DAPHNE, Ala.— The City Council has been discussing possible uses for Natural Resource Damage Assessment funds, which are fines imposed upon those responsible for the gulf oil spill last summer.

One of the possible uses for the funds, if the city were to receive a grant, would be the purchase of the Ennis property near Campbell Swamp, which is adjacent to property the city recently acquired through a land swap with Daphne Utilities.

The state of Alabama currently has $100 million in NRDA grants to hand out, with the anticipation that more funds will become available later. City Clerk David Cohen said after meeting with NRDA officials, the more projects the city submits for a grant request the more likely the city is to get money. The applications are time-sensitive.

During previous council meetings, the council has expressed interest in acquiring waterfront or wetland property to preserve the land and hopefully improve storm-water management. The Ennis property was the first property to be considered, but many residents who live in the area have spoken against the purchase and asked the council to look elsewhere.

The council set a public hearing for July 11, during the regularly scheduled council meeting, to further discuss the potential purchase of the Ennis property and to discuss other property to pursue with the NRDA funds.