By DOTTY NIST
As of April 1, funding applications are being taken for projects in Walton County in connection with monies now available through the RESTORE Act.
Walton County staff held a March 24 workshop at the South Walton Annex to provide information to the public on the project application process for this funding. Fifteen people were in attendance.
Melinda Gates, coastal resource liaison, did a presentation on the process and answered attendees’ questions.
Gates told the group that the U.S. Treasury Department has told Walton County that the county currently has $4,530,342 available for projects. The source of this funding is fines agreed to by Transocean, one of the parties responsible for the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill, as part of a settlement.
Gates explained that the RESTORE Act designates five “pots” for monetary penalties resulting from the oil spill. The $4.5 million now available comes from the pot known as the “direct component pot.” Additional funds are expected to become available when a settlement with BP occurs.
Gates said anyone may apply for funding for a project.
As determined by the Walton County Board of County Commissioners (BCC) in May 2013, allowable project types include the following: workforce development and job creation; infrastructure projects benefitting the economic or ecological resources, including ports; restoration and protection of natural resources, ecosystems, fisheries, marine and wildlife habitat, beaches and coastal systems; mitigation of damage to fish, wildlife, and natural resources; coastal flood protection and related infrastructure; promotion of tourism, including recreational fishing; implementation of federally-approved marine, coastal or comprehensive conservation management plan, including fisheries monitoring; promotion of consumption of seafood harvested in the Gulf Coast region; planning assistance; and improvements to state parks in coastal areas affected by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.
Approved at the same time were priorities for projects. These include: economic benefit, environmental benefit, ability to leverage other funding sources, long-term implications (value or cost), Walton County Comprehensive Plan projects, shovel readiness, area of impact, funding amount requested, and comprehensive plan compliance.
Gates explained that the BCC has also approved that 5 percent of total funds may be distributed to “mini-grant projects,” those that would cost between $50,000 and $100,000 and have a maximum two-year time frame for completion. These will be required to meet all RESTORE Act criteria.
Gates provided information on how to pull up an application form on line. The form is available on the Walton County web site, www.co.walton.fl.us, under the headings “Government,” “Committees & Boards,” and Local RESTORE Act Committee.”
In addition to the application, Gates’ presentation, a question and answer sheet, and a matrix to be used in evaluating project applications are provided when the Local RESTORE Act Committee heading is selected on the web site.
Applications may be completed on line or printed up from the link so that a hard copy application may be filled out. Hard copy applications should be sent to: Walton County Public Works, Attention: RESTORE Coordinator, 117 Montgomery Circle, DeFuniak Springs, FL 32435.
Applications are being taken for a 120-day period, from April 1 through July 31.
The first step for evaluation of applications will be review by a staff committee to ensure that the project will comply with the comprehensive plan. Those that do not comply will not proceed, although staff may ask the applicant to revise and resubmit an application if it is initially found not to comply.
Applications found to comply will proceed to the county commission-appointed Local RESTORE Act Committee (LRAC) for evaluation and ranking. using a matrix developed by the committee and approved by the BCC.
The end of November is envisioned at the date for completion of application evaluations by the LRAC, and it is anticipated that the LRAC’s project recommendations will be taken before the BCC in December for consideration.
Questions on applications and the application process may be directed to Gates at gatmelinda@co.walton.fl.us or (850) 892-8108 or to Walton County RESTORE Coordinator Billy Williams at wilbilly@co.walton.fl.us or (850) 892-8155.
