Earlier this year, the Mobile County Commission approved a grant amendment with the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) and awarded a construction contract to advance the Salt Aire Shoreline Restoration Project along Mobile Bay.

The grant amendment provided additional funding through NFWF's Gulf Environmental Benefit Fund to restore and protect marsh shoreline on the western shore of Mobile Bay. The new total grant award is $15,700,000, and no local match is required from Mobile County.

Commissioners also awarded a $7,480,001 construction and dredging contract to Viking Dredge LLC. All construction costs will be reimbursed through the NFWF grant.

The Salt Aire Shoreline Restoration Project will restore approximately 30 acres of marsh and help stabilize a portion of the western Mobile Bay shoreline that has experienced decades of erosion. Healthy marsh habitat supports fisheries, wildlife and the working waterfront, while serving as a natural buffer against everyday wave action and coastal storms.

"These are oil spill settlement dollars being put back where they belong to restore and protect Mobile Bay," said Mobile County District 3 Commissioner Randall Dueitt. "Anyone who spends time on this water knows a healthy marsh is a foundation of our ecosystem, and this investment will help ensure Mobile Bay remains productive for generations to come."

Construction began in mid-April 2026 and will take approximately 10 months to complete. Boaters should be aware that access channels and submerged equipment will be present in the area during construction.

The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation's Gulf Environmental Benefit Fund was established with Deepwater Horizon oil spill settlement funds to restore Gulf Coast ecosystems and ensure those penalty dollars are used to rebuild natural resources, through projects like the Salt Aire Shoreline Restoration Project.