Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill Final Phase IV Early Restoration Plan and Environmental Assessments

Date

2015-09

Authors

Deepwater Horizon Natural Resource Trustees

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Abstract

This document (Final Phase IV ERP/EA), prepared jointly by State and Federal Trustees, serves as a Final Phase IV Early Restoration Plan under OPA, and also contains the associated assessment for each project under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). Consistent with the Final Programmatic and Phase. The Early Restoration planning process is designed to be a cooperative endeavor between the Trustees and parties responsible for oil spills. On April 20, 2011, BP agreed to provide up to $1 billion toward Early Restoration projects in the Gulf of Mexico to address injuries to natural resources caused by the Spill. This Early Restoration agreement, entitled Framework for Early Restoration Addressing Injuries Resulting from the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill (Framework Agreement), represents a preliminary step toward the restoration of injured natural resources. The Framework Agreement is intended to expedite the start of restoration in the Gulf in advance of the completion of the injury assessment process. The Framework Agreement provides a mechanism through which the Trustees and BP can work together " commence implementation of Early Restoration projects that will provide meaningful benefits to accelerate restoration in the Gulf as quickly as practicable prior to the resolution of the Trustees natural resource damages claim. Early Restoration is not intended to, and does not fully address all injuries caused by the Spill. The Trustees are selecting, in this Final Phase IV ERP/EA, 10 projects in accordance with OPA and under the Framework Agreement that are meant to continue implementation of Early Restoration for the purpose of accelerating meaningful restoration of injured natural resources and their services resulting from the Spill. Given the potential magnitude and breadth of further Early Restoration, the Trustees previously prepared a Programmatic Early Restoration Plan and Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (Final Phase III ERP/PEIS) under OPA and NEPA to analyze alternative approaches to continuing Early Restoration and to consistently guide remaining Early Restoration decisions.

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Keywords

oil spill, natural resource restoration, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas

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