CPRA Opens $20M Initial Solicitation for its
RESTORE Act Parish Matching Opportunities Program
Louisiana’s Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority (CPRA) announces the opening of the initial $20 million project solicitation for the CPRA-Parish Matching Opportunities Program under the Resources and Ecosystems Sustainability, Tourist Opportunities and Revived Economies of the Gulf Coast States Act of 2012 (RESTORE Act) through August 31, 2017. This program is included in the State’s First Amended RESTORE Plan which was approved earlier this year. Under this program, CPRA will allocate a total of up to $100 million, over a 15 year period, from its RESTORE Act Spill Impact Component funds for project and program matching opportunities for coastal parishes that are receiving RESTORE funds under the Direct Component.
“State-parish partnerships allow CPRA to connect large scale projects with strategic local projects in order to maximize efficiencies of RESTORE Act funds”, said Johnny Bradberry, Chairman of the CPRA Board. “This program provides a funding match to parish allocated dollars, which supports the State’s priority to implement coastal projects as early as possible,” said Chairman Bradberry.
In order to be eligible for submission to CPRA for funding under this program, each project or program proposed for matching funds must meet the following minimum project standards:- Meet the requirements of the RESTORE Act;
- Be consistent with the objectives of the Comprehensive Master Plan for a Sustainable Coast; and
- Be included for funding with Direct Component funds in the parish’s RESTORE Act Multiyear Implementation Plan if the project is selected for funding under this matching program.
“We are excited about this program because it will help us fund beneficial projects that are priorities for our parishes while also incentivizing parishes to use their RESTORE funds on Coastal Master Plan projects”, said Michael Ellis, Executive Director of CPRA. “This is an innovative program that is designed with the flexibility to recognize and respond to the unique needs of different parishes in a way that also supports Louisiana’s Coastal Master Plan”, said Executive Director Ellis.
CPRA has also issued a Frequently Asked Questions document about the CPRA-Parish Matching Opportunities Program and scoring criteria for the program. The parish project solicitation is available here.
The State’s First Amended RESTORE Plan has been approved by the RESTORE Council for expenditure of Spill Impact Component funds and accepted by the U.S. Department of Treasury (Treasury) for expenditure of Direct Component funds. CPRA will submit grant applications to the RESTORE Council and Treasury, respectively, to support activities included in the accepted plan with funds as they become available in the RESTORE Trust Fund over a 15 year period. Click here to view the State of Louisiana’s First Amended RESTORE Plan. |
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### Louisiana’s Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority is the single state entity with authority to develop, articulate, implement, and enforce a comprehensive coastal restoration and protection Master Plan of unified vision to reduce hurricane storm surge flood impact, to restore our bountiful natural resources, to build land to protect our nation’s critical energy infrastructure, and to secure Louisiana’s coast now and for future generations. |
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