R Street encourages using RESTORE funds for coastal planning and coordination
WASHINGTON (Oct. 1, 2015) – The R Street Institute filed comments this week in Texas, Alabama and Florida on the Funded Priorities List (FPL) released by the Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council. These proposed projects along the coasts of Alabama, Texas, Florida, Louisiana and Mississippi point to the need for the entire Gulf Coast region to develop forward-thinking coastal plans that coordinate across states.
“The RESTORE Act will fund a number of research and planning projects that must be incorporated into a broader vision that ensures both economic prosperity and environmental stewardship,” said Cameron Smith, R Street’s state programs director. “We shouldn’t wait until disaster strikes to develop a sound plan for the region.”
Smith added that Alabama and Mississippi, in particular, should use these projects to craft broad plans modeled on Louisiana’s “Comprehensive Master Plan for a Sustainable Coast.'”
“It’s past time for conservatives to take their conservation ethic seriously,” he said. “We’re farmers, fishers, hunters and foresters who are deeply connected to the land and sea. We can’t just dismiss conservation policy as the domain of the political left.”
R Street will continue to focus on pragmatic policies that protect the taxpayer, restore the environment and foster economic opportunity, Smith said.
