Executive Order 13626: Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration
President: Barack Obama
Established the Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council and procedures for directing Deepwater Horizon penalties to regional recovery.
Status: In effect.
Is Executive Order 13626 still in effect? Yes. Active implementation structure for the RESTORE Act; the council continues approving and funding restoration projects.
What does Executive Order 13626 do?
EO 13626 implemented the RESTORE Act by establishing the Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council, chaired by a presidential appointee and composed of federal agencies and the five Gulf states. The council develops a comprehensive plan and selects ecosystem projects financed from civil penalties. It remains active: in June 2026 the council approved about $403.7 million in new project funding, bringing council-selected commitments above $1 billion.
Later evidence reviewed September 23, 2026: The council approved roughly $403.7 million in new funding. RESTORE Council — Funded Priorities List 2026. The funded-priorities decision illustrates later council implementation; it does not guarantee disbursement to every project.
Before and after
Before the order
Restoration efforts existed, but Congress had just created a new trust fund and interstate council requiring an implementation structure.
After the order
Federal and Gulf-state leaders adopted comprehensive plans and selected multistate ecosystem investments through a public funding process.
Who had to do what
| Agency / office | Action | Timing / position |
|---|---|---|
| RESTORE Council | Maintain the comprehensive plan and approve projects | Continuing |
| Treasury | Administer the Gulf Coast Restoration Trust Fund | Continuing |
| Federal and state members | Propose implement and monitor restoration work | Continuing |
What happened next
EO 13626 established the council.
The council approved roughly $403.7 million in new funding.
Legal and source detail
How it works legally
Section 311(t) of the Clean Water Act, added by the RESTORE Act, controls the trust fund and council. Procurement, grants, environmental review and state law apply to projects.
Sources by type
If a source is unavailable, first check the cited publisher or another official repository. The cited publisher remains the authority.
Primary and official sources
Orders, laws, court records and official implementation material.
- RESTORE Council — 2022 comprehensive plan (opens in a new tab) Official record
How we checked this
Last checked against the sources above on September 23, 2026. How we research →