According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a valid OMB control number. The 

valid OMB control number for this information collection is 1505‐0250. Comments concerning the time required to complete this information collection, including the 

time to review instructions, search existing data resources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information, should 

be directed to the Department of the Treasury, Office of Gulf Coast Restoration, 1500 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20220. 

RESTORE ACT Direct Component Multiyear Plan Narrative 

Department of the Treasury 

OMB Approval No. 1505‐0250 

Directions:  Use this form for the Initial Multiyear Plan and any subsequent amendments to an accepted Multiyear 

Plan.  For amendments, include only new and/or materially modified activities.

Multiyear Plan Version (Initial or Amendment Number):  Amendment #2 

Date of Initial Multiyear Plan Acceptance:  June 30, 2017 

Date of Last Multiyear Plan Acceptance:  November 15, 2019 

Eligible Applicant Name:  Okaloosa County, Florida 

Name and Contact Information of the Person to be contacted (POC) on matters concerning this Multiyear Implementation Plan: 

POC Name:  Jane Evans 

POC Title:  Grants and RESTORE Manager 

POC Email:  jevans@myokaloosa.com 

POC Phone:  850‐651‐7521 

NARRATIVE DESCRIPTION: 

1. A description of each activity, including the need, purpose, objective(s), milestones and location. Include map showing the

location of each activity. 

Amendment #2 is to amend the Initial MYP Project: Gulfarium C.A.R.E. Center.  Program costs are estimates and project 

grants will include project oversight costs by the County.  

Gulfarium C.A.R.E. Center RESTORE ($87,181.43)

PROJECT DESCRIPTION:  Gulfarium Marine Adventure Park (GMAP), known simply as "The Gulfarium" by residents and 

guests,  has  a  rich  history  in  sea  turtle  exhibition,  care,  rehabilitation  and  release.  It  is  estimated  that  "well  into  the 

hundreds" of  these protected species have been cared  for and  returned  to  the Gulf of Mexico since 1955. Currently, 

GMAP employs an animal care staff of up  to  (8) individuals dedicated in part  to sea  turtle  rescue,  rehabilitation, and 

release. Veterinary care is funded entirely by GMAP.   

Phase 1 of the C.A.R.E. (Conserve. Act. Rehabilitate. Educate.) Center will comprise six pools: one 20 ft in diameter, one 

12 ft in diameter, and four 6 ft in diameter. This phase will cost an estimated $240,000.00, $150,000.00 of which will be 

funded  by  Gulfarium Marine  Adventure  Park.    The  requested  $87,181.43  (Direct  Component  Funds)  will  provide  the 

funding  necessary  to  refurbish  fiberglass  pools  and  to  purchase  and  install  state‐of‐the‐art  Life  Support  Systems 

(filtration).  The  scope  of  work  requires  permit  acquisition,  hiring  of  contractors/crews,  continued  operational  and 

financial support by GMAP, and two additional staff to be retained. Future phases of the Center include additional pools, 

hospital, classrooms, lab space, natural history educational opportunities, outreach programs, etc. resulting in increased 

staffing and budgetary support. 

To expand on the need for the project and how refurbishing two fiberglass pools and installing a filtration system will 

address the need: the Gulfarium received the fiberglass pools as donations to support our sea turtle conservation efforts. 

In order  for the pools to be transported to the Gulfarium, the structures were disassembled, thus requiring  fiberglass 

refurbishment in order for them to be in usable condition. The extra four 6 ft diameter pools are already on site as well, 

however, they do not need refurbishment. In the past 5 years, we have seen a noticeable increase in the number of sea 

turtles requiring care and rehabilitation at the Gulfarium C.A.R.E. Center. Since 2012 the number of sea turtles needing 

rehabilitation has increased, we saw an 80 % increase from 2012 to 2013, 22 % increase from 2013 to 2014, 154 % increase 
from 2014 to 2015, and we are on track for a 50 % increase from 2015 to 2016. Similar facilities throughout the state of 

Florida are also seeing increased demand and are also attempting to create additional facilities to accommodate patient 

load. The increased demand is attributed to pollution, food source, depletion, disease, weather changes, and increased 

public presence and  fluctuating  trends in  sea  turtle  populations. The  scope of  this project will more  than double our 

current capacity of sea turtle patients that we are able to treat at any given time. This includes not only animals needing 

care in the Okaloosa county area, but sea turtles that need rehabilitation from as far away as New England and the Eastern 

Seaboard. 

Furthermore, this project will entail installing a shade structure over the project area. 

NEED: While the rescue program has seen more than 20 animals successfully released in the past three years, it has done 

so operating at a maximum capacity of its four 6 ft diameter pools. Cold stunned sea turtle numbers have increased over 

recent years, as have the number of animals entangled by, or that have ingested fishing gear. Boat strikes are common. 

These, along with the threat of potential oil spills, have created the critical need for additional sea turtle rehabilitation 

facilities.  The addition of the pools will more be more than double the pools space we currently have. 

Currently, sea turtle conservation has limitations and constraints based on federal regulations by the United States Fish 

and Wildlife Service (USFWS) as well as the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS). This includes captive breeding and 

thus introduction of any offspring. Response to stranded and compromised sea turtles lie squarely on the shoulders of 

Gulfarium’s program (under permitting by FWCC) in the surrounding county area. Not only has a measured increase in 

emerging diseases, interaction with personal and commercial fishing gear, and environmental inconsistencies occurred 

in the ecology of these endangered and/or threatened animals, but toxin exposure from scenarios such red tides and oil 

spills have made survival more difficult. Sea turtles fill an important role in the marine ecosystem of the Gulf of Mexico, 

and their extinction from the environment would change the already fragile balance we observe today. In order to protect 

this resource, rescue, rehabilitation and release must continue as a major function of enhancement and preservation of 

this iconic species. 

PURPOSE:   The scope of this project will more than double our current capacity of sea turtle patients that we are able to 

treat at any given time. In January of 2015, the Gulfarium C.A.R.E. Foundation became an incorporated 501(c)3, with IRS 

exemption approval pending. The creation of the Foundation will enable the Center to hire its own staff, as well as allow 

for volunteers to participate in operations. While GMAP staff will continue to manage the rehabilitation program after 

Phase 1 completion, the C.A.R.E. Foundation will eventually assume these responsibilities by selecting a Program Manager 

and supporting staff, estimated with an initial staff of five having a wage scale from $24,000 to $100,000. The project is 

simple  in  artistic  design,  but  requires  expertise  to  assemble  and  operate  from  a  life  support  (filtration)  perspective. 

Technologies are already  utilized in accredited aquariums  (like GMAP), and available  through vendors in  the  state  of 

Florida. Given Gulfarium's sea turtle rehabilitation performance record, the risk to implement and maintain is minimal to 

none.   

OBJECTIVES:  The scope of this project will more than double our current capacity of sea turtle patients that we are able 

to treat at any given time. The Gulf Coast, specifically Okaloosa County and Ft. Walton Beach, receive national media 

attention  when  successful  sea  turtle  releases  occur.  This  affords  the  C.A.R.E.  Center  the  opportunity  to  promote  its 

relationships including the RESTORE Act funding should this project be funded. That relationship is based on the mutual 

commitment shared to support the environment, tourism, and the local economy.   

100% of the Direct Component funds will be used to refurbish the two 20‘ and 12‘ fiberglass pools and to 

purchase/install filtration systems. Approximately $150,000 funded by the Gulfarium Marine Adventure Park will be 

used to pay for the concrete pad, infrastructure and utility installation for the quarantine facility that the refurbished 

pools and filtrations system are going into so that the entire quarantine system is functional. 

2. How the applicant made the multiyear plan available for 45 days for public review and comment, in a manner calculated to 

obtain broad‐based participation from individuals, businesses, Indian tribes, and non‐profit organizations, such as through public 

meetings, presentations in languages other than English, and postings on the Internet. The applicant will need to submit 

documentation (e.g., a copy of public notices) to demonstrate that it made its multiyear plan available to the public for at least 45 

days. In addition, describe how each activity in the multiyear plan was approved after consideration of all meaningful input from the 
public and submit documentation (e.g., a letter from the applicant's leadership approving submission of the multiyear plan to 

Treasury or a resolution approving the applicant's multiyear plan). 

The Amendment is scheduled for approval to proceed to the 45‐day Public Review and Comment period (November 5 

to December 20, 2020) by the Board of County Commissioners on November 3, 2020 during their normal Board 

Meeting.  The review period will be advertised on November 4, 2020 in the Northwest Florida Daily News. In addition to 

posting the review period on the RESTORE Act page of the Okaloosa County website.  The comments were directed to 

be submitted to the Grants & RESTORE Manager email. 

Future information for the Final MYP Amendment #2 Gulfarium to be presented to the Board: 

Comments submitted 

Comments addressed 

Return to Board to review comments 

Board approval to submit Amendment #2 Gulfarium   

3. How each activity included in the applicant's multiyear plan narrative meets all the requirements under the RESTORE Act, 

including a description of how each activity is eligible for funding based on the geographic location of each activity and how each 

activity qualifies for at least one of the eligible activities under the RESTORE Act. 

The State of Florida's coastal zone includes the area encompassed by the state's 67 counties, including Okaloosa County 

and the state's territorial waters. As a result, each of the 13 activities included in the multiyear plan matrix is located 

within the Gulf Coast region as defined in the RESTORE Act and is therefore eligible provided they meet one or more of 

the eligible activity requirements enumerated in the RESTORE Act. The following information describes how each 

activity proposed in the Okaloosa County multiyear plan meets the activity eligibility requirements: 

Gulfarium C.A.R.E. Center RESTORE ($87,181.43) 

The activity meets the RESTORE Act eligibility requirement for mitigation of damage to fish, wildlife and natural resources 

by providing state‐of‐the‐art facilities for rehabilitating injured sea turtles before releasing the protected animals back 

into the wild.   

To expand on the specificity of how this project will result in “mitigation of damage to fish, wildlife, and natural 

resources”: the scope of the current project will allow the Gulfarium and C.A.R.E. Center to increase the number of sea 

turtle patients to more than double the current capacity.  The more patients that can be treated has a direct impact on 

how many sea turtles can be returned to the Gulf of Mexico and contribute to the reestablishment of native sea turtle 

population levels. The United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) considers “enhancement” to encompass several 

practices that include introducing animals into wild populations to “increase” stock numbers. Since USFWS, the Florida 

Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWCC) and the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) won’t allow captive 

breeding of endangered species, rehabilitation and release is one of the few measures that can enhance, or in this case, 

maintain stock numbers.

4. Criteria the applicant will use to evaluate the success of the activities included in the multiyear plan narrative in helping to restore 

and protect the Gulf Coast Region impacted by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. 

Gulfarium C.A.R.E. Center RESTORE ($87,181.43) 

Equipment acquisition and property development will be monitored by Gulfarium Marine Park Management. 

Operational evaluations will be made by Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWCC) per policy and 

regulations.  Success will be based on the number of patients that have been rehabilitated at the Gulfarium that is 

already mandated to be reported to the State on a quarterly and annual basis. Furthermore, success of this project is 

measured in the increased number of sea turtle patients the Gulfarium and C.A.R.E. Center is able to treat at any given 

time as well as the number of sea turtles being reintroduced into the Gulf of Mexico versus those that are euthanized 

based on facility limitations.  The addition of the tanks will be more than double the size of our current holding space. 

The installation of the proposed systems will more than double our current capacity of 6‐8 patients to 16‐18 patients. 

5. How the activities included in the multiyear plan narrative were prioritized and list the criteria used to establish the priorities. 

   The Okaloosa County RESTORE Advisory Committee (ORAC) established and publicized a meeting schedule which 

identified monthly public meetings at alternating geographic locations within the County. These meetings were 

nominally two hours in length and included opportunities for public comment. 
The ORAC opted to develop an evaluation tool comprising both quantitative and qualitative scores that collectively 

represent an individual project score for each activity. The process involved developing economic, general, and 

environmental evaluation factors for the quantitative scoring and performing tests of the model using examples of 

projects being considered elsewhere. The public was provided opportunity to submit project ideas and presentations 

would be heard by project proposers that meet the minimum 

requirements established by the ORAC. 

An evaluation tool was developed using both quantitative and qualitative components. This approach was preferred as 

it provided a defensible, replicable process while allowing the respective expertise from the individual members of the 

ORAC. The ORAC adopted a 70%‐30% split ratio with 70% of the weight placed on quantitative factors and 30% on 

qualitative factors. The economic factors identified by the ORAC were consolidated into a smaller number of revised 

factors which capture the underlying concepts the ORAC has identified as important to measure. Three economic 

factors were formalized for the Quantitative Score which capture job opportunity/job creation impacts, economic 

diversification impacts, life‐cycle costs, leverage, matching funds, in‐kind considerations, taxpayer return‐on‐

investment, and sustained economic benefit. The three factors include: 

i. Gross Product per RESTORE Dollar Invested 

ii. Net State and Local Government Revenues Generated per RESTORE Dollar Invested; and, 

iii. Economic Diversification. Numerous “general” factors identified in by the ORAC which capture implementation 

readiness, shovel readiness, permits, compliance, land ownership, proven success, and technical feasibility. These were 

consolidated into two general factors for the scoring model  

i. Implementation Readiness; and, 

ii. Project Feasibility. 

Lastly, the ORAC identified four environmental factors to be considered in the quantitative score. These four factors are 

consistent with the four non‐economic goals identified in the Initial Comprehensive Plan approved by the Gulf Coast 

Ecosystem Restoration Council (GCERC) in August 2013 for regional‐wide Gulf Coast restoration and include: 

i. Restore / Enhance / Protect Habitats 

ii. Replenish / Protect Living Coast and Marine Fisheries 

iii. Enhanced Community Resilience 

iv. Restore Water Quality 

Each of these nine quantitative factors was given a “factor significance” that represents the relative importance of each 

factor as follows: 

• 12% ‐ Gross Product per RESTORE Dollar Invested 

• 14% ‐ Net State and Local Government Revenues Generated per RESTORE Dollar Invested 

• 14% ‐ Economic Diversification 

• 10% ‐ Implementation Readiness 

• 13% ‐ Project Feasibility 

• 10% ‐ Restore / Enhance / Protect Habitats 

• 10% ‐ Replenish / Protect Living Coast and Marine Fisheries 

• 10% ‐ Enhanced Community Resilience 

• 7% ‐ Restore Water Quality    

The qualitative scores, representing 30% of the project score, was determined to be a subjective score applied by the 

members of the ORAC based on their respective importance of each project proposed. The ORAC agreed to base their 

individual quantitative scoring on factors such as community acceptance, geographic distribution of projects, 

enhancement to local quality of life, and the expert judgment each member offered to the committee. 

Project presentations were heard by the ORAC in June/July 2015 and the ORAC members provided their qualitative 

scores. The final project scores were tabulated and the projects were prioritized accordingly. The recommended 

projects for the draft Multi‐Year Implementation Plan were selected and presented to the Okaloosa County Board of 

County Commissioners for approval and publicly noticed for public comment.   

6. If applicable, describe the amount and current status of funding from other sources (e.g., other RESTORE Act contribution, other 

third party contribution) and provide a description of the specific portion of the project to be funded by the RESTORE Act Direct 

Component. 

 Since its acceptance on the Initial MYP, the Gulfarium has completed this project with its own funds except for, the 

shade structure over the project area.
RESTORE ACT Direct Component Multiyear Plan Matrix  —  Department of the Treasury 

Applicant Name:

Amendment #2 6/30/2017 

3. CUMULATIVE DIRECT COMPONENT ALLOCATION AVAILABLE FOR DISTRIBUTION TO APPLICANT:       

8a. Direct Component Contribution

8b. Other RESTORE Act Contribution 

8c. Other Third Party Contribution

8d. Total Contribution

Restoration and protection of the natural resources, ecosystems, fisheries, marine and wildlife habitats, beaches, and coastal wetlands of the Gulf Coast Region

Student‐led Habitat Restoration in Okaloosa County

Okaloosa County parks $87,590.18 $124,409.82 $212,000.00 01‐2021 

Promotion of tourism in the Gulf Coast Region, including recreational fishing

The NeighborWood at Emerald Coast Science Center

Fort Walton Beach, FL $87,598.21 $87,598.21 01‐2021 

Infrastructure projects benefitting the economy or ecological resources, including port infrastructure

Multi‐use Outdoor Community Facility

Niceville, FL $80,777.61 $80,777.61 01‐2021 

Mitigation of damage to fish, wildlife, and natural resources

Gulfarium C.A.R.E. Center Fort Walton Beach, FL $87,181.43 $150,000.00 $237,181.43 03‐2021 

Promotion of tourism in the Gulf Coast Region, including recreational fishing

Okaloosa County Snorkel/Dive Reef Construction

Okaloosa County $1,233,566.00 $1,233,566.00 07‐2020 

Infrastructure projects benefitting the economy or ecological resources, including port infrastructure

Economic Revitalization of Niceville's Historic "Old Downtown"

Niceville, FL $389,289.00 $125,886.09 $515,175.09 08‐2019 

Promotion of tourism in the Gulf Coast Region, including recreational fishing

Clement Taylor Park Restoration and Pathway

Destin, FL $729,918.20 $1,228,706.30 $1,958,624.50 01‐2021 

Infrastructure projects benefitting the economy or ecological resources, including port infrastructure

Fort Walton Beach Landing Waterfront Improvements Phase

Fort Walton Beach, FL $1,070,024.07 $510,000.00 $1,580,024.07 01‐2021 

Okaloosa County, FL

$14,286,093.65 4.  TOTAL ALLOCATIONS PLUS KNOWN FUNDS NOT YET DEPOSITED IN TRUST FUND FOR DIR

1. MULTIYEAR PLAN VERSION (INITIAL OR AMENDMENT NUMBER):         2a.  DATE OF INITIAL MULTIYEAR PLAN ACCEPTANCE (mm/dd/yyyy): 2b.   DATE OF LAST MULTIYEAR PLAN AC

8. Estimated Total Funding Contributions For Proposed Activity(ies)(refer to Instructions)                            

6. Activity Title  (Static Field) 7. Location  (Static Field) 

5. Primary Direct Component Eligible Activity Further Described in Application (Static Field)

9. Proposed Start Date 

mm/dd/yyyy

10.
Promotion of tourism in the Gulf 

Coast Region, including recreational fishing

Capt. Royal Melvin Heritage Park and Plaza

Destin, FL $1,216,530.00 $33,470.00 $1,250,000.00 12‐2019 

Infrastructure projects benefitting the economy or ecological resources, including port infrastructure

Lafitte Crescent Stormwater Infrastructure Retrofit

Fort Walton Beach, FL $420,432.00 $619,530.00 $1,039,962.00 08‐2020 

Restoration and protection of the natural resources, ecosystems, fisheries, marine and wildlife habitats, beaches, and coastal wetlands of the Gulf Coast Region

Choctawhatchee Bay Estuary Program

Okaloosa County $1,250,000.00 $1,250,000.00 08‐2019 

Planning assistance Stormwater Program (Design 

and Permitting)

Okaloosa County $2,500,000.00 $2,500,000.00 08‐2019 

Infrastructure projects benefitting the economy or ecological resources, including port infrastructure

Road Stabilization Program Okaloosa County $2,500,000.00 $2,500,000.00 08‐2019 

$0.00

$11,652,906.70 $0.00 $2,792,002.21 $14,444,908.91

According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a valid OMB control number. The valid OMB control number for this information collection is 1505‐0250.  Comments concerning the time r

to review instructions, search existing data resources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information, should be directed to the Department of the Treasury, Office of Gulf Coast Restoration, 1500 Pennsylvania Ave., 

12. ESTIMATED TOTAL FUNDING CONTRIBUTIONS FOR ACTIVITY(IES) (refer to 

Instructions)

Please note:  Grant awards may refestimated funding.
OKALOOSA

COUNTY

RESTORE ACT

ENGINEERS & PLANNERS MYP PROJECT LOCATIONS AVCON, INC.

www.avconinc.com

320 BAYSHORE DRIVE, SUITE A - NICEVILLE, FL 32578-2425

OFFICE: (850) 678-0050 - FAX: (850) 678-0040

CORPORATE CERTIFICATE OF AUTHORIZATION NUMBER: 5057

Map data ©2016 Google

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1. Student-led Habitat Restoration in Okaloosa

County

2. The Neighborwood at Emerald Coast Science

Center

3. Multi-use Outdoor Community Facility

4. Gulfarium C.A.R.E. Center Restore

5. Okaloosa County Snorkel/Dive Reed

Construction

6. Economic Revitalization of Niceville's Historic

"Old Downtown"

7. Clement Taylor Park Restoration

8. FWB Landing Waterfront Improvements Phase 1

9. Captain Royal Melvin Heritage Park and Plaza

10. Laffitte Crescent Stormwater Infrastructure

Retrofit