Public comment period for 2026 Funded Priorities List highlighting more than $400 million in Gulf Coast restoration activities opened November 20
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Special to the News
The Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council (RESTORE Council) has released the draft of its fourth Funded Priorities List (FPL).
The 2026 FPL includes more than $403 million in additional funding for restoration activities spanning the Gulf Coast states impacted by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.
The public review and comment period opened yesterday, November 20, and closes on January 2, 2026. The draft 2026 FPL is available for review on the RESTORE Council’s website, www.restorethegulf.gov.
“This is a very diverse plan that will provide great benefits to our state and the entire Gulf Coast,” said Gov. Kay Ivey. “The projects included in this plan; such as dune restoration, beneficial use of dredge material, water quality improvements, and litter removal from our waters; will continue to enhance the natural resources that make Alabama so special. I appreciate Commissioner Blankenship’s leadership as chairman during this process. He and his team continue to do great work to restore our coastal resources.”
The RESTORE Council is composed of the governors of the five Gulf States and the cabinet members from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Department of the Interior (DOI), Department of Commerce (DOC), Department of Agriculture (USDA), Department of the Army, and the Department of Homeland Security.
Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (ADCNR) Commissioner Chris Blankenship is Gov. Ivey’s designee to the Council and served as the RESTORE Council State Chair during the development of this FPL.
“I am very excited to share the projects included in the 2026 FPL, and I look forward to the public feedback,” said Blankenship. “There was a great deal of collaboration between the five states and six federal agencies to agree on this slate of projects. I am thankful for the good work of all the members of the RESTORE Council and Council staff during this long but productive process.”
U.S. senators Tommy Tuberville and Katie Britt have been supportive of the projects, noting their benefits will be both wide-ranging and long-term.
“Alabama is proud to have some of the most beautiful coastline in the country,” said Sen. Tuberville. “We have to protect our God-given resources for the thousands of Alabamians and other Americans who visit and live in this part of our state. The Upper Mobile Bay Wetlands projects and Water Quality Improvement Program will make sure the Mobile area stays beautiful and safe for years to come.”
“This FPL plan beneficially uses dredged material for various projects like wetland restoration, water quality enhancement, and the protection of oyster and bird habitats, showing what can be done through partnerships and strong leadership from our state, local and federal officials,” said Sen. Britt. “Gov. Ivey and Commissioner Blankenship and his team have proposed thoughtful, ambitious projects for Mobile Bay, Dauphin Island, Mississippi Sound, and all our coastal waterways that will have substantial positive impacts on the lives of countless Alabamians. I look forward to supporting this critical work for our state through my role at the federal level.”
ADCNR will host a public meeting and in-person comment opportunity at the Spanish Fort Community Center on December 17. The meeting will begin at 5:30 p.m. During the meeting, Blankenship and Council staff will present an overview of the draft 2026 FPL.
Blankenship will also share information on other Deepwater Horizon oil spill and GOMESA funded projects in Coastal Alabama. The Spanish Fort Community Center is located at 7361 Spanish Fort Blvd., Spanish Fort, Ala., 36527.
The restoration activities included in the 2026 FPL are designed to address ecosystem needs across the Gulf of America and are developed through collaboration among RESTORE Council members with input from Gulf stakeholders. Approximately $87 million in funding will be utilized for projects in Alabama.
Alabama’s project activities include the following:
Upper Bay Marsh Beneficial Use Wetland Creation – $24 million
Alabama will construct a 100-acre wetland restoration cell in Upper Mobile Bay as the first phase of work that will result in 1,200 acres of tidal wetlands. This project is a continuation of the FPL 1 Upper Mobile Bay Beneficial Use Wetland Creation Site project. It supports the primary RESTORE Comprehensive Plan goal to restore and conserve habitat by restoring the estuarine marsh through the construction of a semi-submerged containment area and placement of dredge material.
Dauphin Island West End Renourishment and Resilience – $38 million
Alabama plans to restore 3.5 miles of linear dunes, 40 acres of sandy water bottoms and 160 acres of beach and dune habitat. This will provide protection for the estuarine habitats of the Mississippi Sound including seagrasses, oyster reefs, marshes, 30,000 acres of conservation lands and vulnerable coastal villages. This project supports the primary RESTORE Comprehensive Plan goal to replenish and protect living coastal and marine resources.
Coastal Alabama Water Quality Program – $9.5 million
The Water Quality Program began under the FPL 3b program and will now continue over the next 10 years. The FPL 4 funding will provide for both planning and implementation. The program supports the primary RESTORE Comprehensive Plan goal to restore water quality and quantity. Projects that will be implemented include construction of or upgrades to stormwater and wastewater systems, low impact development and septic to sewer conversion.
Grand Batture Island Restoration – $11.95 million (Alabama Portion)
Alabama will collaborate with Mississippi to restore the remnants of Grant Batture Island. This project will include planning as well as implementation and will support the restoration and protection of natural resources, ecosystems, fisheries, marine and wildlife habitats, beaches and coastal wetlands of the Gulf Coast Region by creating, restoring and enhancing coastal habitats.
EPA Trash Free Waters – $1.8 million (Alabama Portion)
This program’s goal is to prevent trash from entering waterways and to remove trash that is already in the environment. Activities include source reduction, trash capture, research and community engagement.
USDA Gulf Coast Conservation Reserve – $1.5 million (Alabama Portion)
The Gulf Coast Conservation Reserve Program works with private landowners to reduce soil erosion, improve water quality and enhance fish and wildlife habitat within priority watersheds of the Gulf. The USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service provides technical and financial resources to help landowners plan and implement conservation practices.
DOI Tribal Youth Conservation Corps – $290,000 (Alabama Portion)
This program provides conservation and cultural resource training and employment opportunities to Native American youth. Projects occur on both public lands and tribal lands, providing hands-on experiences in areas like forestry, wildlife management and infrastructure development.
Additional information on the projects and programs included in FPL 4, as well as prior FPL activities, can be found at www.restorethegulf.gov.
Information on all the Deepwater Horizon restoration projects can be found at www.outdooralabama.com/programs/alabama-coastal-restoration-program.
