A newly released poll of Gulf Coast voters, including those along coastal Alabama, shows growing support for directing billions of dollars in BP oil spill settlement money toward environmental restoration rather than general infrastructure spending.
The survey, commissioned by the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership and the Nature Conservancy, found that 68 percent of respondents across five Gulf states want RESTORE Act funds focused on rebuilding beaches, wildlife habitat and coastal waterways. That support has grown since a similar poll was conducted in 2013, reflecting continued public interest in restoring the region years after the 2010 Deepwater Horizon disaster.
Notably, the poll found more self-identified Republican voters than Democrats prioritized restoration spending over construction projects such as roads and schools, a trend pollsters attributed in part to the region’s strong hunting and fishing culture. More than a third of respondents said they had purchased a hunting or fishing license within the past three years.
“They care about the quality of the habitat and ecosystems we have,” said Chris Macaluso of the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership, describing sportsmen as a driving force behind conservation-minded views even among conservative voters.
For coastal Alabama, the debate carries real financial stakes. The state’s overall settlement is expected to total roughly $2 billion paid out over 18 years, with about $1 billion directed to the state’s general fund. Local advocates argue that not enough of the money is earmarked specifically for Mobile and Baldwin counties, which absorbed the heaviest economic and environmental toll from the spill.
Casi Callaway, executive director of Mobile Baykeeper, said investing in environmental restoration benefits nearly every corner of the local economy, from tourism to seafood restaurants to property values along the coast. She and other local advocates have pushed back against using settlement dollars to help close Alabama’s state budget shortfall rather than funding coastal projects directly.
The poll’s release comes as officials in Montgomery continue working out details of how settlement money will ultimately be spent, with final court approval of the broader agreement still pending. Coastal advocates say they hope public opinion data like this poll will keep pressure on state leaders to prioritize projects that directly benefit Mobile and Baldwin county shorelines, wetlands and fisheries rather than diverting funds elsewhere.
With state budget negotiations ongoing, local officials say the coming months will be critical in determining how much of the settlement actually reaches South Alabama communities still recovering from the spill’s long-term effects on tourism and the seafood industry.