Early Restoration
Trustees solicited public comment on the draft Phase I Early Restoration Plan.
- Phase II Early Restoration Plan & Environmental Review (ERP/ER) (pdf, 2 MB)
- Phase II Early Restoration Plan & Environmental Review (ERP/ER) Executive Summary (pdf, 2 MB)
- Public Repositories (pdf, 196 KB)
- Press Release (pdf, 406 KB)
- Public Meeting Presentation (pdf, 5 MB)
- Errata Sheet (pdf, 36 KB)
Project Fact Sheets:
- Avian Breeding Habitat Project (pdf, 364 KB)
- Sea Turtle Nesting Ground Project (pdf, 308 KB)
- Avian Breeding Habitat Project (Vietnamese translation) (pdf, 364 KB)
- Sea Turtle Nesting Ground Project (Vietnamese translation) (pdf, 308 KB)
Useful Links:
- View Early Restoration Project Atlas
- Final Phase I Plan (Full Text) (pdf, 12.1 MB)
- Final Phase I Plan (Executive Summary) (pdf, 1 MB)
- Public Repositories (xls, 15 KB)
- Early Restoration & Early Restoration Project Selection Criteria (pdf, 822 KB)
- Press Release (pdf, 88 KB)
- Public Meetings Presentation (pdf, 1.25 MB)
- Vietnamese translations of early restoration fact sheets
Project Fact Sheets:
- Alabama: Dune Restoration Project (pdf, 536 KB)
- Alabama: Marsh Island Restoration Project (pdf, 569 KB)
- Florida: Boat Ramp Construction and Enhancement (pdf, 512 KB)
- Florida: Dune Restoration (pdf, 525 KB)
- Louisiana: Lake Hermitage Marsh Creation (pdf, 620 KB)
- Louisiana: Oyster Cultch (pdf, 522 KB)
- Mississippi: Artificial Reef Habitat (pdf, 647 KB)
- Mississippi: Oyster Cultch Restoration (pdf, 629 KB)
When a spill occurs and the Natural Resource Damage Assessment (NRDA) process starts, early restoration opportunities can help begin restoration of natural resources sooner than might otherwise be possible. Early restoration projects can be implemented prior to completion of the NRDA process, which is complex and sometimes can take many years to complete.
For the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, BP has committed to fund up to $1 billion in early restoration projects under an agreement with the NRDA trustees titled “the Framework for Early Restoration Addressing Injuries Resulting from the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill” (Framework Agreement). This agreement represents an initial step toward fulfilling the company’s obligation to fund the complete restoration of natural resources injured by the spill.
Ten projects have been funded to date. You can view these projects on our Early Restoration Atlas and in the Phase I (pdf, 12.1 MB) and Phase II early restoration plans (pdf, 4.9 MB).
The NRDA trustees are continuing to accept proposals for early restoration projects. Future early restoration projects may include:
- Rebuilding coastal marshes
- Replenishing damaged beaches
- Improving human use of resources
- Conserving sensitive areas of ocean habitat for impacted wildlife
- Restoring barrier islands and wetlands
The Deepwater Horizon oil spill NRDA trustees are evaluating projects based on criteria laid out in the Framework Agreement and in federal and state regulations (pdf, 822 KB). Public input has played an important role in the development of the first two rounds of early restoration planning, and will continue to help shape future early restoration projects.
Drawing on input from the public and all parties involved, the trustees will modify and/or finalize these early restoration plans and post them on this website.
The long-term damage assessment will continue while early restoration planning is under way.
