Centers of Excellence have been established in Florida, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas. The Centers of Excellence will focus on science, technology, and monitoring in the following disciplines from the RESTORE Act regulations (subpart H, section §34.704) shown below:
- Coastal and deltaic sustainability, restoration and protection, including solutions and technology that allow citizens to live in a safe and sustainable manner in a coastal delta in the Gulf Coast Region;
- Coastal fisheries and wildlife ecosystem research and monitoring in the Gulf Coast Region;
- Offshore energy development, including research and technology to improve the sustainable and safe development of energy resources in the Gulf of Mexico;
- Sustainable and resilient growth, economic and commercial development in the Gulf of Mexico; and
- Comprehensive observation, monitoring, and mapping of the Gulf of Mexico.
The Center of Excellences are paid for (in part) with federal funding from the Department of the Treasury under the Resources and Ecosystem Sustainability, Tourist Opportunities, and Revived Economies of the Gulf States Act, also known as the RESTORE Act, signed on July 6, 2012.
Mission
ALCoE’s mission will be to provide results from innovative, forward looking, research conducted on areas of coastal concern to interested members of government, academic community, and the public.
Goals
Over the next three years ALCoE will:
- Implement a competitive grant program
- Produce innovative research in RESTORE Act eligible disciplines 1, 2, 4 and 5 above, but not number 3
- Leverage ALCoE-funded projects with other Gulf science programs where possible
- Improve infrastructure in ocean observation, experimentation and policy analysis
- Conduct synthesis of data resulting from ALCoE-funded projects
- Provide governmental entities with science-driven solutions and recommendations for developing resilient communities in coastal Alabama