PANAMA CITY BEACH — A group tasked with paving the way for allocating billions of dollars in Deepwater Horizon oil spill fines has moved one step closer to putting those dollars to work.
The Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council moved forward with a submission and evaluation process for Gulf of Mexico restoration projects Friday, opening the door for the council to receive proposals as soon as next month, with evaluation and selection to be completed later in the fall.
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LINKS TO LEARN MORE
▌Submit Florida projects at DeepwaterHorizonFlorida.com »
▌For more information on the Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council, visit RestoreTheGulf.gov »
▌Follow the money: Flow chart of how oil spill money is allocated (PDF) »
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Established by the 2012 RESTORE Act, the Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council is chaired by the secretary of the U.S. of Department of Commerce and also includes representatives from five other federal agencies and governor-appointed representatives from each of the five states affected by the 2010 oil spill.
Together, the council is responsible for developing a comprehensive restoration plan using a portion of the Clean Water Act fines and other civil and administrative penalties imposed on BP.
Under the RESTORE Act, 80 percent of civil fines from the spill will be used for restoration projects in the five Gulf States. Of those dollars, which will be channeled into the Gulf Coast Restoration Trust Fund, 30 percent will be allocated to the council.
Currently included in the trust fund is $1 billion Transocean Ltd. paid out last year for the company’s involvement in the spill. Fines against BP will be determined in the third and final phase of the civil trial against BP, set to begin in January.
“Two years after the passage of the RESTORE Act, and four years after the explosion of the Deepwater Horizon oil rig, the council is well-positioned to begin the process of selecting restoration projects,” said Council Executive Director Justin Ehrenwerth. “These foundational steps serve to expedite our ability to fund ecosystem restoration projects as funds become available.”
How it works
Last August the council adopted an Initial Comprehensive Plan, a document that provides an overarching list of goals and priorities geared at revitalizing and restoring the Gulf’s environment and economy.
Any entity or the general public can submit restoration project ideas, but they must be sponsored by a council member to be considered.
Projects will be selected based on merit, with a vetting process that includes an independent science review and provides for coordination with other restoration efforts. According to the council, the process will give the highest priority to projects that meet one or more restoration priorities.
The council will publish a draft list for public comment next year outlining projects that will be funded using the available Transocean settlement money.
“This process is the most efficient and responsible way to honor the requirements of the RESTORE Act,” Ehrenwerth said. “It will also assure the public that the selected projects are grounded in the best available science, have a positive impact on the natural resources of the Gulf, and provide transparency as the council applies consistent and objective criteria during the selection process.”
Kara Lankford, interim director of Ocean Conservancy’s Gulf Restoration Program, applauded the council for developing a science-based evaluation system.
“Ocean Conservancy has been one of the strongest supporters for a science-based platform for successful Gulf restoration,” Lankford said. “Thanks to the actions taken by the council … projects to restore the Gulf will be chosen based on merit, not on politics.”