The Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council announced new draft regulations to guide the five Gulf states in the development of RESTORE Act State Expenditure Plans.

Today the Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council announced their draft regulations to guide the five Gulf states in the development of RESTORE Act State Expenditure Plans. These plans are required by the RESTORE Act, and, pending finalization of the $18.67 billion BP settlement, approximately $1.3 billion will be available to the states to restore the Gulf.

The following is a statement from Bethany Carl Kraft, Director of Ocean Conservancy’s Gulf Restoration Program*:

“While the RESTORE Act allows the Gulf states to fund a wide range of projects through the State Expenditure Plans, these projects must be consistent with the goals and objectives of the RESTORE Council’s Comprehensive Plan, which was developed as a framework to guide comprehensive restoration of the Gulf’s environment. We urge the states to use these funds in the spirit in which they were intended: to restore and protect the natural resources we rely on for food, for storm protection and for a healthy economy.”

*Note: Bethany Carl Kraft is available for interviews upon request

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