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The Deepwater Horizon oil spill led to passage of the RESTORE Act. The Act dedicates 80 percent of all Clean Water Act administrative and civil penalties related to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill to the Gulf Coast Restoration Trust Fund (Trust Fund). Recovery efforts from the oil spill have been underway since 2010 and Texas expects to receive $800 million to restore Gulf resources with portions dedicated to the coastal economy as well as natural resources. A portion of which was hoped to finance reopening the mouth of the San Bernard River.

 

Below is a list of of three watersheds projects in Texas that the RESTORE Act has proposed for funding. This proposed list of activities is on the Initial Funded Priorities List (or FPL). The Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council is required to publish the list for public and Tribal review that proposes the activities which the Council intends to prioritize for funding. 

 

This draft Initial FPL would use currently available funds for planning and on-the-ground restoration activities. It also includes monitoring, community investments, and other Gulf-wide activities designed to lay a foundation for comprehensive restoration and effective use of future funding opportunities. These proposed activities build upon past and ongoing restoration work and, where possible, leverage other funding sources.