On August 15, 2023, the Alabama Gulf Coast Recovery Council (AGCRC) released an Amendment to the State Expenditure Plan (SEP) for a 45-day public comment period.
In 2019, the Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration (RESTORE) Council approved the State’s initial SEP. This SEP contained 29 projects totaling approximately $132 Million, all of which addressed one or more goals of the RESTORE Council’s Comprehensive Plan.
In 2021, the State’s SEP was amended to add $37,161,000 in contingency funds to augment the budgets of approved SEP projects and programs in response to cost increases for labor, materials and/or other considerations.
This amendment to the State’s SEP proposes to approve an additional $33,000,000 in contingency funds to further augment the budgets of approved SEP projects and programs, as needed, in response to cost increases for labor, materials, and/or other considerations. All other projects and programs, and the corresponding details/provisions that were approved in the initial Alabama SEP remain in full force and effect. The purpose of the contingency funding is to enable approved SEP projects and programs to be completed as previously described in the SEP. These funds are not to be used for new projects or programs, or to change the overall scope or objective of approved SEP projects or programs.
In addition, this amendment proposes to close the SEP #21 Alabama Point Seawall Repair project without accomplishing the full design and construction. Surveyors discovered the damage to the seawall structure was more severe than expected. A cost analysis determined the construction budget was inadequate to cover the full cost of repair. Funds will be de-obligated and returned to the contingency fund to be used to cover costs associated with existing SEP projects.
The AGCRC was created with the passage of the Resources and Ecosystems Sustainability, Tourist Opportunities, and Revived Economies Act of 2012 (RESTORE Act). The 10-member council is made up of the Governor, who serves as chair; the Director of the Alabama State Port Authority, who serves as vice-chair; the Chairman of the Baldwin County Commission; the President of the Mobile County Commission; and the Mayors of Bayou La Batre, Dauphin Island, Fairhope, Gulf Shores, Mobile, and Orange Beach.
The AGCRC is now asking for public comment on this Draft State Expenditure Plan Amendment until October 6, 2023. Comments can be submitted online at [email protected] or mailed to: Alabama Gulf Coast Recovery Council, 31115 Five Rivers Boulevard Spanish Fort, AL 36527.
The AGCRC will hold an in-person public meeting on November 1, 2023 at 10am to vote on the amendment. The meeting will be held in the Tensaw Theater at 5 Rivers Delta Resource Center (30945 5 Rivers Boulevard, Spanish Fort, AL 36527).
In addition to the 45-day comment period discussed above, public comment will also be accepted at the in-person meeting.
Comments received by the October 6, 2023, deadline, as well as any received at the public meeting, will be reviewed and considered in preparing the Final State Expenditure Plan Amendment.
For more information, contact Amy Hunter, 251-621-1216.