Take action: Tell the RESTORE Council to prioritize ecosystem restoration
By Rachel Schott, Mississippi River Delta Restoration Campaign
Louisiana’s coast provides habitat for diverse wildlife and ecosystems, like the brown pelican pictured above. Photo Credit: William Osterloh, NWF
The period to publicly comment on the Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council’s Draft Initial Comprehensive Plan ends soon, and we need you to submit your public comments to ensure the Council’s plan prioritizes environmental restoration. Per the RESTORE Act enacted in 2012, the Council is tasked with distributing BP oil spill funds across the five Gulf Coast states for restoration.
However, many important decisions regarding spending and projects have yet to be made. The Council’s Draft Initial Comprehensive Plan outlines their commitment to ensuring timely action on future decisions, but it is imperative that their final restoration plan make environmental restoration the top priority. As the oil spill damaged vital Gulf ecosystems, it only makes sense that the Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council dedicate its allocation to projects that restore and revitalize the environment. Bringing resilience to the coastline will:
- Enhance its natural environment and ecosystems,
- Ensure economic stability for the economies that rely on a healthy Gulf Coast environment, and
- Increase natural storm protection, through wetlands restoration, for the residents and communities of the Gulf Coast.
The Council has an unprecedented opportunity to jumpstart the largest environmental restoration
effort of our time, but they need to hear from you. Don’t let special interest groups shape the
decision-making process and allow money to be spent in ways that don’t explicitly restore the Gulf
ecosystem. The Gulf Coast is in a unique position to advocate for funding that will secure its future growth and health: Tell the Council to make a commitment to ecosystem restoration!
Please send a comment to the Council, asking them to prioritize ecosystem restoration in their final plan. Click on the link below to sign the letter and become a part of restoring the Mississippi River Delta and the Gulf Coast:
Take Action: Stand Up for Gulf Wildlife:
https://secure2.edf.org/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=2137
Take Action: Demand Justice for Dolphins in the Gulf
https://online.nwf.org/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=1685&autologin=true&s_src=Website