ArcelorMittal Calvert has joined the Gulf of America Alliance’s Gulf Star Program, becoming the second Alabama organization and the first manufacturing-sector partner to sign on to the regional public-private restoration initiative.
The Gulf Star Program pairs contributions from businesses and agencies with projects that the five Gulf states have co-developed to support healthy beaches, clean water, productive ecosystems and resilient coastal communities. The Alliance provides added administrative capacity to those projects, easing burdens — such as heavy paperwork and matching-fund requirements — that often stand in the way of small communities and organizations pursuing this kind of work on their own.
Funding School-Based Plant Nurseries
As part of the partnership, ArcelorMittal Calvert is funding an expansion of the Native Plant Producer Network to additional schools in Mobile and Baldwin counties. The program, which trains students to grow native plants used in coastal and habitat restoration projects, began in Mississippi in 2024 and was extended to Mobile and Baldwin counties earlier this year through separate Gulf Star Program support.
“The future of our Gulf Coast depends on both a healthy environment and a skilled workforce,” said Chris Richards, CEO of ArcelorMittal Calvert. “That’s why ArcelorMittal Calvert is proud to partner with the Gulf of America Alliance to expand the Native Plant Producer Network in local schools. By combining hands-on STEM education with meaningful environmental restoration projects, this program gives students the opportunity to apply science, technology and critical thinking skills while making a lasting impact on their communities. We are honored to support an initiative that helps cultivate both future talent and a more resilient Gulf Coast.”
Laura Bowie, executive director of the Gulf of America Alliance, said the partnership reflects growing interest from industry in the Alliance’s work. “This new partnership is a wonderful example of the Alliance’s confidence that companies from a variety of sectors share our commitment to enhancing the environmental and economic health of the entire Gulf,” Bowie said. “We’re so excited to continue expanding partnerships in the state of Alabama and to welcome our first partner from the manufacturing sector.”
A Growing Roster of Partners
ArcelorMittal Calvert joins a growing list of Gulf Star partners that includes Genesis Energy, L.P.; 1PointFive; Alabama Power; the National Academies’ Gulf Research Program; Shell; Motiva Enterprises; Valero; Freeport-McMoRan; Sempra Infrastructure; Chevron; Williams; Clean Gulf Associates; the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; and the five Gulf states.
ArcelorMittal Calvert operates a steel manufacturing facility in Calvert, in north Mobile County, producing advanced automotive steel as well as pipe and tube steel for the automotive, energy, construction and appliance industries. The company describes the site as one of the nation’s most advanced steel facilities and says it has continued to invest in expanding domestic production while supporting local education, health and quality-of-life programs.
The Gulf of America Alliance is a regional partnership working to enhance the environmental and economic health of the Gulf through greater collaboration among more than 165 participating organizations, including state and federal agencies, local governments, academic institutions, nonprofits and industry. The Alliance, led by the five Gulf states, focuses on priority issues including coastal community resilience, data and monitoring, education, habitat, water resources, wildlife and fisheries, and marine debris.