N.O.A.A. and its fellow Natural Resource Damage Assessment trustees in the Deepwater Horizon oil spill have announced the signing of a formal Record of Decision to implement a Gulf restoration plan. The 44 projects, totaling an estimated $627 million, will restore barrier islands, shorelines, dunes, underwater grasses and oyster beds.
This announcement marks the biggest suite of Gulf early restoration plans selected thus far in the wake of the 2010 oil spill. The plans aim to address a range of injuries to natural resources and the subsequent loss of recreational use.
"Preserving, protecting, and restoring natural resources is an integral part of our efforts to foster resilience in communities nationwide, including those affected by the Deep Water Horizon oil spill," said Kathryn D. Sullivan, Ph.D., under secretary of business for oceans and atmosphere and N.O.A.A. administrator. "These plans reflect an earnest commitment to the Gulf and will enhance the region's economic, social, and ecological resilience in the future."
As outlined in the Final Programmatic and Phase III Early Restoration Project and Early Restoration Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement, N.O.A.A. is supporting an overall Early Restoration Project that includes both ecological and human use projects. It is also fully supporting 44 specific plans to address injury across the Gulf. Of those, N.O.A.A. is directly involved in the implementation of 4 projects.
The biggest N.O.A.A. plan partnership will be with Louisiana to fund and execute restoration of beach, dune, and back-barrier marsh habitat on Chenier Ronquille, a barrier island off the state's coast. Chenier Ronquille is one of 4 barrier islands suggested for restoration as part of the
Louisiana Outer Coast Restoration Plan that will be implemented by NOAA, the U.S. Department of Interior and Louisiana. The total cost to restore the 4 barrier islands is expected to be $318 million.
Locations of Phase III Deepwater Horizon early restoration plans in which N.O.A.A. is participating. (Photo: NOAA)
Alabama, Florida, Mississippi, and N.O.A.A. will partner to undertake 3 "living shorelines" projects. These plans involve a blend of restoration technologies used to stabilize shorelines and restore fish and wildlife habitat. The 3 plans are:
-
Alabama: N.O.A.A. will work with the state to fully implement the Swift Tract Living Shoreline Project. This project, costing $5 million, will construct approximately 1.6 miles of breakwaters covered with oyster shell to reduce shoreline erosion, protect salt marsh habitat, and restore ecosystem diversity and productivity in Mobile Bay. Restoration experts expect that over time, the breakwaters will develop into reefs, providing added reproductive and foraging habitat and shelter from predators. The 615-acre state-owned Swift Tract location is located in Bon Secour Bay and is part of the NOAA-supported Weeks Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve.
-
Florida: N.O.A.A. will partner with Florida for the Florida Pensacola Bay Living Shoreline Plan to restore shoreline at 2 sites along the Pensacola waterfront. Plan Greenshores Location II is located immediately west of Muscogee Wharf in downtown Pensacola. Restoration at PGS Location II has been planned in conjunction with the Sanders Beach site, 3 miles to the west. Both suggested sites feature breakwaters that will provide 4 acres of reef habitat and protect the 18.8 acres of salt marsh habitat that will be created through this project. The Pensacola Plan is expected to cost about $11 million.
As the biggest phase of early restoration efforts, Phase III sets a strategic approach for these and additional early restoration activities. The trustees received thousands of public comments that were instrumental in its development, and has issued a guide to the Project and plans.
These plans will be funded through the $1 billion provided to the trustees by BP, as part of the 2011 Framework Arrangement on early restoration.
10 early restoration plans already are in various stages of implementation as part of the 1st 2 phases of early restoration. Updates on these plans are accessible in an interactive atlas.
Early restoration provides an opportunity to implement restoration plans agreed upon by the trustees and BP prior to the completion of the full natural resource damage assessment and restoration plan. BP and other responsible parties are obligated to compensate the public for the full scope of the natural resource injury and lost use caused by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, including the cost of assessing such injury and planning for restoration.
For in excess of 20 years, NOAA's Damage Assessment, Remediation, and Restoration Plan has worked cooperatively with federal and state agencies, tribes, industry, and communities to respond to oil spills, ship groundings, and toxic releases. During that period N.O.A.A. has protected natural resources at in excess of 500 waste sites and 160 oil spills, securing in excess of $2.3 billion from responsible parties.
NOAA's mission is to understand and predict changes in the Earth's environment, from the depths of the ocean to the surface of the sun, and to conserve and manage our coastal and marine resources. Join us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and our other social media channels.
