Call for Public Input on Early Restoration of the Gulf

The Deepwater Horizon Natural Resource Damage Assessment (NRDA) Trustees (Trustees) have released the Deepwater Horizon Draft Phase I Early Restoration Plan & Environmental Assessment (DERP/EA) for formal public comment during meetings or online. Twelve public meetings are scheduled in January and February 2012 throughout Gulf Coast communities and in Washington, D.C. to solicit formal public comment on the DERP/EA. The public comment period will end 14th February 2012. 

The following public meetings are scheduled for Florida 11th and 12th January 2012; Mississippi 17^th, 18^th and 19^th January; Alabama 23^rd and 24^th January; Texas 26^th January; Louisiana 31^st January, 1^st and 2^nd February; Washington DC: 7^th February 2012.

 

It is the first in an anticipated series of plans to begin restoration of the Gulf of Mexico to compensate for natural resource injuries, including the loss of human use of Gulf resources, from the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill.

 

The DERP/EA describes the initial projects proposed to receive funding from the USD1 billion Early Restoration agreement announced by the Trustees and BP on 21^st April 2011, called the Framework Agreement.

 

The DERP/EA describes eight proposed projects for the initial round of Early Restoration, two each in Alabama, Florida, Louisiana and Mississippi. These projects reflect the ideas and input received by the Trustees through project solicitation and outreach efforts. The proposed projects include shoreline marsh creation, coastal dune habitat restoration, nearshore artificial reef creation, oyster cultch restoration and construction of boat ramp facilities. The total estimated cost of the proposed initial suite of projects is more than USD57 million.

 

The projects included in the Deepwater Horizon DERP/EA are Lake Hermitage Marsh Creation - NRDA Early Restoration, Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana;  Louisiana Oyster Cultch Project - St. Bernard, Plaquemines, Lafourche, Jefferson, and Terrebonne Parishes, Louisiana;  Mississippi Oyster Cultch Restoration - Hancock and Harrison Counties, Mississippi;  Mississippi Artificial Reef Habitat. Hancock, Harrison, and Jackson Counties, Mississippi; Marsh Island (Portersville Bay) Marsh Creation - Mobile County, Alabama; Alabama Dune Cooperative Restoration Project - Baldwin County, Alabama; Florida Boat Ramp Enhancement and Construction -  Escambia County, Florida; Florida (Pensacola Beach) Dune Restoration - Escambia County, Florida.