Over the winter months, the Gulf of America Alliance, working in partnership with the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) and Mississippi State University Coastal and Marine Extension, continued its work to remove vessels in Alabama as part of an ongoing large-scale project across the Gulf Coast. Thirty-two abandoned and derelict vessels (ADVs) were removed from sites in Bon Secour Bay, South Mobile County, and the Mobile-Tensaw Delta. 

This is in addition to 10 ADVs removed from Baldwin County and the Perdido River/Bay area in the spring of 2025. The recent removal represents 198,600 pounds of materials removed. In total, nearly 175 tons of debris, including sailboats, cabin cruisers, and barges have been removed from coastal Alabama waters.  

“The removal of abandoned vessels benefits our coastal systems in multiple ways, not just as an aesthetic issue, but most importantly as a safety issue. We are proud of the work with our partners to remove these threats to boaters navigating our waterways,” said Laura Bowie, Executive Director, Gulf of America Alliance. 

“As Alabama’s representative on the Gulf of America Alliance, I was glad to be a part of the team that worked to acquire funding for the removal of abandoned vessels from our waterways in Coastal Alabama,” said Chris Blankenship, Commissioner of the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. “I am grateful for our partnerships with the Alliance and the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency on this vitally important work. Removing marine debris from our Gulf Coast waters supports healthy aquatic ecosystems and reduces the dangers posed to boaters and anglers by derelict and abandoned vessels.”  

“ALEA’s Marine Patrol Division is proud to play a role in this effort by helping locate and identify abandoned and derelict vessels,” said Hal Taylor, Secretary, Alabama Law Enforcement Agency. “That work, along with helping ensure removal operations are conducted safely and in accordance with applicable laws, is an important part of this partnership. We appreciate the Gulf of America Alliance, the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and all of our partners who are working together to address these hazards. Each vessel removed eliminates a potential navigational hazard and helps us continue our mission of keeping Alabama’s waterways safe for everyone.” 

The Alliance coordinated efforts across multiple local and state agencies to complete this work. Contractors MD Thomas Construction, LLC, and Blue Diving & Salvage, LLC, removed and properly disposed of the identified ADVs; ALEA was involved to ensure the contractors complied with federal, regional, and local laws; and Mississippi State University Coastal and Marine Extension acted as the on-site project manager.  

This project is supported by a grant from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Marine Debris Program. 

The Gulf of America Alliance invested $3.9 million in funding from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Office for Coastal Management to increase regional collaboration and support priorities identified by the five Gulf states. The funds fueled implementation of 13 projects that improved coastal community resilience, data accessibility and sharing, environmental education, habitat and water resources, wildlife and fisheries, and marine debris; projects began in late 2023 and continued through 2026.

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. Information about each of the projects is provided below.

Project Descriptions

The Gulf of America Alliance is pleased to announce a new project funded by our Gulf Star Program partner, 1PointFive, a carbon capture, utilization and sequestration company that is developing the South Texas Direct Air Capture Hub in Kleberg County.

Over the next two years, funding from 1PointFive, a subsidiary of Occidental, will support construction of an 800-foot living shoreline, which includes a breakwater and marsh planting, to address ongoing erosion issues at the Hans & Pat Suter Wildlife Refuge in Corpus Christi, Texas. This park provides important public access to the outdoors for both residents and visitors and is a well-known birding hotspot.

However, recent storms have caused shoreline erosion that is threatening the park’s walking trail in several places. Coastal Bend Bays & Estuaries Program, a non-profit focused on protecting the bays and estuaries in the Coastal Bend, will lead the project. They will work with volunteers to place oyster shell and plant native marsh grass to protect the shoreline. The living shoreline will reduce wave energy while also increasing marsh and oysters growing in the area. These improvements will provide habitat for fish, birds and wildlife.

“Living shorelines are one of the most effective ways we can protect our coast while enhancing habitat for fish and wildlife,” said Kiersten Stanzel, Executive Director of the Coastal Bend Bays & Estuaries Program. “This project will help preserve an important public space for our community, while also demonstrating how public-private partnerships can create lasting benefits for both people and our coastal ecosystems.”

“We appreciate 1PointFive’s commitment as a Gulf Star partner and their support to help Gulf Coast communities, like Corpus Christi, find resilience solutions that benefit people and the environment,” said Laura Bowie, executive director for the Gulf of America Alliance. “Our collaborative formula and the shared vision of our partners make projects like this possible.”

“By supporting the Gulf of America Alliance and its work, we are investing in infrastructure and initiatives that aim to help strengthen this region and create lasting benefits for the people who call it home,” said Trey Fournier, Director, 1PointFive.

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.

The current 2026 Gulf Star partners are: 1PointFive, the National Academies’ Gulf Research Program, Shell, Motiva Enterprises, Valero, Genesis Energy, L.P., Freeport McMoRan, Sempra Infrastructure, Chevron, Williams, Clean Gulf Associates, Alabama Power, ArcelorMittal Calvert, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the five Gulf states.

For more information on the Alliance’s Gulf Star Program visit https://gulfofamericaalliance.org.

(Photo credit: Coastal Bend Bays and Estuaries Program)

The Gulf of America Alliance is pleased to announce a new partnership with ArcelorMittal Calvert as they become the most recent organization to join the Alliance’s Gulf Star Program. ArcelorMittal Calvert is a steel manufacturing company that specializes in advanced automotive steel and the production of pipe and tube steel. They are the second organization to join the Gulf Star Program in the state of Alabama, and our first partner from the manufacturing sector.

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, ArcelorMittal Calvert is funding a project that will continue developing the Native Plant Producer Network with additional schools in Mobile and Baldwin counites, Alabama. This school-based program was created in Mississippi in 2024 and expanded to Mobile and Baldwin counties earlier this year with separate Gulf Star Program support. Objectives include:

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

“The future of our Gulf Coast depends on both a healthy environment and a skilled workforce. That’s why ArcelorMittal Calvert is proud to partner with the Gulf of America Alliance to expand the Native Plant Producer Network in local schools. By combining hands-on STEM education with meaningful environmental restoration projects, this program gives students the opportunity to apply science, technology and critical thinking skills while making a lasting impact on their communities. We are honored to support an initiative that helps cultivate both future talent and a more resilient Gulf Coast said Chris Richards, CEO, ArcelorMittal Calvert.

“This new partnership is a wonderful example of the Alliance’s confidence that companies from a variety of sectors share our commitment to enhancing the environmental and economic health of the entire Gulf,” said Laura Bowie, Executive Director for the Gulf of America Alliance. “We’re so excited to continue expanding partnerships in the state of Alabama and to welcome our first partner from the manufacturing sector.”

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

 

About ArcelorMittal Calvert

ArcelorMittal Calvert is a leading steel manufacturer in Calvert, Alabama, and one of the nation’s most advanced steel facilities. Serving industries such as automotive, energy, construction and appliances, the site is built on a strong commitment to safety, quality and operational excellence. Through continued investments in steelmaking, ArcelorMittal Calvert is expanding its domestic production capabilities while remaining a dedicated community partner through programs that support education, health and quality of life across the region.

To learn more about ArcelorMittal Calvert, visit www.arcelormittalcalvert.com or follow them on social LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook.

 

About the Gulf of America Alliance

The Gulf of America Alliance is a regional partnership focused on enhancing the environmental and economic health of the region through increased collaboration. Led by the five Gulf states, our network includes over 165 participating organizations from state and federal agencies, local governments, communities, academia, non-governmental organizations, and industry. Working with these partners, we address priority issues including coastal community resilience; data and monitoring; education; habitat; water resources; wildlife and fisheries; and marine debris. gulfofamericaalliance.org

Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn @gulfofamericaalliance

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.