Building Partnerships for a Healthier Gulf
Gulf of Mexico Alliance
 
e-Newsletter February 2018  
Jump to our regular sections on Restoration , Funding , and Comment Periods .
All Hands 2018 Registration is Open! 
 
Visit the  2018 All Hands event page for schedules and sponsorship information! The  GOMA Tools CafĂ© is back for a third year. Submissions are requested from any Alliance partner interested in sharing more about their online or paper-based tool(s). Please click here for additional information and submittal form. Submissions are due via email by Friday, April 13, 2018.

The 2018 All Hands will be held at the Hilton Bayfront Downtown, St. Petersburg, Florida. The Group rate is $139/night or the prevailing government rate, call  1-800-445-8667  and mention "Gulf of Mexico Alliance Meeting". To reserve a government room rate follow this link   http://group.hilton.com/gulfofmexicoalliancegovernment. To make a non-government rate room reservation ($139/night) use this link http://group.hilton.com/Gulf-of-Mexico-Alliance The hotel block deadline is May 11, 2018.
 
Meeting registration is $100.
Gulf of Mexico Habitat Monitoring and Mapping User Workshop and Mapping Summit 

The Data and Monitoring Team is holding a Data and Monitoring Summit April 3-5, 2018 in Mobile, Alabama. 

The Team is coordinating with the Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council Monitoring and Assessment Program (CMAP) and regional stakeholders, including the Florida Coastal Mapping Program and other existing state, federal, and industry mapping efforts to further comprehensive benthic mapping in the Gulf. Regional partners will work together to develop and refine the Gulf-wide inventory of mapping activities and resulting maps, complete gap analysis, discuss prioritization, and create the specific implementation plan for the Master Mapping Plan, based on a vetted conceptual model and stakeholder inputs. For more information and to RSVP to this workshop, contact Steve Giordano ( Steve.Giordano@noaa.gov) and Kevin Owen ( kevin.owen@noaa.gov).
Florida Community Benefits from GOMA Small Grant
2016 Flooding in New Port Richey, Florida

Residents, business owners, and city staff in New Port Richey, Florida now have peace of mind that heavy rains and storms will not cause damage or cut off local roadways, thanks to new stormwater management equipment purchased with funds from a Gulf of Mexico Alliance Coastal Resilience grant.

Gulf TREE

We are pleased to announce that Gulf TREE officially launched this month. Funded through a grant from EPA to the Gulf of Mexico Alliance, Gulf TREE's primary function is to help users filter through over 100 climate resilience tools for the Gulf Coast to find relevant tools with ease and confidence.  

The Northern Gulf of Mexico Sentinel Site Cooperative, Gulf of Mexico Alliance, and Climate and Resilience Community of Practice worked for over a year to compile and review your tool recommendations. They tested and piloted Gulf TREE for optimum usability so that you can find the best resilience resource for your project. 
 

2018 US Army Corps of Engineers Report to Congress

Each year, the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works develops a Report to Congress on Future Water Resources Development: A list of potential studies and projects that can be considered for congressional authorization. The 2018 Report to Congress is now available.

The link below provides access to 4 years of reports to Congress. It also lists non-federal interest proposals for feasibility studies  and modifications to authorized water resource development projects. 
 
NOAA Education Accomplishments Report

Did you know that in fiscal year 2017, NOAA's education programs reached more than 2.5 million youth and adults? Or that over 4,400 postsecondary students received training in NOAA-related fields? You can read about these efforts and many more in the 2017 NOAA Education Accomplishments Report which is now available online. 

restorationRestoration

Activities related to Deepwater Horizon oil spill research and restoration are updated monthly.


Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council (RESTORE Council)
 The Council released the 2017 Annual Report to Congress this month. The annual report summarizes calendar year activities and accomplishments. On January 24th, the Council approved the Final 2017 Funded Priorities List: Comprehensive Plan Commitment and Planning Support. This provides funding to Council member to enhance collaboration, coordination, public engagement, and use of best available science in oil spill restoration projects. Complete information is available on   RestoreTheGulf.gov
 
U.S. Department of Treasury - All RESTORE Act Direct Component activities administered by the Department of Treasury are listed on the official website

In the States

Florida - The Gulf Consortium and  Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) maintain websites of related restoration information.  The Gulf Consortium released the Draft State Expenditure Plan and public comments are due March 2, 2018. Triumph Gulf Coast, Inc., is a nonprofit corporation organized to oversee the expenditure of 75 percent of all funds recovered by the Florida attorney general for economic damages to the state that resulted from the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill. The board meets monthly. Triumph activity can be found  here.    
 
Alabama - The Alabama Gulf Coast Recovery Council is beginning to choose projects for funding. Read more on this story here. All  AGCRC activities are on their website. 
 
Mississippi - Restoration in Mississippi is led by the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality. Visit the Office of Restoration web page for announcements, procurement opportunities, project updates, and more.
 
Louisiana - The State of Louisiana is represented by the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority (CPRA) on state and RESTORE Council activities. Restoration activities are conducted in conjunction with the State's Master Plan. This month the CPRA Board approved the FY2019 Coastal Program Annual Plan with authorization to spend $566 million in FY2019. They are submitting the plan to the Legislature in March. CPRA issued a Quarterly Progress Report in January highlighting projects in construction and active project expenditures. C oastal Louisiana restoration updates are available on the CPRA website.

TexasAll Deepwater Horizon related Texas restoration activities can be found on www.restorethetexascoast.org .

Centers of Excellence

Florida RESTORE Act Centers of Excellence Program ( FLRACEP)
Alabama Center of Excellence (ACE)
Mississippi Based RESTORE Act Center of Excellence ( MBRACE)
RESTORE Act Center of Excellence Louisiana
Texas OneGulf
Texas Subsea Systems Institute

NOAA RESTORE Act Science Program -   The program updated their Gulf Science and Restoration Programs Two Year Funding Calendar this month. Other updates and information on this program are found their dedicated website. 

National Academy of Sciences (NAS) Gulf Research Program - The program currently has five grant opportunities available. Applications are open for three separate fellowship programs. Announcements and activities related to Gulf of Mexico research and restoration can be found on the Gulf Research Program website

Natural Resource Damage Assessment (NRDA)
-  The Trustee Council recently approved the Monitoring and Adaptive Management (MAM) Manual Version 1.0. The MAM provides a set of guidelines for monitoring and adaptive management practices that support implementation and evaluation of restoration projects.

The Implementation Groups (TIGs) announcements t
his month include:
  • The Alabama TIG announced the re-opening of the Jeff Friend Trail in the Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge. The project includes new boardwalks and viewing platforms made of durable composite materials. 
  • The Florida TIG approved the Phase V.2 Florida Coastal Access Project. The project includes the acquisition and enhancement of approximately 6-acres in Cape San Blas, Gulf County, Florida known as the Salinas Park Addition. 
  • The Mississippi TIG announced funding availability to help improve the Upper Pascagoula and Mississippi coastal water quality. The intent is to develop and implement plans to reduce nutrient and sediment runoff into coastal waters.  
  • The Open Ocean TIG is reviewing submitted project ideas for inclusion in a Proposed Draft Restoration Plan 1 Projects to be released later in 2018. Plan 1 will address birds and sturgeon. The TIG is considering projects for a similar document, Plan 2. This second draft will address sea turtles, marine mammals, fish and water column invertebrates, and mesophotic and deep benthic communities. 
All Trustee activities and comprehensive Gulf NRDA information is available on www.gulfspillrestoration.noaa.gov.

National Fish & Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) -  The NFWF  website
has information on all funded projects with a map of all their programs worldwide. The foundation has several grant programs open for application.  

North American Conservation Wetlands Act fund (NAWCA) - 2018 grant deadlines and other information are available on the NAWCA website. A meta-database is available to search for previous awards. The U.S. Standard Grants, Cycle 1, started this month. 

Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative (GoMRI) - Get comprehensive information on GoMRI research at gulfresearchinitiative.org. 

Visit the Deepwater Horizon Project Tracker Story Map.
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fundingFunding

The Gulf of Mexico Alliance maintains a Funding Opportunities web page of current opportunities. Below are selected opportunities from that page.

Link to Funding Opportunities page

NOAA National Sea Grant College Program 2018 Ocean, Coastal and Great Lakes National Aquaculture Initiative - The competition is designed to foster the aquaculture sector by addressing one of three identified priorities. Applications to Louisiana Sea Grant must be submitted by March 2, 2018. 

NOAA Coastal Resilience Grants Program (FY 2018) - This solicitation is seeking coastal habitat restoration projects that build resilience by conserving and restoring sustainable ecosystem processes and functions and reducing the vulnerability of coastal communities and infrastructure from the impacts of extreme weather events, climate hazards, and changing ocean conditions. The mandatory pre-proposal is due March 7, 2018.

EPA 2018 EE Local Grant Program - Projects are for locally-focused environmental education. The deadline is March 15, 2018. 

Braitmayer Foundation Grant - This funds a broad range of K-12 education programs, with particular interest in curricular and school reform initiatives and professional development opportunities for teachers. A special focus is on encouraging people of high ability and diverse background to enter and remain in K-12 teaching. Letters of inquiry are due March 15, 2017. 

NOAA FY2018-FY2020 NOAA Broad Agency Announcement - The purpose of this notice is to request applications for special projects and programs associated with NOAA's strategic plan and mission goals, as well as to provide the general public with information and guidelines on how NOAA will select applications and administer discretionary Federal assistance under this Broad Agency Announcement (BAA). The deadline is May 15, 2018.

NEH Division of Preservation and Access Common Heritage - Common Heritage will support both the digitization of cultural heritage materials and the organization of outreach through community events that explore and interpret these materials as a window on the community's history and culture. The deadline is May 31, 2018.
 
Science and Restoration  Funding Calendar
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commentComment Periods

Click here to request a comment period to be shared in our next newsletter.   

The Draft Florida State Expenditure Plan is open for public comments. Planning and implementation relate to bucket 3 expenditures. The deadline is March 2, 2018. 

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife service is accepting comments on, "Migratory Bird Hunting: Proposed Frameworks for Migratory Bird Hunting Regulations". The deadline is March 5, 2018. 
 
The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management is holding public meetings and soliciting comments on the 2019-2024 National outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Leasing Program. The deadline for comments is March 9, 2018. 

NOAA NMFS has a proposed rule related to "Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic: Reef Fish Fishery of Gulf of Mexico; Mutton Snapper and Gag Management Measures". Written comments must be received by March 17, 2018.

The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council has an updated website. Improvements make finding fish regulations, amendments, and meetings much easier. See their Public Hearings for updates on sea turtle release protocol, deep sea coral protection areas, and other pertinent fishery management issues.

Gulf of Mexico Alliance | 228-215-1246 | www.gulfofmexicoalliance.org 
For newsletter submissions contact Lee.Yokel@gomxa.org
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