The Hill News

Last week, the Senate voted to dedicate 80 percent of the civil fines from the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil disaster to restoring Gulf communities, ecosystems and the economy. The amendment to the Senate transportation bill introduced by Senators Mary Landrieu, Bill Nelson, and Richard Shelby, was based on the RESTORE the Gulf Coast States Act, sponsored by the three members and six other Gulf State Senators. The amendment received strong bipartisan support, with 23 Republican votes and 53 Democrat.

Funds from the RESTORE Act could be used for wetland reconstruction, rebuilding depleted oyster beds, and building barrier islands. These natural resources are not only vital to protecting coastal communities in the face of the next Katrina like storm, but will also allow these communities to be more economically resilient as well. The Gulf region is home to a $23 billion fishing industry; with many fisher families depending on the Gulf’s natural resources.
Wa! lking through New Orleans, the impact of the Gulf’s natural resources is everywhere, from restaurants advertising local seafood dishes to tourist operators luring visitors to take a boat ride through the Bayou. In Florida, Alabama, and Mississippi, beach-lovers bring much needed dollars to hotels. The oil spill created havoc for small businessmen across the region; the RESTORE Act brings back the dollars to the communities that suffered the biggest environmental disaster our country has seen.

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