Environmental restoration is the key to the economic recovery of the Gulf Coast.  Restoration of oyster reefs, coastal marsh habitats and seagrass beds have long-term benefits for our region by making coastal areas more resilient to impacts from hurricanes, oil spill, and other potential threats.  Mobile Baykeeper continues to work toward coastal restoration in a number of ways:

100-1000: Restore Coastal Alabama

In the wake of the BP Oil Disaster, Mobile Baykeeper partnered with Alabama Coastal Foundation, The Nature Conservancy, and The Ocean Foundation to create 100-1000: Restore Coastal Alabama.  This public-private partnership is helping to rebuild the Gulf’s natural capital by creating 100 miles of oyster reef and 1000 acres of coastal marsh and seagrass. Many businesses, agencies and organizations have joined this restoration effort.  To learn more about these efforts or for a complete list of partners, please visit 100-1000.org.

Clean Water Act Fines/RESTORE Act

Under the Clean Water Act, BP and other responsible parties are required to pay fines between $5 and $21 billion for the Deepwater Horizon Oil Disaster.  Without action from Congress, these fines will not be returned to the Gulf Coast, but instead go into the federal treasury.  Mobile Baykeeper advocates for 80% of the Clean Water Act penalties resulting from the BP Oil Disaster to return to the Gulf Coast for environmental restoration. 

Both the Senate and the House of Representatives have presented legislation requesting 80% of the BP fines return to the Gulf Coast.  To learn more about SB 1400, or the RESTORE Act, click here.   To learn more about HR 3096, click here.

Natural Resource Damage Assessment (NRDA)

Natural resources are protected by the government.  When resources are harmed by contamination (such as an oil spill), governments may seek compensation for this damage under NRDA.  The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) oversees the NRDA process.  NRDA trustees determine the extent of damages, the value of the resources, and the method of restoration, including compensation amounts. 

Mobile Baykeeper is participating in the NRDA process by working with our partners across the Gulf Coast to monitor submitted projects and comment on those projects we think best accomplish coastal Alabama’s restoration goals.  We are also working to keep our communities aware of opportunities for public involvement in the NRDA process. See below for Mobile Baykeeper's Top Eleven Projects. For a full listing of Mobile Baykeeper supported projects for coastal Alabama, see below for Alabama Early NRDA Project Evaluation.

Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Task Force (GCERTF)

The Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Task Force was created by Executive Order and charged with developing a Gulf Coast ecosystem restoration strategy.  Mobile Baykeeper has participated by attending public listening meeting across the Gulf Coast and submitting formal comments on the Preliminary Strategy for restoration.  See below for Mobile Baykeeper's letter to the GCERTF.