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Washington, DC – Under an unprecedented agreement announced today by the
Natural Resource Trustees for the Deepwater Horizon oil spill (Trustees), BP has
agreed to provide $1 billion toward early restoration projects in the Gulf of
Mexico to address injuries to natural resources caused by the spill. The
Trustees involved are: Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas, the
Department of the Interior ((DOI), and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration (NOAA). The Department of Justice provided assistance in reaching
the agreement.
This early restoration agreement, the largest of its kind ever reached,
represents a first step toward fulfilling BP’s obligation to fund the complete
restoration of injured public resources, including the loss of use of those
resources by the people living, working and visiting the area. The Trustees will
use the money to fund projects such as the rebuilding of coastal marshes,
replenishment of damaged beaches, conservation of sensitive areas for ocean
habitat for injured wildlife, and restoration of barrier islands and wetlands
that provide natural protection from storms.
The agreement in no way affects the ultimate liability of BP or any other
entity for natural resource damages or other liabilities, but provides an
opportunity to help restoration get started sooner. The selection of early
restoration projects will follow a public process, and will be overseen by the
Trustees.
The full natural resource damage assessment process will continue until the
Trustees have determined the full extent of damages caused by the Deepwater
Horizon oil spill. At the end of the damage assessment process, the Trustees
will take into account any benefits that were realized from these early
restoration projects. In addition to funding early restoration projects, BP will
continue to fund the damage assessment and, together with the other responsible
parties, will ultimately be obligated to compensate the public for the entire
injury. BP is providing the early restoration funds voluntarily, and is not
required to do so at this stage of the damage assessment process. The agreement
will speed needed resources to the Gulf in advance of the completion of the
assessment process.
To read the agreement,
click here.
“This milestone agreement will allow us to jump-start restoration projects
that will bring Gulf Coast marshes, wetlands, and wildlife habitat back to
health after the damage they suffered as a result of the Deepwater Horizon
spill,” said Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar. “This agreement accelerates
our work on Gulf Coast restoration and in no way limits the ability of all the
Natural Resource Trustees from seeking full damages from those who are
responsible as the NRDA process moves forward.”
"One year after the largest oil spill in our history, we take a major step
forward in the recovery of the Gulf of Mexico, for the environment and the
people who depend on it for their livelihood and enjoyment. Today's agreement is
a down payment on our promise to protect and restore the Gulf," said Jane
Lubchenco, Ph.D., under secretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere and NOAA
administrator.
"This agreement is a great first step toward restoring our natural resources
destroyed by the BP oil spill," said Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal. "We are
eager to continue working with public, state and federal co-trustees and BP to
quickly convert this downpayment into projects to restore our damaged coast and
replace our lost wildlife. We encourage BP to continue to address the damages
from this spill through early restoration efforts."
“Alabama’s natural resources are environmentally diverse and an economic
engine for our state and nation. Ecosystem restoration is vital to the economic
vitality of the Alabama Gulf Coast,” said Alabama Governor Robert Bentley.
“Obtaining funding for these restoration projects is a major step forward in
addressing the oil spill’s damage to our precious natural resources. I have the
utmost confidence that the Alabama trustees will consider and identify projects
and use these funds toward restoring our natural resources.”
"Since the day of the oil spill, our goals have been to make Mississippi
whole and to assure that our coastal areas completely recover. Today's
unprecedented agreement is an important first step but it is only the first
step. Mississippi will continue this work and will count on our many interested
citizens to contribute their ideas and input as we all work to define the scope
of these early projects and develop other restoration projects. Our goals have
not changed. We will remain actively engaged in these and other projects until
the Gulf is restored and our state is made whole," said Trudy D. Fisher,
Mississippi Trustee, Executive Director, Mississippi Department of Environmental
Quality.
“I’m pleased that after a year of uncertainty and concerns about
environmental damages which occurred as a result of the Deepwater Horizon
explosion, Florida will be able to use this early restoration money to initiate
greatly needed environmental restoration projects,” said Florida Department of
Environmental Protection Secretary Herschel Vinyard. “Because we have worked
diligently to assess the environmental damage resulting from the spill, we are
well positioned to be able to quickly begin performing important restoration
projects and use Florida's share of the early restoration funds to assist our
coastal communities with their continued recovery from the spill.”
“While the Texas coast was not as visibly impacted by this spill, our
wetlands, bays, beaches and coastal waters were affected, and it makes sense to
invest in places that can help jumpstart and maximize recovery of the entire
Gulf,” said Carter Smith, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department executive
director. “There will be a public process in Texas and throughout the Gulf to
consider and identify projects that make the best use of these funds for our
coastal habitats and the fish, wildlife and people who depend upon them.”
The $1 billion in early restoration projects will be selected and implemented
as follows:
- Each state – Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas - will
select and implement $100 million in projects;
- The Federal Resource Trustees,
NOAA and DOI, will each select and implement $100 million in projects;
- The
remaining $300 million will be used for projects selected by NOAA and DOI from
proposals submitted by the State Trustees.
All projects must meet the other requirements of the Framework Agreement and
be approved by the Trustee Council comprised of all the natural resource
trustees.
To read the early restoration agreement,
click here. |
2012 State of Florida