The Gulf of America Alliance is pleased to announce 20 new and ongoing projects that will make a positive environmental and economic impact on the Gulf coast as part of its Gulf Star Program.

The projects are:

• Expanding a native plant producer network program to Alabama schools (Alabama)
• Improving hatching success of ground nesting shorebirds (Louisiana)
• Managing wetland ponds to increase habitat for Whooping Cranes (Texas)
• Educating the public through social media (Gulfwide)
• Environmental stewardship with students (Alabama, Louisiana, and Texas)
• New techniques for early detection of Vibrio bacteria (Gulfwide)
• Marsh planting at Brazoria National Wildlife Refuge (Texas)
• Reducing urban litter in local waterways (Texas)
• Marine debris education (Florida)
• Inventory of regional sediment resources (Gulfwide)
• Implementing a youth ambassador program (Gulfwide)
• Regional data sharing for coastal management (Gulfwide)
• Understanding the effects of tropical species moving north (Gulfwide)
• Living shoreline design and permitting (Louisiana)
• Marsh planting in Cameron Parish (Louisiana)
• Status and ecology of secretive beetles and fireflies (Florida)
• Hands-on community resilience planning (Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas)
• Enhancing pipeline right-of-way to increase pollinator habitat (Mississippi)
• Installing living shoreline (Texas)
• Community resilience assessment (Alabama)

These projects are funded by the Gulf of America Alliance’s Gulf Star Program, a unique public-private partnership that leverages contributions from agencies and businesses to address key priority issues specific to the region. The Alliance provides additional capacity for these projects to reduce barriers that are often a challenge for small communities and organizations, such as high administrative burden and match requirements. All projects in the Gulf Star Program accomplish actions co-developed by the five Gulf states to support healthy beaches, clean waters, productive ecosystems, and thriving coastal communities.

“I am incredibly proud of the partners who bring dedication and expertise to this program,” said Laura Bowie, Executive Director for the Gulf of America Alliance. “Together, we’re building a stronger, more resilient Gulf region. I am confident our collective efforts will continue to make a lasting difference for years to come.”

The shared impacts from these projects are made possible by our 2026 Gulf Star partners: 1PointFive, Williams, Sempra Infrastructure, the National Academies’ Gulf Research Program, Shell, Motiva Enterprises, Chevron, Alabama Power, Freeport McMoRan, Genesis Energy, Valero, Clean Gulf Associates, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the five Gulf states.

Learn more about our work and view the 2025 Gulf Star Program annual report on our website at https://gulfofamericaalliance.org/gulf-star/.

The Gulf of America Alliance is pleased to announce a new partnership with Genesis Energy, L.P. as it becomes the most recent organization to join the Alliance’s Gulf Star Program. Genesis Energy is a diversified midstream company that provides an integrated suite of midstream services in the Gulf of America and along the Gulf Coast.

The Gulf Star Program is a unique public-private partnership that leverages contributions from agencies and businesses to address key priority issues specific to the region. The Alliance provides additional capacity for these projects to reduce barriers that are often a challenge for small communities and organizations, such as high administrative burden and match requirements. All projects in the Gulf Star Program accomplish actions co-developed by the five Gulf states to support healthy beaches, clean waters, productive ecosystems, and thriving coastal communities.

As a part of this collaboration, partners will plant two acres of native marsh grass to accelerate the recovery of coastal marsh habitat at the Brazoria National Wildlife Refuge near Freeport, Texas. The refuge has experienced extensive shoreline erosion, resulting in the loss of hundreds of acres of marsh over recent decades. This project will restore critical, high-value habitat for fish and wildlife species while also enhancing public recreational opportunities such as birdwatching and waterfowl hunting.

“We are happy to welcome Genesis Energy as our newest partner and expand the positive impact of our Gulf Star Program,” said Laura Bowie, Executive Director for the Gulf of America Alliance. “Projects like this are only possible because of the shared vision of our partners.”

Genesis Energy joins the following Gulf Star partners: 1PointFive, the National Academies’ Gulf Research Program, Shell, Motiva Enterprises, Valero, Freeport McMoRan, Sempra Infrastructure, Chevron, Williams, Clean Gulf Associates, Alabama Power, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the five Gulf states.

The Gulf of America Alliance is investing $2.2 million in funding from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Office for Coastal Management to increase regional collaboration and advance priorities identified by the five Gulf states. The funds are being used to increase capacity and implement projects that address priority issues for the region.

Four Regional Ocean Partnerships, including the Gulf of America Alliance, received similar awards. Regional Ocean Partnerships focus on issues that are identified by the member states, provide a voice for a wide variety of stakeholders, and advance collaborative solutions. They also leverage public and private funding to accomplish objectives common to multiple stakeholders across the region, reducing duplication.

Regional Ocean Partnerships have operated for nearly two decades and were formally authorized by Congress in 2022. Since then, the Gulf of America Alliance has awarded 27 projects, totaling over $8 million invested in the five Gulf states, through Regional Ocean Partnership funding.

“As the Regional Ocean Partnership for the Gulf, we provide unique capacity for intentional, efficient collaboration and coordination at the regional scale,” said Laura Bowie, Gulf of America Alliance Executive Director. “By working together, we can accomplish more than any single organization alone.”

Six new projects located across the Gulf states will focus on:

– coastal community resilience

– data accessibility and sharing

– environmental education

– habitat and water resources

– wildlife and fisheries Each project was selected to achieve goals identified in the Alliance’s Governors’ Action Plan IV for Healthy and Resilient Coasts (https://gulfofamericaalliance.org/what-we-do/governors-action-plan/) a five-year strategic plan developed by the Gulf states in collaboration with federal agencies, universities, non-profit organizations, and industry partners. Projects will continue through November 2027.

Information for each project is listed below:

Project Title: Increasing Community Resilience by Protecting Future Gulf Coast Wetlands

Location: Gulfwide

Lead Institution: The Nature Conservancy

Project Description: Map high-priority conservation areas and develop a best practices guide to protect and manage tidal wetlands and adjacent upland spaces using voluntary conservation programs, local planning, and other best practices

 

Project Title: Improving Data Comparability and Accessibility Across the Gulf Region

Location: Gulfwide

Lead Institution: Esri

Project Description: Work with leading geospatial experts to create a sourcebook of mapping standards for oyster and seagrass habitats and provide geospatial resources through a Gulf Living Atlas to improve data accessibility

 

Project Title: Online Professional Development for Education and Engagement Products

Location: Gulfwide

Lead Institution: Mississippi State University

Project Description: Develop online professional development courses and lesson plans aligned to state standards for the Alliance’s “Waters to the Sea: Gulf Coast Adventure” and “Gulf Literacy Principles” educational products

 

Project Title: Assessing the Impact of Neighboring Shoreline Management

Location: Mississippi

Lead Institution: Mississippi State University

Project Description: Evaluate the physical effects of living shorelines versus bulkheads on neighboring shorelines and share the results with end-users including private property owners and natural resource managers

 

Project Title: Movement Ecology of Female Shortfin Mako Sharks in the Gulf

Location: Gulfwide

Lead Institution: Harte Research Institute

Project Description: Identify movement patterns and habitat use of female mako sharks using advanced satellite tagging technologies to improve understanding of stock structure, informing conservation and fisheries management

 

Project Title: Understanding Dynamics of Septic System Pollution Potential in the Gulf Region

Location: Gulfwide

Lead Institution: Auburn University

Project Description: Install long-term monitoring stations at on-site water treatment (septic) system sites to understand pollution drivers and connections between surface water, groundwater, and soil types; refine pollution potential models developed for coastal communities in the Gulf region

Our Business Advisory Council (BAC) recently held its annual in-person meeting as part of the Gulf Conference in Mobile, Ala. Over 30 BAC members and guests met over lunch to hear updates on several Alliance-funded projects across coastal Alabama. The agenda also included recognition of Alabama Power as the Alliance’s newest partner in the Gulf Star Program.   

Commissioner Chris Blankenship, Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, and Meg Goecker, Moffatt & Nichol, then led a tour of restoration successes across south Mobile County and Dauphin Island including Bayfront Park, the Dauphin Island Causeway, Aloe Bay, Graveline Bay, and the East End beach. These projects have restored hundreds of acres of beach and marsh habitat, while also protecting roadways and homes from flooding, and increasing public access to the water. Throughout the day, participants saw first-hand the connection between restoration, healthy ecosystems, and a thriving coastal economy.  

The Business Advisory Council was formed by the Alliance in 2012 to strengthen engagement with businesses and industries that operate in and around the Gulf region. This council includes representatives from tourism, oil and gas, manufacturing, utilities/energy, transportation, commercial and recreational fishing, seafood processing, agriculture, and environmental consulting. Today, over 60 representatives from these industries participate in the BAC annually, providing important input and support for Alliance activities. 

U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., introduced the Regional Ocean Partnership Reauthorization Act of 2026 on Feb. 5, 2026.

If passed by Congress and signed by the President, the Act will reauthorize Regional Ocean Partnerships (ROPs) for the next five years and bring continued support for voluntary, intergovernmental coordination to address ocean and coastal issues. The Gulf of America Alliance is the ROP for the Gulf of America, designated by the governors of the five Gulf states: Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas. Three other ROPs are also currently authorized: the Northeast Regional Ocean Council, Mid-Atlantic Regional Council on the Ocean, and the West Coast Ocean Alliance.

Regional Ocean Partnerships have operated for nearly two decades and were formally authorized by Congress in 2022. They focus on issues that are identified by the member states, provide a voice for a wide variety of stakeholders, and foster intentional, efficient coordination on shared priorities. Regional Ocean Partnerships also leverage public and private funding to accomplish objectives common to multiple stakeholders across the region, reducing duplication.

“It is important for states to work together to provide solutions for the issues our coasts face today,” said Senator Roger Wicker. “This bill promotes regional collaboration, builds stronger database portals, and leverages funding to strengthen our blue economy and protect natural resources.”

“Regional Ocean Partnerships sustain intentional, efficient coordination among stakeholders,” said Chris Blankenship, Commissioner of the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and Chair of the Alliance Management Team. “Each ROP focuses on issues that are priorities for their region, as identified by its members. This puts states in the driver’s seat on addressing common issues in a voluntary and collaborative way.”

The Gulf of America Alliance would like to thank Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) for introducing the reauthorization bill as well as the leaders of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, & Transportation, Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas, Chairman) and Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash., Ranking Member) along with co-sponsors Sen. Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), Sen. Christopher Murphy (D-Conn.), Sen. Katie Boyd Britt (R-Ala.), Sen. Christopher Coons (D-Del.), Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.), Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), Sen. Margaret Wood Hassan (D-N.H.), Sen. Edward Markey (D-Mass.), and Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) for their commitment to recognizing the value of regional collaboration and the benefits to our country.

Go to Congress.gov to follow the progress of S.3791.

The Gulf of America Alliance is pleased to announce a new partnership with Alabama Power as it becomes the most recent organization to join the Alliance’s Gulf Star Program. They are also the first organization to join in the state of Alabama.

The Gulf Star Program is a unique public-private partnership that leverages contributions from agencies and businesses to address key priority issues specific to the region. The Alliance provides additional capacity for these projects to reduce barriers that are often a challenge for small communities and organizations, such as high administrative burden and match requirements. All projects in the Gulf Star Program accomplish actions co-developed by the five Gulf states to support healthy beaches, clean waters, productive ecosystems, and thriving coastal communities.

As a part of this collaboration, Alabama Power is funding a project that will expand the Native Plant Producer Network to schools in Mobile and Baldwin counties, Alabama. Objectives include:

• providing hands-on STEM opportunities for middle and high school students;
• growing native plants for restoration; and
• restoring marshes to improve habitat

“At Alabama Power, we believe in doing more than just keeping the lights on. We also believe in the power of education to spark opportunities and we know that this project will make a tangible difference for students of Baldwin and Mobile counties,” said Stacey Turner, Alabama Power Vice President of Environmental Affairs. “Programs like this reinforce our mission to strengthen our communities, and we look forward to partnering with the Gulf of America Alliance on this vital work.”

“We are excited to start the new year by announcing this partnership with Alabama Power, which further underscores our mission to enhance the environmental and economic health of the entire Gulf,” said Laura Bowie, executive director for the Gulf of America Alliance. “We are hitting the ground running with this project and can’t wait to see what’s next with Alabama Power as our new partner.”

Alabama Power joins the following Gulf Star partners: 1PointFive, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine’s Gulf Research Program, Shell, Motiva Enterprises, Valero, Oxy, Freeport McMoRan, Sempra Infrastructure, Chevron, Williams, Clean Gulf Associates, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the five Gulf states.

By any measure, 2025 was an incredibly productive year for the Gulf of America Alliance, whether it’s from our leadership, our dedicated staff, or our invaluable supporters. In 2025 we moved forward vital projects, added Gulf Star partners, secured more funding, engaged key stakeholders, and so much more. 

Here’s a snapshot of this year’s work: 

95% – Percentage of our actions in progress or complete as part of our current Governors’ Action Plan IV

69 – Active projects This is our largest single-year number of projects ever! Forty-four projects are federally- funded and 25 are funded through our Gulf Star Program. This represents more than $22 million total in current projects.  

2 – New Gulf Star partners This year we were excited to welcome Williams and Sempra Infrastructure to our growing team of organizations who help move our work forward. Stay tuned for more partners to come in 2026.

$6.8M – New funding This includes $6 million in new federal funding and $800,000 in private funding through our Gulf Star Program, demonstrating broad support from our stakeholders.

457 – Number of attendees at All Hands Meeting in Biloxi, Miss. Coastal scientists and stakeholders from 135 organizations, representing state and federal agencies, academia, non-profit organizations, and the private sector, met to build partnerships for a healthier Gulf.

3,895 – Number of derelict crab traps removed from across the five Gulf states, along with 2,100 pounds of aquaculture debris; this work was led by the Wildlife & Fisheries Team

7 – Communities supported This is a vital part of our coastal community resilience work, supporting planning and implementation projects with communities Gulf-wide. This work was led by the Coastal Community Resilience Team.

65 – Vessels removed Led by our Marine Debris Cross-Team Initiative, this work included vessel removal in Alabama, Mississippi, and Texas.

1,990 – Projects in the Deepwater Horizon Project Tracker; this work, led by the Data & Monitoring Team, centers on restoration, research, and recovery projects resulting from the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill

2,409 – Acres of cropland using improved farming practices This is part of work by the Water Resources Team to reduce excess runoff that enters local waterways in the Bayou Lafourche watershed in Louisiana, using innovative farming practices.

414 – Registered for tropicalization webinars Topics included ways tropical species are expanding their ranges north as temperatures warm, mangrove expansion, and related management challenges in Florida, Louisiana, and Texas. This work was led by the Habitat Resources Team. 

7 – Number of Ocean Guardian Schools Focused on coastal watershed stewardship, students at these schools implement a community or school-based conservation project. Schools supported in 2025 are located in Port Arthur, East Houston, and Galveston County, Texas; Pointe-Au-Chien, Morgan City, and West Feliciana, Louisiana; and Robertsdale, Alabama. This effort is led by the Education & Engagement Team. 

2.5 – Acres of habitat restored Local high-school students gained hands-on experience in STEM-related career opportunities while growing native marsh grasses. These grasses were used to create a living shoreline in Flour Bluff (near Corpus Christi in the Texas Coastal Bend).  This work was led by the Integrated Planning Cross-Team Initiative.

30 – Residents engaged to discuss how newly rebuilt marshes reduce flood risk for nearby homes; this will better inform residents as they work to lower their insurance rates. This project is led by the Human Benefits of Nature Cross-Team Initiative.