Restoration Updates On July 2, 2015, BP Plc announced an agreement in principle to settle the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill disaster. Much legal work is ahead to complete the settlement. A selection of online news stories is available on the DWH Project Tracker website. RESTORE Council The RESTORE Council is anticipating the release of the Draft Funded Priorities List (FPL) in August. Once released, public comment will be solicited. Draft priorities will be those from the Council-Selected Restoration Component. Selections will be available for review on RestoretheGulf.gov. The Council Member Summary Notice of Application Process for Council-Selected Restoration Component Projects and Programs was published in the Federal Register in June. It can be viewed in the federal register. See the Council's website for more information. States Alabama The Alabama Gulf Coast Recovery Council information and updates can be accessed here. The AGCRC is currently on hold making decisions pending additional guidance from federal officials. Mississippi held three resource summits earlier in the year to focus on three priorities: water quality, land conservation, and marine living resources. A report of those results are now available online for download. In response to questions regarding the BP Agreement in principle, MDEQ Executive Director Gary Rikard answers questions. For information on restoration activities in Mississippi go to Making Mississippi Whole. 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. Each impacted county will engage directly with their communities through the Gulf Consortium and the Florida Association of Counties. The Escambia County RESTORE Project Portal is open for submissions and will close September 30, 2015. The Consortium has meetings planned for August 26 and November 18; see their website for more information. Louisiana The State of Louisiana is represented by the Coastal Protection and Rest Texas RESTORE The Texas Coast is the official web location for oil spill related restoration in Texas. Centers of Excellence Alabama closed the application period for Centers of Excellence. The Dauphin Island Sea Lab was the only entity to apply. Decisions with respect to this submission and other RESTORE issues are on hold in Alabama.
The Florida Institute of Oceanography (FIO) is responsible for Florida's Center of Excellence. The FIO announcement for Florida Center of Excellence Research Grant Program awards is pending.
The University of South Mississippi Center for Gulf Studies is the Mississippi Center of Excellence. Learn more.
The two Texas centers, Texas OneGulf at Texas A&M Corpus Christi and the Subsea Systems Institute at the University of Houston, will split an initial $4.036 million.
NOAA RESTORE Act Science Program Information related to the NOAA RESTORE Act Science Program can be found here. The Science Plan Final Version is available. They are currently reviewing proposals submitted under their recent proposal solicitation. National Academy of Sciences' Gulf Research Program (NAS) To follow the NAS Gulf Research Program and register for updates, go to their website. The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine Christine Mirzayan Science & Technology Policy Graduate Fellowship Program is open. Applications are due September 9, 2015. Natural Resource Damage Assessment (NRDA) The Trustees recently proposed ten early restoration projects as part of Phase IV. Public comment closed on July 6 and the official project list is pending. More information about NRDA can be found www.gulfspillrestoration.noaa.gov. National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) Gulf Environmental Benefit Fund NFWF maintains a website for its Gulf Environmental Benefit Fund. North American Conservation Wetlands Act Fund (NAWCA) The US Fish and Wildlife Service maintains a website for NAWCA programs. Standard grants programs are currently open for Canada, closing August 7. The U.S. Small Grants program is also open and closes November 5, 2015. Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative (GoMRI) The GoMRI announced the Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill & Ecosystem Science Conference will be February 1-4, 2016 at the Marriott Tampa Waterside, Tampa, Florida. Registration will open August 3, 2015. Learn more about GoMRI and their research.
|