The coastal environment has been altered over time due to changes in hydrology, loss of barrier islands and coastal wetland habitat, issues associated with low water quality, human development, and natural processes, among other things. Major restoration projects led by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps), the Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have been implemented. Significant state and local efforts to restore the Gulf Coast have also been undertaken, in some cases in consultation with the federal government. For example, in 2005, Hurricanes Katrina and Rita caused widespread damage to wetland and coastal areas along the Gulf, and altered the plans for restoring some parts of the coast. In 2010, a manmade disaster, the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, resulted in an unprecedented discharge of oil in U.S. waters and oiling of over 1,100 miles of U.S. shoreline. As an identified responsible party, the oil and gas company BP is liable for response (i.e., cleanup) costs, as well as specified economic and natural resource damages related to the spill. 112-141 , also known as the RESTORE Act); other CWA civil and criminal penalties, including funding for projects to be selected by the nonprofit National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) under court settlements; and funding to compensate for spill impacts through the Natural Resources Damage Assessment (NRDA) process, a component of oil spill liability pursuant to the Oil Pollution Act. Introduction to Congressional Role

Congress has varying degrees of oversight and control over the dissemination of funding to restore the Gulf Coast. Restoration of the Gulf Coast is complicated from a congressional perspective because multiple restoration processes are interrelated, but largely occur outside of the traditional appropriations process (including funds being used by nonfederal sources). It includes an overview of previous, ongoing restoration work in the Gulf Coast region and a more detailed discussion of the implementation of the RESTORE Act and other Deepwater Horizon -related processes. Background on the Gulf Coast Ecosystem

The Gulf Coast region is home to more than 22 million people and 15,000 species over five southern states: Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida. Overall, the Gulf Coast environment includes multiple interconnected ecosystems spanning 600,000 square miles of shoreline of the Gulf of Mexico. Prespill Federal Restoration Activities in the Gulf

Prior to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, several federal agencies were involved in a number of efforts to restore and conserve ecosystems in the Gulf Coast region. In these areas, states, along with other entities, have initiated restoration efforts. The effects from the oil spill were spread throughout the Gulf Coast ecosystem. The report outlined existing processes as well as potential new funding sources for Gulf Coast restoration. Enactment of the RESTORE Act in P.L. It is expected that in total, more than $18.3 billion will go to these three efforts pursuant to civil and criminal settlements with responsible parties. Some of these efforts are referenced in Table A-2 , below. 5. 8. The Deepwater Horizon NRDA Trustees are
the United States Department of the Interior; NOAA, on behalf of the United States Department of Commerce; the state of Louisiana's Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority, Oil Spill Coordinator's Office, Department of Environmental Quality, Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, and Department of Natural Resources; the state of Mississippi's Department of Environmental Quality; the state of Alabama's Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and Geological Survey of Alabama; the state of Florida's Department of Environmental Protection and Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission; and for the state of Texas, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Texas General Land Office, and Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. This process can take years, especially for complex incidents such as the Deepwater Horizon spill. Coordination

The coordination of restoration efforts among the multiple implementing entities in the Gulf Coast region is one likely area of congressional interest. Additionally, other elements that are related to Gulf Coast restoration were not required by Congress to be included in the report. Some funding under the RESTORE Act, NFWF, and NRDA early restoration efforts has been released. Sources of Funding and Ongoing Federal Efforts for Gulf Coast Restoration
The Gulf of Mexico coastal environment (Gulf Coast) stretches over approximately 600,000 square miles across five U.S. states: Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida. It is home to more than 22 million people and more than 15,000 species of sea life. Efforts are ongoing to restore this environment, which has been damaged by specific events such as the Deepwater Horizon spill and hurricanes as well as by disturbances to wetlands and water quality from human alterations and other impacts. The issue for Congress is the implementation, funding, and performance of congressionally sanctioned restoration efforts for the Gulf Coast.
Ongoing Efforts to Restore the Gulf Coast. The Gulf Coast environment has been degraded over time due to, among other things, altered hydrology, loss of barrier islands and coastal wetland habitat, issues associated with low water quality, and other human impacts and natural processes. Preexisting environmental issues throughout the Gulf Coast have been affected and in some cases exacerbated by natural hazards and manmade catastrophes. Among other events, Hurricanes Katrina and Rita caused widespread damage to wetland and coastal areas along the Gulf. A number of federal agencies—the Army Corps of Engineers, the Fish and Wildlife Service, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and the Environmental Protection Agency, among others—are engaged in ongoing efforts to restore areas or aspects of the Gulf Coast environments. Significant state and local efforts to restore the Gulf Coast also have been undertaken, in some cases in consultation with the federal government. The Deepwater Horizon oil spill resulted in a new set of restoration efforts and funds.
Restoration in Response to Deepwater Horizon. The Deepwater Horizon explosion on April 20, 2010, resulted in an unprecedented discharge of oil in U.S. waters, eventually oiling more than 1,100 miles of U.S. Gulf Coast shoreline. As an identified responsible party, the energy company BP is liable for response (i.e., cleanup) costs, as well as specified economic damages and natural resource damages related to the spill.
Efforts to mitigate and recover from the Deepwater Horizon spill have initiated several new processes that are expected to supplement ongoing Gulf Coast restoration work. In particular, three major processes are likely to significantly affect restoration work going forward: first, the dissemination of approximately $5.3 billion in Clean Water Act penalties, as required in the RESTORE Act (P.L. 112-141); second, the dissemination of $2.55 billion in criminal penalties from responsible parties by the nonprofit National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF), as required under relevant court settlements; and third, the assessment and provision of $8.8 billion in Natural Resources Damage Assessment (NRDA) penalties under the Oil Pollution Act of 1990, as amended (P.L. 101-380). Initial funding under NFWF and NRDA early restoration efforts was first released in 2013 and 2014, respectively, whereas the Treasury Department and Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council began to release funding for certain planning activities under the RESTORE Act in 2015.
Issues for Congress. Congressional interest in Gulf Coast restoration may include oversight of previously passed legislation (P.L. 112-141 and P.L. 101-380), including progress to date and any related legislative changes that may be required. Congress also may be interested in the effect of these efforts on ongoing Gulf Coast restoration, coordination between the multiple aforementioned processes, and the effectiveness of these efforts going forward. As a result of differences in the origins and implementation of each effort, Congress has varying degrees of oversight and control over the dissemination of funding to restore the Gulf Coast. Restoration of the Gulf Coast is complicated from a congressional perspective because multiple restoration processes are interrelated but occur largely outside of the traditional appropriations process (including funds being used by nonfederal sources).