The Choctawhatchee Basin Alliance (CBA), a non-profit environmental group operating under Northwest Florida State College, has announced a name change and a restructured mission. The organization will now be called the Choctawhatchee Basin Alliance Estuary Program (CBAEP). According to a press release issued Friday, the change reflects a new strategy to act as a central coordinating body for conservation and restoration projects throughout the region’s watershed.
The group claims the move is designed to better position it to “unlock additional federal and state resources” for environmental work. In its new capacity, the CBAEP says it will coordinate projects among local governments, scientists, and other non-profits to reduce what it calls “duplicated effort.” The organization stated that its existing programs, which include habitat restoration, water quality monitoring, and educational outreach, will continue under the new structure.
The announcement included statements of support from county officials, who framed the transition as the next phase of a multi-county effort. Okaloosa County Commission Chair Trey Goodwin and Walton County Commissioner Brad Drake were both quoted endorsing the move, suggesting the new program model will provide a “stronger platform to coordinate” regional conservation work. The change appears to formalize previous efforts by the Choctawhatchee Bay Estuary Coalition, which involves Okaloosa, Walton, Holmes, and Washington counties.
