RESTORE ACT Wakulla

 WAKULLA COUNTY ANNOUNCES US TREASURY ACCEPTANCE OF ITS RESTORE ACT 
AMENDMENT NO. 1 TO THE INITIAL MULTI-YEAR IMPLEMENTATION PLAN (MYIP) ON OCTOBER 29, 2019.
         

ABOUT THE RESTORE ACT - The Resources and Ecosystems Sustainability, Tourist Opportunities and Revived Economies of the Gulf Coast States Act (RESTORE Act) of 2012, established a trust fund for which 80% of the Clean Water Act civil penalties from the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill will be distributed to impacted areas for recover.  Wakulla County is a disproportionately affected County and will directly receive funds to the County through the Direct Component of the Act, pursuant to 31 CFR Part 34.   RESTORE Act funds are considered federal grant funds and all entities receiving RESTORE Act funds must comply with the RESTORE Act.   Trust Fund Allocations are available on the US Treasury-RESTORE Act website.

RESTORE Act Eligible Project/Activity Criteria, project must meet one or more of the following: 

  • Restoration and protection of the natural resources, ecosystems, fisheries, marine and wildlife habitats, beaches, and coastal wetlands of the Gulf Coast region.
  • Mitigation of damage to fish, wildlife and natural resources.
  • Implementation of a federally approved marine, coastal, or comprehensive conservation management plan, including fisheries monitoring 
  • Workforce development and job creation.
  •  Improvements to or on State parks located in coastal areas affected by the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill.
  •  Infrastructure projects benefitting the economy or ecological resources, including port infrastructure.
  •  Coastal flood protection and related infrastructure.
  •  Promotion of tourism and seafood.
  •  Planning assistance
RESTORE Act Funds – All settlements and penalties by the liable parties (e.g., BP) are paid to the US Treasury and held in Gulf Coast Restoration trust fund (the “trust fund”).   NO checks or settlement payments are made direct to any of the recipients named in the RESTORE Act (e.g., Wakulla County).   Annual BP payments under the settlement will be paid over 15 years to the US Treasury. 

  • What this means to Wakulla:  As of June 30, 2017, Wakulla has $3,182,571.66 available in the trust fund.   Over the next 15 years BP will make annual payments into the trust fund and Wakulla’s annual allocation is estimated to be $726,693.    Wakulla’s total allocation of the RESTORE Act funds at the end of 15 years is estimated to be $13.7 million dollars. 
ACCESSING RESTORE Act FUNDS –  The RESTORE Act funds are not released to the County (from the US Treasury) in a lump sum.  The RESTORE Act funds are awarded to the County the same as any other federal or state grant.  The first requirement is to have US Treasury accepted MYIP and an approved grant application, award and agreement from the US Treasury for a specific project/activity.   Funds will be awarded as cost reimbursement or on a draw-down basis to cover existing allowable expenditures.

WHAT IS A “MYIP”? - The MYIP is a document that must be developed and accepted by the US Treasury, pursuant to 31 CFR Part 34.  The MYIP must include for each project (aka “activity”) a narrative description demonstrating its:

  • Need, purpose, and objectives
  • How its eligible for funding and meets all requirements;
  • Location
  • Budget
  • Milestones
  • Projected start/completion dates
  • Criteria to evaluate in success in helping to restore and protect the Gulf Coast Region impacted by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill; and
  • The MYIP must describe how the MYIP was made available for public review and comment for a minimum of 45 days in a manner calculated to obtain broad-based participation from individuals, business, Indian tribes, and non-profit organization and, that each project in the Plan was approved after consideration of meaningful input from the Public.
  • Material modifications to the MYIP after US Treasury approval are subject to all of the above requirements.

GRANT APPLICATIONS and AWARDS- Grant applications are developed and submitted to the US Treasury for those projects/activities in the US Treasury accepted MYIP.     Once a grant application is approved the award and agreement will be issued for acceptance by the County.  Only then will the County be eligible for reimbursement of allowable expenditures.
 

CONTACT US BY CLICKING HERE TO SUBMIT A COMMENT OR QUESTION ON RESTORE IN WAKULLA COUNTY, or e-mail to RESTOREMYIP@MYWAKULLA.COM

 Go to the US Treasury RESTORE Website for additional information on RESTORE as well as all laws, rules and policies.