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Don't Forget Two GOMA Opportunities
Gulf Star Program Request for Proposals
The Gulf Star Program RFP is open. Six of the GOMA Teams and Cross-Teams are requesting proposals. This opportunity will close September 1st. Get complete
information here.
Photo Competition
GOMA's 2017 summer photo competition is open. Photos must relate to any of the GOMA six issues and be taken within one of the five U.S. Gulf States.
Submissions are being accepted from all ages through
August 31, 2017.
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Marine Debris Cross-Team Initiative Mid-Year Meeting
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The GOMA Marine Debris Cross-Team Initiative will hold its 1.5-day mid-year meeting August 30-31, 2017 at the Disaster Response Center in Mobile, AL. During the meeting, the Alliance will bring together entities across the Gulf of Mexico that currently address marine debris to review the goals and objectives outlined in the Governor's Action Plan III and work on developing project plans to address those objectives. To accomplish this agenda, the cross-team created three action groups made up of cross-team and other priority issue team members. The actions are research, removal, and prevention.
During the meeting, there will be an opportunity to hear from the five Gulf Star mini-grant recipients, funded by the GOMA Education and Engagement Team, who are working to prevent marine debris. These projects include;
- Citizen Science Microplastic Monitoring and Outreach- MSU Extension
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Tracking Trash- Dauphin Island Sea Lab
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Plastic Free Gulf Coast- Gulf Coast Community Design Studio
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Marine Debris Education and Prevention Program- Barataria-Terrebonne NEP
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Marine Debris Dash- Ocean Hour FL
If you are unable to attend the meeting but are still interested in learning more about the mini-grant projects they will be live streamed on August 30 beginning at 2:10 pm central time and last approximately 2 hours. To join the meeting, please use the following link for video
https://meet51615459.adobeconnect.com/goma-marine-debris/ and call in using the conference line: 1-866-731-6179 and access code: 6480331#
Membership in the cross-team is open to anyone. Space at the meeting is limited. For more information, please email
Caitlin Wessel.
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GCOOS Releases New Tropical Weather Tool
This month the Gulf of Mexico Coastal Ocean Observing System (GCOOS) unveiled a new tropical weather tool. Called "
Hurricane", the tool compiles a number of features such as information from NOAA, the National Weather Service, and Gulf state emergency centers. Hurricane has an interactive map with basic features that can be turned on and off.
A companion site,
GCOOS "Weather", allows the user to tailor maps with a multitude of parameters useful to all audiences. These include storm tracks, current forecasts, monitoring station information, and specific data for sea surface temperatures, ocean currents, and much more.
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Beneath the Horizon: A Web Resource for the 1979 and 2010 Gulf of Mexico Oil Spills
On July 27th, the Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative (GoMRI) shared a new on-line resource. Created by scientists and outreach personnel, the resource examines two major oil spills in the Gulf of Mexico: The Deepwater Horizon in the northern Gulf and the Ixtoc in the southern Gulf.
Beneath the Horizon website, developed by the C-IMAGE research group and Jake Price Productions, explores these spills, the people who coped with and responded to these disasters, and expectations for recovery.
C-IMAGE researchers have studied the tale of these two spills since 2015 with the goal of anticipating the decadal impacts in the northern Gulf through evidence found in the southern Gulf. Beneath the Horizon's resources take a personal look at the resilience of the people living off the Gulf's resources.
This work was made possible in part by a grant from GoMRI to the Center for the Integrated Modeling ad Analysis of Gulf Ecosystems II (C-IMAGE II).
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NOAA Restore Act Science Program Awards
The NOAA RESTORE Act Science Program recently completed its second funding competition and awarded approximately $16.7 million to 15 teams of researchers and resource managers to support work on living coastal and marine resources and their habitats in the Gulf of Mexico.
Six of the teams will be working directly with resource managers to improve the decision support tools available for managing living coastal and marine resources in the Gulf of Mexico.
Nine of the teams will be conducting research on living coastal and marine resources to address questions resource managers need answered about food webs, habitat use, fisheries recruitment, the impact of stressors, and how habitats are connected in the Gulf of Mexico.
The 15 teams receiving funding are drawn from across 37 institutions including universities, federal and state agencies, and non-governmental organizations. These teams and their projects, which will run for up to three years, were selected following a rigorous and highly competitive process which included review by a panel of outside experts.
These awards continue the Science Program's commitment to producing timely and high-quality scientific findings and products to support the management and sustainability of the Gulf of Mexico ecosystem, including its fisheries.
Full details on each team and their project can be found under the 2017
'Funded Projects' on the Science Program's website
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 Restoration
Activities related to Deepwater Horizon oil spill research and restoration are updated monthly.
Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council (RESTORE Council) - The RESTORE Council announced the Draft 2017 Funded Priorities List: Comprehensive Commitment and Planning Support on July 13th. Essentially, this draft proposes to provide funding to the individual council member organizations to enhance collaboration, coordination, and engagement across the various sectors they represent in the Gulf. Public comment on the draft is due by August 14, 2017.
Periodically, amendments are made to the Initial (2015) Funded Priorities List. On July 26th, the Council amended the Texas Beneficial Use/Marsh Restoration (planning) project. Initial funds will support planning in the Green Lakes area, Pierce Marsh, and Salt Bayou. NRDA funding will now be used for prior listed Nelda Stark location. Prior year 2016 and 2017 amendments are available
here. Complete information is available on
RestoreTheGulf.gov
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In the States
Florida -
Each impacted county engages directly through the
Gulf Consortium
and the Florida Association of Counties. The Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) maintains a comprehensive website.
Alabama -
On July 28th, the Alabama Gulf Coast Recovery Council (AGCRC) announced it is seeking project suggestions for RESTORE Act Spill Impact Component funding (Bucket 3). There is no limit to the focus areas for this first round but projects must meet one of ten criteria. Projects must be entered by September 15, 2017. Submit projects and follow Alabama restoration on the AGCRC website.
Mississippi - On July 7th MDEQ announced the Dept. of Treasury accepted Mississippi's $80.9 million amended Multiyear Implementation Plan (MIP). The state's grant process can proceed on 17 projects. On July 25, the MDEQ Restoration Newsletter Summer 2017 was released.
To read about these and other Mississippi restoration activities visit Making Mississippi Whole.
Louisiana - The State of Louisiana is represented by the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority (CPRA) on state and RESTORE Council activities. CPRA has a Parish RESTORE Act
Matching Opportunities program open. The program helps coastal parishes receive RESTORE funds and enhance project effectiveness through integrated parish-state partnerships. The opportunity will close August 31, 2017.
Coastal Louisiana restoration updates are available on the
CPRA website.
Texas - On May 16th, Texas issued an update on the Draft MIP for Bucket 1 Funding. The update includes four matrix revisions and a detailed Treasury narrative. Public comment closed on June 30, 2017 and over 1400 comments were received. Comments will be considered for the final determination of projects funded. All Texas restoration activities can be found on
www.restorethetexascoast.org.
NOAA RESTORE Act Science Program -
On July 10th, the Program announced on July 10th, $16.7 million to 15 teams. Information related to this program and others is on their dedicated website.
National Academy of Sciences (NAS) Gulf Research Program - On July 18th, NAS Gulf Research Program announced the award of $10.8 million to four new projects in Louisiana and Alabama. These four projects aim to enhance the science and practice of resilience in coastal communities.
NAS announcements and activities related to Gulf of Mexico research and restoration can be found on the Gulf Research Program
website
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Natural Resource Damage Assessment (NRDA) -
All Trustee Implementation Group (TIG) activity and
comprehensive Gulf NRDA information is available on
www.gulfspillrestoration.noaa.gov.
- The Louisiana TIG is requesting project ideas on recreational use and nutrient reduction restoration opportunities. New or revised project ideas should be submitted by August 14, 2017. A public scoping period is open for the Mid-Barataria Sediment Diversion and comments are accepted through September 5, 2017.
- This month, the Mississippi TIG released its 2016-2017 Restoration Plan/Environmental Assessment. In it, three NRDA restoration projects are selected for implementation. These are Graveline Bay Land Acquisition and Management; Grand Bay Land Acquisition and Habitat Management; and Upper Pascagoula River Water Quality Enhancement Project all totaling $21.5 million.
National Fish & Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) Gulf Environmental Benefit Fund
The NFWF
website has information on all funded projects with a map of all their programs worldwide.
North American Conservation Wetlands Act fund (NAWCA) - 2017 grant deadlines and other information are available on the
NAWCA website. A meta-database is available to
search for previous awards.
Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative (GoMRI) - The 2018 Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill & Ecosystem Science Conference will be February 5-8, 2018 at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in New Orleans, Louisiana. Organizers are accepting accepting applications for other workshops to be held in conjunction with the meeting. Space is limited; proposals are being accepted on a "first come, first served" basis. Conference abstract submission will close September 11, 2017. Early registration will open in August. Get comprehensive information on GoMRI at
gulfresearchinitiative.org.
Visit our Deepwater Horizon Project Tracker Story Map.
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Funding
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
EPA Gulf of Mexico Program
2017 Gulf of Mexico Program Request for Proposals - This notice announces the availability of funds and solicits proposals that address water quality improvement; coastal habitat and ecosystems enhancement, restoration and/or protection; environmental education and outreach; and community resilience in the Gulf of Mexico region and its watersheds. The deadline is August 4, 2017.
Restore America's Estuaries National Estuaries Week
Gulf Region Mini-Grant Requests for Proposals - RAE is once again partnering with CITGO to offer support for National Estuaries Week events. The proposal deadline is August 7, 2017.
MAXIMUS Foundation Grants - To non-profit organizations and charities serving disadvantaged populations and underserved communities. The biannual grants emphasize programs that promote personal growth and community development, including enrichment and education. The deadlines are January 31st and August 31st.
The Louisiana CPRA has a Parish RESTORE Act
Matching Opportunities program open. The program helps coastal parishes receive RESTORE funds and enhance project effectiveness through integrated parish-state partnerships. The opportunity will close August 31, 2017.
The Gulf of Mexico Alliance
2017 Gulf Star Request for Proposals is open until September 1, 2017.
National Endowment for the Arts
Our Town Grants - The grant program supports creative placemaking projects that help to transform communities into lively, beautiful, and resilient places with the arts at their core. Creative placemaking is when artists, arts organizations, and community development practitioners deliberately integrate arts and culture into community revitalization work - placing arts at the table with land-use, transportation, economic development, education, housing, infrastructure, and public safety strategies. The deadline is September 11, 2017.
DOI FWS Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Program
Boating Infrastructure Grant Program Tier I - Applications from states will relate to boating infrastructure which means the structures, equipment, accessories, and services that are necessary or desirable for a facility to accommodate eligible vessels. Search grants.gov for F17AS00214. The deadline is September 11, 2017.
DOI FWS Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration
Boating Infrastructure Grant Program Tier II - Applications from states will relate to boating infrastructure which means the structures, equipment, accessories, and services that are necessary or desirable for a facility to accommodate eligible vessels. Search grants.gov for F17AS00215. The deadline is September 11, 2017.
NOAA RESTORE Act Science Program
Funding Calendar
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Comment Periods
Click here to request a comment period to be shared in our next newsletter.
The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council has an updated website. Improvements make finding fish regulations, amendments, and meetings much easier. Check their
Amendments Under Development for updates on Red Snapper, Greater Amberjack, fishing quota, and other pertinent fishery management issues.
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Events
June 26 - August 31: GOMA Photo Competition
August 30-31: Marine Debris Cross-Team Initiative Mid-Year Meeting
September 7-8: Alabama Water Resources Conference
September 16: 30th Annual Alabama Coastal Cleanup
September 16 - 23: National Estuaries Week
September 27 - 29: Partnership for Gulf Coast Land Conservation Annual Meeting
October 16 - 20: Coastal States Organization 2017 Fall Meeting
November 15 - 17: GOMA Coastal Resilience Team Fall Meeting
SAVE THE DATE - 2018 All Hands - June 11-14 - St. Petersburg, FL
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