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April 30, 2021 - WASHINGTON -The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) on Thursday announced $31 million in funding to advance restoration work and improve water quality in the Gulf Coast states impacted by theDeepwater Horizonoil spill. The funds will support three priority programs and related project work approved by theGulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration (RESTORE) Councilas part of a multi-year process of collaborative planning and public engagement throughout the Gulf.

USDAs Forest Service and Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), along with state forestry agencies in Alabama, Florida and Mississippi will leverage the funds to restore forest health, improve coastal ecosystems and provide technical and financial assistance to private landowners.

For more than a decade, the Forest Service and NRCS have worked side-by-side with private landowners and state agencies to support Gulf recovery efforts through an all-lands approach, said Forest Service Chief Vicki Christiansen. Our continued support in these collaborative projects will help to generate lasting ecosystem improvements and ensure clean water for millions of Americans downstream.

Most of the land in the Gulf Coast is privately owned, so working lands are pivotal to restoring habitat and improving water quality, said Acting NRCS Chief Terry Cosby. Working side-by-side with farmers, ranchers and forest landowners to improve their operations enables us to take better care of our natural resources, including our coastal ecosystems.

Healthy forests improve water quality and quantity by refilling groundwater aquifers and filtering rainfall and flowing water, said Joe Fox President of the National Association of State Foresters and Arkansas State Forester. Nationwide, and in the Gulf states, forested land is primarily owned by private landowners who are most likely to manage their forests with technical and financial assistance provided by state forestry agencies. To enhance the health of the Gulf watershed, the Alabama, Florida, and Mississippi forestry agencies will use proven social marketing techniques to double their outreach to private landowners, who will in turn, implement best management practices that sustain healthy forests for decades to come.

The investment in these priority projects is part of theFunded Priorities List (FPL) #3bannounced Thursday by the RESTORE Council.

The USDA funded activities through FPL #3b include:

Background

The RESTORE Council was established in 2012 by theRESTORE Act, a federal law enacted in response to theDeepwater Horizonoil spill. The RESTORE Council consists of the governors of five Gulf Coast states (Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas) and the cabinet heads of six federal agencies (the U.S. Departments of Agriculture, the Army, Commerce, Homeland Security, Interior, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency). Additional information on the projects and programs included in FPL 3b as well as prior FPL activities can be found on theRESTORE Councils website.

USDA touches the lives of all Americans each day in so many positive ways. In the Biden-Harris Administration, USDA is transforming Americas food system with a greater focus on more resilient local and regional food production, fairer markets for all producers, ensuring access to safe, healthy and nutritious food in all communities, building new markets and streams of income for farmers and producers using climate smart food and forestry practices, making historic investments in infrastructure and clean energy capabilities in rural America, and committing to equity across the Department by removing systemic barriers and building a workforce more representative of America. To learn more, visitwww.usda.gov.Source: USDA

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USDA, RESTORE Council to Invest $31 Million for Priority Restoration Work in Gulf States Impacted by the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill - Sierra Sun...