Governor Kay Ivey announced Thursday that the Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council approved more than $403 million for restoration efforts across Gulf Coast states, including $87 million for Alabama projects addressing damage from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.
The projects are part of the council’s Funded Priorities List 4.
“Alabama’s coast is one of God’s greatest blessings to our state, and we have a responsibility to protect it,” Ivey said. “These $87 million in restoration projects will strengthen our coastal communities, improve our waterways and preserve the natural beauty and resources that support Alabama jobs, tourism and outdoor recreation.”
The RESTORE Council includes the governors of the five Gulf states and cabinet members from the Environmental Protection Agency, Department of the Interior, Department of Commerce, Department of Agriculture, Department of the Army and Department of Homeland Security.
Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Commissioner Chris Blankenship is Ivey’s designee to the council and served as the RESTORE Council state chairman during the development of the list. The council unanimously approved the 2026 list Wednesday, June 10.
“The vote of approval for this FPL is a culmination of a lot of good work,” Blankenship said. “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 positive efforts of all the members of the RESTORE Council and Council staff during this long but productive process. Alabama’s Deepwater Horizon Restoration Coordinator Amy Hunter and her staff will begin the coordination and implementation of the approved projects right away.”
Alabama projects approved by the RESTORE Council
Upper Bay Marsh Beneficial Use Wetland Creation — $24 million
Alabama will build the first 100-acre wetland restoration cell of a planned 1,200-acre tidal wetland restoration project in Upper Mobile Bay. The project will use suitable dredged material to create wetlands, restore habitat and strengthen the long-term health and resilience of Mobile Bay.
The project continues the Upper Mobile Bay Beneficial Use Wetland Creation Site initiative and supports the RESTORE Comprehensive Plan’s goal of restoring and conserving habitat.
“Berth dredging at the Port of Mobile is critical to supporting Alabama’s economic growth, and approval of the project allows us to use this routine practice to restore and strengthen one of our most important natural resources,” Alabama Port Authority Director and CEO Doug Otto said. “This will be one of the largest coastal restoration efforts in Alabama history—one that keeps valuable sediment in Mobile Bay and puts it to work restoring critical wetlands and wildlife habitat. We’re proud to be part of this effort and grateful to ADCNR, the RESTORE Council and the many partners who have helped advance it over the last several years.”
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. The project will help protect estuarine habitats in the Mississippi Sound, including seagrasses, oyster reefs, marshes, 30,000 acres of conservation lands and vulnerable coastal villages.
The project supports the RESTORE Comprehensive Plan’s goal of replenishing and protecting living coastal and marine resources.
“When constructed, the West End restoration project will prove to be a significant and transformative investment in coastal Alabama,” Dauphin Island Mayor Jeff Collier said. “Not only will this project restore critical habitat for a variety of threatened and endangered species, it will also enhance the sustainability of our barrier island community and defend the vast natural resources in the Mississippi Sound while protecting mainland south Mobile County. For these reasons, I want to express my sincere appreciation to the RESTORE Council, Governor Kay Ivey and Commissioner Chris Blankenship for their unwavering support for this critically important project that will serve the entire region for many years to come.”
Coastal Alabama Water Quality Program — $9.5 million
The Water Quality Program began under the Funded Priorities List 3b program and will continue over the next 10 years. The new funding will support planning and implementation.
Projects include construction of or upgrades to stormwater and wastewater systems, low-impact development and septic-to-sewer conversion. The program supports the RESTORE Comprehensive Plan’s goal of restoring water quality and quantity.
“The Water Quality Program has had a positive impact on Fairhope by providing critical funding for projects that protect our waterways, improve infrastructure and preserve the natural resources that make our area such a special place to live and work,” Fairhope Mayor Sherry Sullivan said. “We have already seen significant benefits from these investments, and I am excited to know that additional funding will be available so we can continue this important work along the Eastern Shore. Continued support for water quality initiatives helps ensure a healthier environment, a stronger economy and a better quality of life for future generations.”
Grand Batture Island Restoration — $11.95 million
Alabama will work with Mississippi to restore the remnants of Grand Batture Island. The project will include planning and implementation and is expected to support the restoration and protection of natural resources, ecosystems, fisheries, marine and wildlife habitats, beaches and coastal wetlands along the Gulf Coast.
“The joint project with Mississippi on restoration of the Grand Batture Island and bar is exciting,” Blankenship said. “It is the first project in all the Deepwater Horizon restoration projects that will span across state lines and be implemented jointly by two state agencies. I am thankful for our friends at the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality and their willingness to partner with us on such an important project to build and protect coastal wetlands with the beneficial use of dredge material.”
“From Heron Bay across north Mississippi Sound and the Grand Bay Savannah, ADCNR has conserved over 13,000 acres of intertidal salt marsh and pine savannah in south Mobile County by leveraging partnerships and multiple funding sources,” said Amy Hunter, ADCNR’s Deepwater Horizon restoration coordinator. “But watersheds don’t stop at the state line. This project will build on our work to protect coastal wetlands with federal RESTORE Council funding that will support a new beneficial use project with our partners at the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality to protect and enhance the Grand Bay Headland shared by both states.”
EPA Trash Free Waters — $1.8 million
The program aims to prevent trash from entering waterways and remove trash already in the environment. Activities include source reduction, trash capture, research and community engagement.
USDA Gulf Coast Conservation Reserve — $1.5 million
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 Gulf watersheds. The Department of Agriculture’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
The program provides conservation and cultural resource training and employment opportunities to Native American youth. Projects occur on public and tribal lands and provide hands-on experience in areas including forestry, wildlife management and infrastructure development.
Additional information on the projects and programs included in Funded Priorities List 4 and prior activities is available at restorethegulf.gov.
