The Alabama Port Authority is set to advance a major initiative to create new wetlands and restore vital wildlife habitat following the award of US$24 million in funding under the RESTORE Act.
Last week, the Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council approved US$403 million for various coastal restoration projects across the Gulf of America.
In Alabama, this included US$24 million allocated to the APA’s Upper Mobile Bay Wetland Creation Project, which has been under development since 2016.
The project will use suitable material from routine berth maintenance dredging at the Port of Mobile to build the first 100 acres of a planned 1,200-acre restoration area located just south of the Causeway in Mobile Bay.
By repurposing this sediment, the initiative will create new wetlands, restore important wildlife habitat, and help maintain valuable material within the bay, thereby enhancing coastal resilience and supporting the long-term health of the ecosystem.
Upon completion, the Upper Mobile Bay Wetland Restoration Project will rank among the largest coastal restoration efforts in Alabama’s history. It builds on extensive planning, engineering, environmental assessments, and cooperation between local, state, and federal partners.
“Berth dredging at the Port of Mobile is critical to supporting Alabama’s economic growth, and this project will transform that routine task into an opportunity to restore and strengthen one of our most important natural resources,” said Alabama Port Authority Director and CEO Doug Otto.
With RESTORE Act funding now secured and a construction permit issued by the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), work on the first phase of the Upper Mobile Bay Wetland Creation Project is scheduled to begin in early 2027.
