TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) - Gov. Rick Scott and a group comprising 23 Gulf Coast counties have reached a deal for using recovery funds related to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.
Scott announced signing the agreement with the Gulf Consortium on Friday.
The governor's office says the agreement lays the groundwork to ensure that funding sources related to the Resources and Ecosystems Sustainability, Tourist Opportunities, and Revived Economies of the Gulf Coast States Act of 2012 are maximized when developing a long term restoration plan for Florida.
The RESTORE Act was passed by Congress last summer. It creates the Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council and establishes various funding categories. The RESTORE Act will be funded by Clean Water Act civil and administrative penalties paid by responsible parties from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. The council includes the five Gulf-state governors and six federal agencies.
