2024 Legislative Summary for September

 

From Representative Matt Simpson, Chairman of the Baldwin County Legislative Delegation

In August, our Baldwin and Mobile County legislators joined Governor Kay Ivey in what has become one of the best annual celebrations – the announcement of GOMESA grant recipients.

Every year, the Gulf Coast states of Alabama, Mississippi, Florida, Louisiana and Texas are given a portion of the money the federal government collects from oil and gas companies to lease space in the Gulf of Mexico to drill oil as part of the Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act or GOMESA.

Thanks to legislation passed by our delegation a few years ago, spearheaded by Senator Chris Elliott, state law now that requires GOMESA money, which is generated here off the coast of Baldwin and Mobile Counties, must be spent in Baldwin and Mobile Counties. GOMESA money allows those communities to shore up their environmental stewardship and coastal projects to help protect our natural resources in the face of potential hurricane damage and other dangers.

These funds are not just important in the work they do but in the amount of work they do. Grants are generally allotted by the millions of dollars, meaning projects are not just started – entire projects are completed improving the quality of life for people across Baldwin County. 

The amount allotted to Alabama this year was over $30 million. Of that, more than $11 million is being spent in Baldwin County. Here is a look at some of the projects that money will cover in Baldwin County:

1. Honor Park – City leaders in Spanish Fort used $8.5 million in GOMESA money in 2022 to purchase 140 acres on the Mobile Delta. This year, another $3 million in GOMESA dollars will turn that parcel into a family-friendly park with picnicking, walking trails, kayaks, fishing piers, and public access to the water.
2. Daphne Sewer Lift Station Permanent Bypass Pumps – Nearly a $1 million will be spent in Daphne to strengthen the sewage system and keep sewage from spilling into Mobile Bay.
3. Blakeley State Park Water Access Improvement Project – The park will use the funds to build a new kayak and boat launch and expand the boardwalk. 
4. Meaher State Park Camp Store Project – Upgrades at this often-overlooked state park right on the Causeway includes the construction of a camp store.
5. Fairhope Flying Creek Nature Reserve – Plans include the construction of a nature and educational center at site of former Dyas home, hiking trails, and outdoor classrooms.
6. Summerdale Miracle League Ballfields – This project is nearly two decades in the making and with GOMESA’s help it will finally be finished. The fully inclusive playground and ballpark will give athletes with physical and mental handicaps a chance to play in league baseball.
7. Loxley Municipal Park Wetlands Acquisition Project – Here officials will spend $650,000 to purchase and protect wetlands from development.
8. Perdido Beach Drainage Improvements – More than $300,000 will be used to address long-standing issues the town has suffered for several years.
9. Orange Beach Sea, Sand and Stars Education Project – This seaside learning center has helped students across Baldwin County interact with the waters of our Gulf Coast for years. A nearly $1 million grant will upgrade the facility and bring in new experiences for our children.

    

   As a legislator, it is exciting for me to see our neighborhoods, our county, our home being improved each year though this partnership. Every project GOMESA money funds makes Baldwin County a better place for all of us.

As always, if you have an issue or a question, never hesitate to reach out by emailing me at [email protected].