Which government body provides funding for coastal restoration projects?

The Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council is the designated government body responsible for providing funding and overseeing coastal restoration projects. This organization was established as part of the RESTORE Act, which was enacted in response to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Its primary mission focuses on restoring and conserving the Gulf Coast ecosystem, which includes funding for various restoration initiatives aimed at enhancing the resilience of coastal habitats and communities.

In this context, the other options do not focus specifically on coastal restoration in the way that the Council does. The Department of Energy primarily deals with energy policies and regulations, while the Environmental Protection Agency oversees a broader range of environmental protection initiatives but does not have the same focused mandate as the Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council for coastal-specific restoration efforts. The National Park Service manages national parks and does engage in conservation, but its scope of work is distinct from the specialized restoration programs aimed at revitalizing coastal ecosystems. Thus, the Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council is the entity specifically tasked with implementing and funding projects aimed at the restoration of the coastal region.