How Funds Can Be Spent

What Can Bay County RESTORE Act Funds Be Spent on?

Funded Activities

Bay County will receive RESTORE Act Equal-Share State Allocation Funds (also known as Pot 1 or the Direct Component). According to the RESTORE Act, these funds may only be used to carry out one or more of the following activities:

• Restoration and protection of the natural resources, ecosystems, fisheries, marine and wildlife habitats, beaches, and coastal wetlands of the Gulf Coast region
• Mitigation of damage to fish, wildlife, and natural resources
• Implementation of a federally approved marine, coastal, or comprehensive conservation management plan, including fisheries monitoring
• Workforce development and job creation
• Improvements to or on State parks located in coastal areas affected by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill
• Infrastructure projects benefiting the economy or ecological resources, including port infrastructure
• Coastal flood protection and related infrastructure
• Planning assistance
• Promotion of tourism in the Gulf Coast Region, including recreational fishing
• Promotion of the consumption of seafood harvested from the Gulf

Amount of Money to Each Activity Depends on Commissioners

The RESTORE Act does not direct what proportion of Pot 1 funds can be spent on each of the activities listed above. It only limits the types of activities on which the money can be spent. The Bay County Board of County Commissioners has the final decision on how the money is spent on the activities. The RESTORE Act limits administrative costs to 3%.