RESTORE Act Center of Excellence for Louisiana

The Challenge

In the wake of the 2010 Deepwater Horizon disaster in the Gulf of Mexico, Congress passed the Resources and Ecosystem Sustainability, Tourist Opportunities, and Revived Economies of the Gulf Coast States Act (RESTORE Act). The Act established the Gulf Coast Restoration Trust Fund in the U.S. Department of Treasury and directed 80% of the civil penalties paid after July 6, 2012, under the Federal Water Pollution Control Act in connection with the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, to be deposited into the Trust Fund and invested. As part of this Act, 2.5 percent of funds will be dedicated to the establishment of Centers of Excellence in each of the five Gulf Coast States.

The Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority (CPRA) announced in April 2014 the selection of The Water Institute as the administrator of the Louisiana RESTORE Act Center of Excellence.

The mission of the RESTORE Act Center of Excellence for Louisiana (LA-COE) is to support research directly relevant to implementation of Louisiana’s Coastal Master Plan by administering a competitive grants program and providing the appropriate coordination and oversight support to ensure that success metrics are tracked and achieved.

The Coastal Master Plan is a guiding document for the CPRA, developed using the best available science and engineering, that focuses efforts and guides the actions needed to sustain Louisiana’s coastal ecosystem, safeguard coastal populations, and protect vital economic and cultural resources.