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Following the April 20, 2010 Deepwater Horizon explosion and oil spill,
Florida implemented response operations and emergency restoration. Until
recently the only avenue for early restoration has been through the Natural
Resource Damage Assessment process. The Florida Department of Environmental
Protection is the lead state agency for responding to impacts of the
Deepwater Horizon oil spill and the resulting restoration process.
On July 6, 2012 the President signed the RESTORE Act into law. The Act
creates the Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council, and outlines five
funding categories for Clean Water Act civil and administrative penalties
from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.
The Gulf Environmental Benefit Fund was established by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) to administer funds arising from plea agreements that resolve the criminal cases against BP and Transocean. The Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection will work directly with
NFWF to identify projects for the State of Florida, in consultation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
Please note that projects submitted previously through this website for consideration under RESTORE Act and NRDA Restoration will also be considered as candidates for funding under the Gulf Environmental Benefit Fund. To suggest a new project for consideration, please click on the link below.
Information on this website is not related to economic claims. All
economic damage claims are handled by the
Gulf Coast Claims Facility.
RESTORE Act
The RESTORE Act, which was passed by Congress on June 29, 2012 and
signed into law on July 6, 2012 by the President, provides a vehicle
for Clean Water Act civil and administrative penalties from the Deepwater
Horizon oil spill. Governor Rick Scott Represents Florida on the Gulf
Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council, which is responsible for developing
and implementing the Comprehensive plan.
The Florida Department of Environmental Protection, and Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, hosted public meetings on Feb. 28 in Panama City Beach and on March 13 in St. Petersburg to gather input on the Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council’s
Path Forward document and Florida’s projects to be submitted to the Council for its consideration.
On Thursday, May 23 the Council released the draft Initial Comprehensive Plan and will host another set of public listening sessions to take comment on the draft Plan June 3rd in Pensacola and June 17th in St. Petersburg.
 NRDA Restoration
The Department of Environmental Protection and Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission re playing key roles in the Deepwater Horizon oil spill
early restoration process. Early restoration efforts are occurring throughout the Gulf States
and are being facilitated by the
Deepwater Horizon Trustee Council. The trustees are evaluating the impacts of the Deepwater Horizon spill on natural resources and working on behalf of the public to restore, replace, rehabilitate or acquire the equivalent of these resources.
 Gulf Environmental Benefit Fund
The Gulf Environmental Benefit Fund was established by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) to administer funds arising from plea agreements that resolve the criminal cases against BP and Transocean. The Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection will work directly with NFWF to identify projects for the State of Florida, in consultation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
Please note that projects submitted previously through this website for consideration under RESTORE Act and NRDA Restoration will also be considered as candidates for funding under the Gulf Environmental Benefit Fund. To suggest a new project for consideration,
please view the
online project submittal form.
 Response
DEP is the lead state agency for responding to impacts of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill along Florida’s shoreline. DEP
and state emergency management officials continue to
coordinate with federal, state and local partners to
ensure that any continued impacts to Florida’s
coastline are removed quickly and efficiently.
Claims & Information
All economic damage claims are handled by the
Gulf Coast Claims Facility. Some beaches in Northwest Florida will continue to see isolated oil impacts influenced by natural tides and varying weather conditions. If you encounter oil product in the water or on the beach do not touch it. All sampling conducted and analyzed in Florida has registered below levels of concern for
human health benchmarks.
Current beach sampling data is available at
Beach Health Results website.
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2012 State of Florida