The Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council, comprised of federal agencies and the five Gulf states, will control 30% of RESTORE funds, to be used to restore the Gulf and protect natural resources. This is the only pot that requires a plan by a certain date. Public review and participation is an important part of the process.  The Council has released "The Path Forward to Restoring the Gulf Coast" as a framework for the plan.  Public listening sessions on this first step in preparing the plan are scheduled for late February and March; details are located here.  A draft plan is expected in April, with the Council’s initial Comprehensive Plan due to be published in early July 2013.

The public may provide comments on the Path Forward document by email to RestoreCouncil@doc.gov.

In its plan, the Council will give priority to projects based on four criteria. One of these criteria gives priority to projects contained in an existing state plan for natural resource restoration and protection. Florida does not have a state plan and other Gulf states are ahead in their plan preparation. Florida is under pressure to prepare a state plan soon, before the Council’s initial Comprehensive Plan is prepared.

The U.S. Treasury Department also has an important role in the process. The Treasury is developing rules that will control how RESTORE funds are to be distributed. These rules are undergoing interagency discussions and a draft is expected to be released soon.