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GOMA WEB RESOURCES
Check it out! GOMA's website now contains useful regional resources:
Events calendar lists upcoming conferences, symposia, and meetings.
Employment Opportunities lists job postings from regional partners.
Gulf Observations & Monitoring information is now available.
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- Bioretention Design & Vegetation Jan 28, 2015 - Swale, Level Spreader, & Vegetated Design January 29, 2015 - Constructed Stormwater Wetland Design February 25, 2015 - Permeable Pavement Design February 26, 205 For more information go to http://www.gulfalliancetraining.org/ |
PRIORITY ISSUE TEAM CONFERENCE CALLS:
Education Call Tues, Jan 13 Resilience Team Meeting Feb 4-6
To contact Team Coordinators, see Quick Links below.
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Mapping Regional Restoration:
DWH Project Tracker
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GOMA's Restoration Project Map is being enhanced to the future DWH Project Tracker. It will allow users to view restoration projects as well as research activities in progress across the Gulf. Click here to see the site!
Currently, the site contains projects from GOMA, GoMRI, NFWF, and NRDA. The DWH Project Tracker will be inclusive to all settlement funding programs.
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Come See Us!
We love visitors! With our new
sign out front, you can't miss us. Stop by 1151 Robinson Street in Ocean Springs, Mississippi and we'll show you around.
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Changes for Gulf of Mexico Alliance
Priority Issue Teams
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After 10 years of collaboration, the Gulf of Mexico Alliance partnership is nearly 900 people strong. Our members are from State and Federal agencies, NGOs, academia and businesses - all with a goal of ensuring a healthy and resilient Gulf of Mexico. After careful consideration and evaluation, the Alliance Management Team recently elected to tweak the priorities supported by the Gulf of Mexico Alliance partnership and begin moving toward the development of a third Governors' Action Plan.
 
The first step will be to announce the new priorities in an abbreviated Regional Collaboration Blueprint while a new team structure is established. Starting in January, the Alliance's priorities will be:
- Community Resilience
- Data & Monitoring
- Education & Engagement
- Habitat Resources
- Water Resources
- Wildlife & Fisheries
It is important to note: none of the existing focus areas are eliminated, but may be redistributed within the new team structure! In addition to the above changes in priorities, the Alliance Teams will tackle several cross-team initiatives, including:
- Conservation, Restoration and Resilience Planning
- Ecosystem Services
- Marine Debris
Click here to learn more about the new teams and cross-team initiatives. The new team structure and Blueprint will be utilized at the June All Hands Meeting in Biloxi, Mississippi.
Anyone is welcome to be a member of Alliance Teams. There are no membership requirements or dues payments. The teams meet via conference call or meetings of opportunity. To learn more about or to become a member of one of the teams or cross-team initiatives, visit the Alliance website.
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Deadline Approaching for Nominations to 2015 EPA Gulf Guardian Awards
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 The US EPA Gulf of Mexico Program is accepting nominations for the 2015 Gulf Guardians Awards until January 15, 2015. The awards are a way to recognize and honor the businesses, community groups, individuals, and organizations that are taking extraordinary steps to keep the Gulf healthy, beautiful and productive. Complete an application and email your nomination to GulfGuardian@epa.gov as soon as possible. English and Spanish versions are available. For more information contact The Gulf of Mexico Program Office at (228) 688-3726. |
EPA Environmental Justice Small Grants Program seeks to fund projects with a "special emphasis on community climate resiliency" (i.e., community-based preparedness and resilience efforts). The funding will also include projects without this focus. Deadline extended to January 9, 2015.
NOAA Marine Debris Prevention through Education and Outreach Funding Opportunity The NOAA MDP seeks to fund projects that will lead to the prevention of marine debris in marine and coastal environments through the implementation of dedicated education and outreach activities. Deadline to apply is January 15, 2015.
EPA Environmental Education Model Grants Program This program supports model, replicable projects that increase public awareness and knowledge about environmental issues and provide the skills that participants in its funded projects need to make informed environmental decisions and take responsible actions toward the environment. The deadline is February 2, 2015.
The 2015 Five Star/Urban Waters RFP is now live at: http://www.nfwf.org/fivestar/Pages/2015RFP.aspx#.VKGkl_9B9
The program seeks proposals that restore local habitats with an emphasis on community involvement. Please direct anyone interested to that web page. Proposals are due February 3, 2015.
Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority/Water Institute of the Gulf Applied Research and Coastal Innovation Programs - The CPRA Applied Research Program will provide Louisiana-based researchers with funds to conduct engineering and science research and tool development activities that will enable CPRA to more effectively protect and restore coastal resources. The deadline is February 6, 2015.
NOAA Restore Act Science Program Federal Funding Opportunity FFO-2015 This first opportunity will address three topical areas: ecosystem and living marine resources management, including fisheries; climate change and extreme weather impacts on sustainability of restoration; and integration of social, behavioral, and economic science into restoration and management of the Gulf of Mexico ecosystem. Letters of intent are due by January 30, 2015 and the deadline for submitting full proposals is March 17, 2015. National Academies - Gulf Research Program Exploratory Grants Award Year 2015 Award topics for 2015 will involved: exploring approaches for effective education and training of workers in the offshore oil and gas industry and health professions; and linking ecosystem services related to and influenced by oil and gas production to human health and well being. Letters of intent are due on January 29, 2015 at 8pm ET. Full proposals are due on March 30, 2015 at 8pm ET. A letter of intent is required for this funding opportunity. Gulf Sea Grant Funding Opportunities - Biennial Call for Statements of InterestFlorida Sea Grant Biennial Call for Statements of Interest will open on January 5, 2015. Louisiana Sea Grant Request for Proposals is open. Statements of Interest are due February 6, 2015. Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Consortium Request for Proposals is open. The deadline for pre-proposals is February 20, 2015. Texas Sea Grant opportunity will be opened in January 2015. Lawrence Foundation Grants for Environmental, Education, and Human Services Projects - The Lawrence Foundation awards grants in support of the environment, education, human services, disaster relief, and other causes. The June grant cycle deadline is April 30, 2015. |
REGIONAL INITIATIVES
Gulf Restoration Updates
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 RESTORE Council: The Gulf Restoration Council (5 Gulf States and 6 Federal Agencies) has a comprehensive website. On November 17, Council members submitted projects for funding consideration through the RESTORE Council's Bucket 2 of the RESTORE Act. View submitted projects here. View the RESTORE Council's 2014 Annual Report to Congress here.
Alabama: The Alabama Gulf Coast Recovery Council has two items open for public comment. Go to their website for more information regarding:
- Draft Project Selection Process Framework for First Round MIP Development for 30-day public comment
- Center of Excellence Draft Solicitation for Proposals and Draft Competitive Process for Selection for 45-day public comment
For complete information on Alabama Coastal Restoration see http://www.alabamacoastalrestoration.org/.
Mississippi: The Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality held is soliciting Statements of Qualifications from engineering firms licensed in Mississippi for professional services in designing and implementing an early restoration Phase III project. For more information go here. For information on restoration activities in Mississippi go to the Making Mississippi Whole website.
Florida: Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) maintains a website complete with resources, links, and newsletters, including an overview of Florida's response to the oil spill. Vendors interested in Phase III Early Restoration projects in Florida should be sure that they are registered in the Vendor Bid System at www.myfloridamarketplace.com. Each impacted county will engage directly with their communities through the Gulf Consortium and the Florida Association of Counties. A meeting is planned for Monday, January 21st, 2015 in Tallahassee, Florida, 1:00 PM at the FDEP.
Louisiana: The State of Louisiana is represented by the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority ( CPRA) on state and RESTORE Council restoration activities. CPRA is now accepting submissions for Applied Research and Coastal Innovation Programs. This program is listed above in funding announcements.
Texas: January 2, 2015, is the deadline to submit projects for Texas Trustee review. Projects submitted via the online form at the Restore the Texas Coast website or the NOAA website by the deadline will be considered. Projects previously submitted on these websites will continue to be considered and do not need to be resubmitted unless there have been material changes to the project scope.
Centers of Excellence:The Alabama Gulf Coast Recovery Council has open a Center of Excellence Draft Solicitation for Proposals and Draft Competitive Process for Selection, as noted above. The Florida and Texas solicitations have closed. Announcements are expected in the new year.
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NOAA RESTORE Act Science Program: A funding opportunity is currently open and described above. Read more about the program and FFO.
National Academy of Sciences' Gulf Research Program (NAS):
NAS opened Exploratory Grants noted above. To follow the NAS Gulf Research Program, get the FFO, and register for updates, go to their website. Natural Resource Damage Assessment (NRDA): The NRDA Trustees have released, " Assess Plan Restore," a guide to projects and planning contained in the Final Phase III Early Restoration Plan and Final Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement. Get a copy of the plan. Learn more about NRDA through NOAA here or the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service here. National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) Gulf Environmental Benefit Fund: NFWF's Gulf Environmental Benefit Fund recently announced its 2014 list of restoration projects worth nearly $390 million across the Gulf. Read more about these projects in this comprehensive list.
North American Conservation Wetlands Act Fund (NAWCA):
As part of the criminal plea agreement involving the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, this Fund will receive $100,000,000. The purpose is for wetlands restoration and conservation benefiting migratory bird species and other wildlife affected by the oil spill. Click here to learn more. The US Fish and Wildlife Service has a "Vision for a Healthy Gulf of Mexico Watershed" and it can be found here.
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Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative Update
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RFP-V is open for individual Investigators and Small Collaboratives. Letters of intent were due December 15, 2015 and full proposals are due March 13, 2015.
 The 2015 Oil Spill and Ecosystem Science Conference is scheduled for February 16-19 in Houston, Texas. Registration and conference information can be found here.
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