108 | Page201 9 Annual Report to Congress 2019 Annual Report to Congress Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council Fiscal Year 2019 Submitted March 2020 Page | 1 Table of Contents Contents Table of Contents ........................................................................................................................... 2 1. Letter from the Executive Director ............................................................................................ 4 2. Mission and Organization........................................................................................................... 5 3. Background on the RESTORE Act ............................................................................................... 6 Comprehensive Plan Goals and Objectives ........................................................................ 7 Fiscal Year 2019 Significant Council Actions ....................................................................... 9 4. Council-Selected Restoration Component Accomplishments ................................................. 11 Background ....................................................................................................................... 11 Building on a Foundation of Collaboration ....................................................................... 12 Actions and Results from FPL 1 ......................................................................................... 16 5. Spill Impact Component Accomplishments ............................................................................. 23 Background ....................................................................................................................... 23 Approving State Expenditure Plans .................................................................................. 23 6. Best Available Science and Data System Accomplishments .................................................... 26 Background ....................................................................................................................... 26 Best Available Science Reviews ........................................................................................ 26 Monitoring Progress, Success, & Performance ................................................................ 26 Enhanced Access to Information through Data Systems.................................................. 26 7. Cumulative Results of Bucket 2 and 3 ...................................................................................... 28 8. Council Public Engagement and Tribal Relations Accomplishments ....................................... 38 9. Administrative Accomplishments ............................................................................................ 40 Financial Summary ............................................................................................................ 40 Grant System Replacement and Upgrades ....................................................................... 45 Enterprise Risk Management ............................................................................................ 46 Other Administrative Updates .......................................................................................... 50 10. Centers of Excellence Accomplishments ............................................................................. 51 Background .................................................................................................................... 51 Alabama’s RESTORE Act Center of Excellence .............................................................. 51 Florida’s RESTORE Act Centers of Excellence ................................................................ 52 Page | 2 Louisiana’s RESTORE Act Centers of Excellence ............................................................ 52 Mississippi’s RESTORE Act Centers of Excellence ......................................................... 53 Texas’ RESTORE Act Centers of Excellence ................................................................... 54 Appendices ...................................................................................................................................... 55 Appendix A – FPL 1 Projects Funded During FY19 ....................................................................... 55 Appendix B – Progress for FPL1 Projects During FY19 ................................................................. 60 Appendix C – CPS Progress Reporting. ........................................................................................ 75 Appendix D – SEP Projects Funded During FY19 ......................................................................... 82 Appendix E – Progress of SEP Projects During FY19 .................................................................... 84 Appendix F – Center of Excellence Report - Florida .................................................................... 87 Appendix G – Center of Excellence Report - Louisiana ................................................................ 92 Appendix H – Center of Excellence Report – Mississippi........................................................... 100 Appendix I – Center of Excellence Report – Texas .................................................................... 108 Page | 3 1. Letter from the Executive Director The Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council (Council) hereby submits its Fiscal Year 2019 Annual Report to Congress. The Council was created by the Resources and Ecosystems Sustainability, Tourist Opportunities, and Revived Economies of the Gulf Coast States Act (RESTORE Act) in 2012 as an independent federal agency charged with administering a portion of the civil settlements associated with the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Consisting of the five Gulf Coast states and six federal agencies, the Council’s mission is to implement a comprehensive plan for the ecological and economic recovery of the Gulf Coast. In fiscal year 2019 (FY2019), the Council obligated $51.2 million through grants and interagency agreements to carry out projects and programs under the RESTORE Act, bringing the total amount awarded to $254.9 million: $177.0 million from the Council-Selected Restoration Component and $77.9 million from the Spill Impact Component. Now that State Expenditure Plans have been approved by the Council and each of the States, projects and programs under the Spill Impact Component are being awarded at an increasing pace. Also, as the Council works to award the few remaining Initial Funded Priorities List (FPL) projects, it has continued its collaborative efforts and taken steps to develop and approve the next FPL. The Council completed a Planning Framework in 2019 to advance its vision for a healthy and productive Gulf ecosystem achieved through collaboration on strategic restoration projects and programs. Foundational to the Council’s success during FY2019 were the funds provided to its members through the Commitments and Planning Support Funded Priority List (CPS FPL) to enhance collaboration, planning and public engagement in support of future funding decisions under the Council-Selected Restoration Component of the RESTORE Act. In concomitance with the CPS FPL, an internal Council collaboration strategy was finalized by the Council as the foundation for the development of subsequent FPLs. This strategy is embodied in what the Council calls its “Planning Framework.” The Planning Framework serves as a “bridge” from one FPL to the next. It is not intended to describe all of the restoration needs of the Gulf. Rather, the Planning Framework identifies priorities that will strategically link past and future restoration funding decisions. On behalf of the Council, I am pleased to submit this Annual Report to Congress outlining our progress over the past twelve months. The Council remains committed to maintaining active communication with Congress. Please contact us at any time with your thoughts, suggestions or questions. Thank you for your continued leadership and support in restoring the Gulf Coast region. Ben Scaggs Executive Director Page | 4 2. Mission and Organization The Council is charged by the Resources and Ecosystems Sustainability, Tourist Opportunities, and Revived Economies of the Gulf Coast States Act (RESTORE Act or Act) with helping to restore the ecosystem and economy of the Gulf Coast region by developing and overseeing Trust Fund expenditures in implementation of the Comprehensive Plan and approval of State Expenditure Plans (SEPs), and carrying out other responsibilities. The Council includes the Governors of the States of Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas, and the Secretaries of the U.S. Departments of the Interior, Army, Commerce, Agriculture, Homeland Security, and the Administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), who currently serves as the chair of the Council. Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council Members Environmental Protection Agency - Chair Andrew Wheeler Administrator State of Alabama Department of Agriculture Kay Ivey Sonny Perdue Governor Secretary State of Florida Department of the Army Ron DeSantis Ryan D. McCarthy Governor Secretary State of Louisiana Department of Commerce John Bel Edwards Wilbur Ross Governor Secretary State of Mississippi Department of Homeland Security Tate Reeves Chad Wolf Governor Acting Secretary State of Texas Department of the Interior Greg Abbott David Bernhardt Governor Secretary Page | 5 3. Background on the RESTORE Act The Gulf Coast environment