The Energy Policy Act of 2005 (Public Law 109-58) was signed into law by President Bush on August 8, 2005. Section 384 of the Act establishes the Coastal Impact Assistance Program (CIAP), which authorizes funds to be distributed to Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) oil and gas producing States for the conservation, protection and preservation of coastal areas, including wetlands. The CIAP legislation appropriated $250 million per year for fiscal years 2007 through 2010 to be distributed among eligible producing States and the coastal political subdivisions. The State of Alabama is one of six states eligible to receive CIAP funding. In addition to Alabama, other CIAP recipient states include: Alaska, California, Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas.
The Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (ADCNR) was designated as the lead agency for development and implementation of the CIAP. The State Lands Division provides primary day-to-day management of the program for the ADCNR and has coordinated closely with the coastal political subdivisions in development of a CIAP Plan.
A CIAP Plan must first be approved by the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement (BOEMRE) prior to receiving CIAP funding for any specific project identified in the Plan. The United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) took over the management of the CIAP program on October 1, 2011.
In Alabama, the CIAP eligible recipients are the State of Alabama (through the ADCNR), the Baldwin County Commission and the Mobile County Commission. In total, the State of Alabama will receive $58,731,606.00. The Baldwin County Commission will receive $14,130,187.62 and the Mobile County Commission will receive $17,494,523.30. This funding will be utilized to implement projects outlined in the CIAP Plan.
Approved projects must meet the following authorized uses, as established by Congress:
1. Projects and activities for the conservation, protection or restoration of coastal areas, including wetlands;
2. Mitigation of damage to fish, wildlife or natural resources;
3. Planning assistance and the administrative costs of complying with CIAP;
4. Implementation of a federally approved marine, coastal or comprehensive conservation management plan; and
5. Mitigation of the impact of OCS activities through funding of onshore infrastructure projects and public service needs.
The State of Alabama, Baldwin County Commission, and Mobile County Commission developed the State of Alabama CIAP Plan for FY 2007 and FY 2008 as well as the State of Alabama CIAP Plan Amendment for FY 2009 and FY 2010. For more information on both plans please click the links below:
State of Alabama CIAP Plan for FY 2007 and FY 2008
State of Alabama CIAP Plan Amendment for FY 2009 and FY 2010
State of Alabama CIAP Projects (8MB)
ALDCNR Offshore Infrastructure Geodatabase - This database provides information on existing oil and gas infrastructure located in the nearshore and offshore environment of Alabama state waters. The database provides locations of pipelines, platforms, wells, and other infrastructure along with active and historical leasing and rights-of-way information. This database and website was funded with qualified outer continental shelf oil and gas revenues by the Coastal Impact Assistance Program, Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Department of the Interior.
