STATE OF MISSISSIPPI
Phil Bryant, GOVERNOR
MISSISSIPPI DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
Trudy D. Fisher, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Robbie Wilbur
December 6, 2013 601/961-5277
Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill Trustees Invite Public Comment on $627 Million
in Proposed Early Restoration Gulf Projects
Public asked to consider 44 proposed projects and a plan for early
restoration decisions;10 public meetings scheduled in Gulf states
Gulf Coast (Dec. 6, 2013) ---The Deepwater Horizon oil spill Natural
Resource Damage Assessment Trustees (Trustees) released a draft plan that
proposes $627 million in early restoration projects across the Gulf states.
The Draft Programmatic and Phase III Early Restoration Plan and Draft Early
Restoration Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (draft) is
available for public review and comment through Feb. 4.
This marks the third and largest phase of early restoration to date.
Included in the draft are 44 proposed projects. Some aim to restore barrier
islands, dunes, marshes, shorelines, and oyster beds. Others, such as boat
ramps and park enhancements, seek to address the lost recreational use of
natural resources.
Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality Executive Director
Trudy Fisher said, "It is important that we hear from the people of
Mississippi on the four proposed projects for our state. I invite the
public to review the projects on our website at www.restore.ms, leave
comments, and plan to attend the December 17th public meeting in Long
Beach. The Trustees are considering both ecological and recreational use
restoration projects to restore injuries caused by the Deepwater Horizon
oil spill, addressing the physical and biological environment as well as
the relationship people have with the environment."
The draft also proposes a programmatic plan for continuing to pursue
early restoration. The draft, available at
www.gulfspillrestoration.noaa.gov, includes the programmatic plan and the
complete list of proposed projects, with locations and descriptions. (Click
here for a list of proposed projects.)
Of the $627 million, ecological projects comprise about $397 million,
which is approximately 63 percent of the total. Lost recreational use
projects make up the remaining $230 million. Both approaches meet criteria
under the Oil Pollution Act and other applicable laws and guidelines.
The draft's release opens a 60-day public comment period that runs
through Feb. 4. The comment period will include 10 public meetings held
across the Gulf states. All meetings will begin with an interactive open
house during which Trustee staff will be available to discuss project
details. The open house will be followed by a formal presentation and
opportunity to provide comments to Trustee representatives. Meeting times,
dates and locations are listed below.
Visit www.gulfspillrestoration.noaa.govto download an electronic copy
of the draft and to view a list of public libraries and community
locations across the Gulf in which copies of the draft have been placed
for public review.
In addition to verbal comments at public meetings, the public may
submit written comments:
• Online: www.gulfspillrestoration.noaa.gov.
• By U.S. Mail: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, P.O. Box 49567,
Atlanta, GA 30345.
Early restoration projects represent an initial step toward
fulfilling the responsible parties' obligation to pay for restoration of
injured natural resources. Ultimately, the responsible parties are
obligated to compensate the public for the full scope of natural resource
injuries caused by the spill, including the cost of assessment and
restoration planning.
| Time | Location
| |
Date | |
----------+------------------------+---------------------------------------------
Dec. 16 | 6:00 PM Open House | The Battle House Renaissance Mobile Hotel,
| 6:30 PM Public Meeting | Moonlight
| | A, 26 North Royal Street, Mobile, AL 36602
----------+------------------------+---------------------------------------------
Dec. 17 | 6:00 PM Open House | University of Southern Mississippi, FEC
| 6:30 PM Public Meeting | Auditorium, 730
| | East Beach Boulevard, Long Beach, MS 39560
----------+------------------------+---------------------------------------------
Jan. 14 | 5:30 PM Open House | Belle Chasse Auditorium, 8398 Louisiana 23,
| 6:00 PM Public Meeting | Belle
| | Chasse, LA 70037
----------+------------------------+---------------------------------------------
Jan. 15 | 5:30 PM Open House | Warren J. Harang Jr. Municipal Auditorium,
| 6:00 PM Public Meeting | Plantation
| | Room, 310 North Canal Boulevard, Thibodaux,
| | LA 70302
----------+------------------------+---------------------------------------------
Jan. 16 | 5:30 PM Open House | Spring Hill Suites Lake Charles, Pelican
| 6:00 PM Public Meeting | Room, 1551 West
| | Prien Lake Road, Lake Charles, LA 70601
----------+------------------------+---------------------------------------------
Jan. 21 | 6:00 PM Open House | Port Arthur Civic Center, Hall E, 3401
| 6:30 PM Public Meeting | Cultural Center
| | Drive, Port Arthur, TX 77642
----------+------------------------+---------------------------------------------
Jan. 22 | 6:00 PM Open House | Texas A&M University at Galveston, Seawolf
| 6:30 PM Public Meeting | Parkway
| | on Pelican Island, Auditorium, Class Room
| | Lab Building, (Building #3007 on campus
| | map), Galveston, TX 77554
----------+------------------------+---------------------------------------------
Jan. 23 | 6:00 PM Open House | Harte Research Institute for Gulf of Mexico
| 6:30 PM Public Meeting | Studies
| | Texas A&M University- Corpus Christi, 6300
| | Ocean Drive, Corpus Christi, TX 78412
----------+------------------------+---------------------------------------------
Jan. 28 | 6:00 PM Open House | Pensacola Bay Center, 201 East Gregory
| 6:30 PM Public Meeting | Street,
| | Pensacola, FL 32502
----------+------------------------+---------------------------------------------
Jan. 29 | 6:00 PM Open House | Hilton Garden Inn Panama City, 1101 US
| 6:30 PM Public Meeting | Highway 231,
| | Panama City, FL 32405
Media Contacts
Department of the Interior: Nanciann Regalado, 678.296.6805,
nanciann_regalado@fws.gov
NOAA: Renata Lana, 301.427.8656, renata.lana@noaa.gov
USDA: Jody Holzworth, 202.720.5974, jody.holzworth@wdc.usda.gov
U.S. EPA: Julia P. Valentine, 202-564-0496, 202-564-4355,
valentine.julia@epa.gov
Alabama: Patti Powell, 334.242.3484, Patti.Powell@dcnr.alabama.gov
Florida: Kendra Parson, 850.245.2197, kendra.parson@dep.state.fl.us
Louisiana: Jenny Kurz, 225.342.0168, jenny.kurz@la.gov
Mississippi: Donna Lum, 601.948.3071, donna.lum@neel-schaffer.com
Texas: Tom Harvey, 512.389.4453, Tom.Harvey@tpwd.state.tx.us
# # #
Mr. Robbie Wilbur
Communications Director
Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality
Post Office Box 2261
Jackson, Mississippi 39225
601/961-5277
601/421-5699 (c)
601/961-5715 (f)
rwilbur@deq.state.ms.us
