Today, we learned that Congressman Clay Higgins (R-LA) announced the award of $155.7M in GOMESA Revenue by the U.S. Department of the Interior. The Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act (GOMESA) was signed into law in 2006 and significantly enhances the revenue sharing derived from offshore leasing activities and energy production. The funds provided by GOMESA will be used to finance coastal restoration efforts across Louisiana.
Congressional Funding
Of the $155.7M funded, the State of Louisiana will administer $124.6M for projects across the state and the remaining $31M will be distributed for administration by 19 of Louisiana’s parishes for local projects.
In Louisiana’s 3rd Congressional District, 6 parishes will receive funding as follows:
| Calcasieu Parish | $1,638,988.85 |
| Cameron Parish | $2,092,861.04 |
| Iberia Parish | $1,636,190.83 |
| St. Martin Parish | $1,160,080.96 |
| St. Mary Parish | $1,364,113.38 |
| Vermilion Parish | $1,618,586.88 |
Coastal Restoration
The degradation of our natural coastline is a critical concern throughout many parts of our nation and specifically in areas throughout southern Louisiana. The practice of Coastal Restoration aids in restoring the physical characteristics of an area to return it’s natural functions. These coastal areas play a vital role in protecting human developments by reducing the intensity and frequency of natural disasters such as floods and by soaking up floodwaters or buffering the storm surge imposed by hurricanes or tropical storms in coastal areas.
According to Congressman Higgins:
“This is a major investment, which greatly increases support for coastal projects in Louisiana. GOMESA provides critical funding for mitigation and restoration efforts along Louisiana’s coast. We support this endeavor and will continue working with President Trump’s administration to expand and preserve these important revenue-sharing provisions.”
