After the oil spill, the Trustees immediately got to work. Within a month, we were assessing the impacts of oil and oil spill response efforts (such as dispersants) on natural resources like wetlands, fish and birds.
Scientists, economists, and restoration experts came together to collect data, determine the extent and magnitude of injuries, and plan and implement restoration projects.
This work was critical to the development of a programmatic restoration plan for the Gulf of Mexico. We released the final plan in February 2016 as part of a legal settlement with BP for up to $8.8 billion. The plan and settlement resolved BP’s liability for natural resources injuries stemming from the spill.
Restoration in Progress
We are now in the process of implementing the programmatic restoration plan. The plan will set the course of restoration for the next 15 plus years—with room for flexibility as our scientific knowledge and the circumstances of the Gulf change. There will be project-specific plans in each of seven restoration areas, with opportunity for public input on each of those plans. These efforts will restore wildlife, habitat, and marine resources injured by the oil spill, and increase recreational opportunities in the Gulf.