RESTORE Fund Projects

2025 Proposed Direct Component Multiyear Implementation Plan Projects

• Philippe Park Seawall Enhancement Segments 1 & 2 Construction: $904,500
  Two types of seawall enhancement will be installed to restore coastal habitat and reduce erosion impacts from wave energy and storm surge. Installations will build coastal resiliency, preserve recreation at the park, and protect the Tocobaga Temple Mound, a national historical landmark. Segment 1 will include installation of mini eco-rap with reef domes along 440 linear feet of existing seawall and Segment 2 will establish riprap terraces with marsh grass in front of 475 linear feet of seawall.
• Fort De Soto Campground & Bunces Pass Cove Living Shoreline Implementation: $2,043,145
  The project will address approximately 2,300 linear feet of park coastline along the campground and Bunces Pass cove area. Project design is underway to propose options to replace the existing non-repairable seawall and prevent further erosion by implementing living shoreline elements to build coastal resiliency while reducing maintenance and emergency recovery costs. This project will help restore and maintain native habitat, improve water quality, and promote recreation.
• Keystone Ranchettes Septic to Sewer Improvements: $2,814,515
  The County’s septic to sewer conversion project will provide centralized wastewater collection service for current septic system users to realize public health and pollution reduction benefits. The project will remove aging septic systems and eliminate current and future wastewater pollution and pathogens from impacting an important watershed that drains to Lake Tarpon and Old Tampa Bay.
• Lofty Pines Septic to Sewer and Stormwater Retrofit: $60,000
  The County’s 2019 State Appropriation partially funded a septic-to-sewer project in Lofty Pines in the unincorporated Lofty Pines neighborhood to provide sewer service for 15 properties. Residents are now able to connect to centralized sewer service, which will assist in reducing wastewater pollution to impaired coastal waters. The County will use RESTORE funds to reduce the financial burden of septic tank decommissioning and aid timely septic tank abandonment.

Completed Direct Component Projects

• Pinellas County Sea Level Rise and Storm Surge Vulnerability Assessment: $300,000 – Complete
  Planning study and risk modeling effort to consider hazard exposure and cost to county-wide critical infrastructure based on known and predicted data for sea level rise, tidal and storm surge scenarios through the year 2100. The County received an additional $700,000 Resilient Florida Program grant to conduct a Phase 2 Vulnerability Assessment Project.
• Coastal Ocean Monitoring and Prediction System (COMPS): $233,943 – Complete
  USF College of Marine Science was chosen as a subrecipient of funds to establish a monitoring buoy C21 to provide additional climate data along the county coast.
• A Very High-Resolution Estuary Circulation Nowcast/Forecast Model for Tampa Bay and Vicinity: $479,493 – Complete
  USF College of Marine Science was chosen as a subrecipient of funds to establish a bay water current prediction model. View the RESTORE Award Nowcast/Forecast Circulation Model Overview from the USF Ocean Circulation Lab.
• Fort De Soto Park Dune Walkovers: $534,894 – Complete
  Construction of elevated walkovers to protect coastal dunes previously segmented by sand walking paths. The project included native species planting on sand access paths to promote continuous coastal habitat and restore protective coastal dunes.

Comprehensive Plan Projects

• In partnership with the Tampa Bay Estuary Program, Pinellas County is conducting a Fort DeSoto Circulation Study using deployed buoys.
• Florida’s Gulf Coast Projects: FDEP Deepwater Horizon Story Map

Spill Impact Component State Expenditure Plan Projects

• Florida’s Gulf Consortium SEP Projects Story Map
• SEP 16-1 Lake Seminole Sediment Removal: $1,237,121
  Restoration and monitoring project to enhance recreation and improve water quality being discharged to estuarine waters and the Gulf of America. Restoration is achieved through nutrient reduction as a dredging, dewatering, and disposal process and improvements are measured through water quality monitoring. View the project overview video for Restoring Lake Seminole for more information.
• SEP 16-2 Wastewater Collection System Improvements: $2,085,262
  Wastewater utilities project to reduce infiltration and inflow into the system and reduce sanitary sewer overflows and eliminate groundwater and surface water pollution from aging or inadequately maintained infrastructure. The project intends to design and oversee constructed system improvements in underserved and/or low-income communities.
• SEP 16-3 Land Acquisition for Floodplain Restoration and Resiliency: $3,374,518
  Mitigate flood-related damages through land acquisition to provide opportunity for restoration, recreation, stormwater management, and water quality protection or improvements from sea level rise, tidal, or climate impacting the Pinellas County coasts.
• SEP 16-4 Coastal Public Access Program: $1,150,000
  In planning stage and expected to start in 2028 and end in 2033.
• SEP 16-5 Artificial Reef Program: $440,000
  In planning stage and expected to start in 2029 and end in 2032.