Unalaska, AK – The state government is accepting applications for grants from the Coastal Impact Assistance Program. The $13.8 million of available funds will go toward local governments, non-profits, and others who submit projects that conserve and restore coastal areas and mitigate damage to fish, wildlife, and natural resources in those areas. Environmental education projects also qualify.

This one-time-only source of funding is made available through a 2005 federal law that distributes a chunk of money to each of the six states that have off-shore oil and gas leasing. The money is aimed at mitigating the potentially harmful effects of the exploration and production. Part of the money goes straight to the state and borough governments. In Alaska, municipal governments, non-profits, tribes, and others can compete for a small chunk, $13.8 million.

"The caveat to the funding is that it needs to benefit the natural coastal environment of Alaska's coastal area," said Sally Russell Cox, the state's program manager for community coastal impact and climate change programs. That includes "the federal land and water in the coastal zone."

Cox helps administer the project. "There's a wide variety of things that can be done with this funding. It's a wonderful opportunity for the public and I'm really very excited and looking forward to the types of projects that are going to be submitted."

One of the project applicants is the Aleutians West Coastal Service Resource Area. They are seeking funds to remove the derelict barges at the end of Captain's Bay and at the end of the runway in Unalaska.

The public solicitation of projects opened on February 1 and will close on March 12. After it closes, the state will evaluate and select projects to be integrated into the state's coastal impact assistance plan. That plan will then be submitted to the Minerals Management Service, which distributes the funds. The applicants will then have to go through a more in-depth approval process and provide more detailed plans to the MMS before they can receive funds in late summer 2011. They will then have three and half years to complete the project.

You can find out more on the state's website.