, the Department was actively engaged in developing restoration proposals for the Funded Priorities List. Some of the projects reflect Interior’s priorities for building climate resilient habitats, which include efforts to conserve existing habitat, restore and rebuild degraded habitat, support tribal responsibilities and provide science-based information to ensure future projects are built on a solid foundation. The projects also focus on investments in water quality improvements and hydrologic restoration across the Gulf, which will provide direct benefits to millions of migratory birds and hundreds of federally-listed, at-risk species that call the Gulf home.

The Department is leading implementation of the following projects: 

  • Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve Canal Backfilling
  • Plug Abandoned Oil and Gas Wells at Padre Island National Seashore
  • Strategic Conservation Assessment Framework of Gulf Coast Landscapes
  • Baseline Flow, Gage Analysis and On-Lone Tool to Support Restoration

The Department will partner with other Council members on many of the funded projects, including:

  • Bahia Grande Coastal Corridor
  • Bahia Grande Wetland System Restoration
  • Council Monitoring and Assessment Program Development
  • Gulf of Mexico Alliance (GOMA) Coordination
  • Gulf of Mexico Conservation Enhancement Grant Program
  • Gulf of Mexico Habitat Restoration via Conservation Corps Partnership
  • SeaGrant Education and Outreach
  • Strategic Land Protection, Conservation & Enhancement Benefits of Priority Gulf Coast Landscapes in Mississippi
  • Upper Mobile Bay Beneficial Use Wetland Creation Site

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