Deep Water Horizon Oil | Projects

Projects

The Natural Resource Damage Assessment (NRDA) is a long-term legal process in which the trustees from each state, alongside other organizations with similar restoration goals,

work together to assess losses caused by the spill, evaluate injuries associated with cleanup efforts and implement restoration projects. Results will not be seen immediately and projects will be implemented over months, years and even decades.

As of Jan. 5, 2012, 259 projects have been submitted to DEP and are included on List 1: Draft Restoration Projects in Florida. As of Jan. 5, 2012, 163 projects are on List 2: Draft Early Restoration Projects, which represents a reduction of projects from List 1 that meet select criteria directly related to Early Restoration. Projects not on List 2 may still qualify for restoration related to the oil spill, but will not be considered for the Early Restoration funds. All lists are dynamic and are updated regularly.

To submit a project idea, visit http://www.gulfspillrestoration.noaa.gov/restoration/give-us-your-ideas/. Additional projects submitted for other states can be viewed on that site as well.

About

Oil impacts are surveyed and documented at Ft. Pickens.

Emergency restoration includes actions that are taken by the Trustees prior to the completion of the damage assessment and restoration planning process to prevent or reduce continuing natural resource impacts and prevent potential irreversible loss of natural resources.

Projects
As part of the ongoing NRDA process that has followed the Deepwater BP oil spill, federal and state partners have reached an agreement with BP to begin a new effort to restore submerged aquatic vegetation that was damaged by response vessels and activities. Part of this project is occurring in Florida. For more information visit: Restoration Begins on Underwater Grasses Damaged by Response to Deepwater BP Oil Spill

About
Early restoration projects are those that can be implemented prior to the completion of the process where injuries to natural resources are known, ongoing or believed to have occurred. Early restoration projects are utilized when the trustees and those responsible for a spill can agree to initiate some restoration work without having to wait for the results of the NRDA and resolution of the claim. The decision to undertake early restoration does not mean that no other restoration will take place or that the responsible parties are absolved of liability. Because the early restoration is expected to compensate for only part of the injuries caused by the spill, additional restoration planning, implementation and monitoring will occur following the traditional NRDA restoration process. Project ideas can be submitted at http://www.gulfspillrestoration.noaa.gov/restoration/give-us-your-ideas/.

$1 Billion Agreement to Fund Early Gulf Coast Restoration Projects
Initial early restoration projects will be funded as a result of the unprecedented, Framework for Early Restoration Addressing Injuries Resulting from the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill agreement. Through this agreement BP has committed $1 billion toward early restoration projects in the Gulf States. Florida Trustees have been working with local governments who were directly affected by the spill, as well as interested stakeholders, to put together tentative lists of early restoration projects. At this time, no early restoration projects have been identified by the Trustees for implementation in Florida.

List 2 projects must meet the following criteria to be eligible for early restoration funded by the Framework for Early Restoration Addressing Injuries Resulting from the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill agreement:

project must be located in the eight county affected area;
address a known, suspected or potential injury related to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill;
and meet the criteria of the Early Restoration Framework Agreement and the Oil Pollution Act of 1990.

View a slideshow of general information about the process and criteria for early restoration.