The Texas Trustee Implementation Group (TX TIG) has released the final version of its second restoration plan, selecting 13 restoration projects to compensate for injuries to natural resources caused by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. The Texas Trustee Implementation Group Final Restoration Plan/Environmental Assessment #2: Restoration of Wetlands, Coastal, and Nearshore Habitats; Nutrient Reduction; Oysters; Sea Turtles; and Birds was published on July 29, 2022, and prioritizes projects that restore wetlands, coastal, and nearshore habitat; water quality (through nutrient reduction); sea turtles; oysters; and birds injured as a result of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill:

Wetlands, Coastal, and Nearshore Habitat restoration type

• Bird Island Cove Habitat Restoration Construction
• Bahia Grande Channel F Hydrologic Restoration
• Follets Island Habitat Acquisition Phase 2
• Galveston Island Habitat Acquisition

Nutrient Reduction restoration type

• Petronila Creek Constructed Wetlands Planning
• Petronila Creek Watershed Nutrient Reduction Initiative

Oyster restoration type

• Landscape Scale Oyster Restoration in Galveston Bay

Sea Turtle restoration type

• Upper Texas Coast Sea Turtle Rehabilitation Facility
• Reducing Sea Turtle Mortality through Removal of Illegal Fishing Gear

Bird restoration type

• Laguna Vista Rookery Island Habitat Protection
• Jones Bay Oystercatcher Habitat Restoration
• San Antonio Bay Bird Island
• Texas Breeding Shorebird and Seabird Stewardship

The total estimated cost for the 13 projects is approximately $39 million.

The TX TIG released the draft plan on February 25, 2022, and received more than 200 comments during the public comment period. The final restoration plan reflects revisions to the draft plan resulting from public comments and continuing project development.

View the restoration plan.

Hard copies of the Final Restoration Plan/Environmental Assessment can be viewed at the following locations:

Port Arthur Public Library
4615 9th Ave.
Port Arthur, TX 77642
Jack K. Williams Library
Texas A&M University at Galveston
200 Seawolf Parkway Building #3010
Galveston, TX 77554

Mary and Jeff Bell Library
Texas A&M University - Corpus Christi
6300 Ocean Drive
Corpus Christi, TX 78412

For more information about ongoing restoration efforts in Texas or to view this restoration plan, visit NOAA’s Texas Restoration Plan webpage.

07/29/2022

The Texas Trustee Implementation Group (TIG) is seeking public comment on the Draft Restoration Plan/Environmental Assessment #2: Restoration of Wetlands, Coastal, and Nearshore Habitats; Nutrient Reduction; Oysters; Sea Turtles; and Birds. The draft plan, published on February 25, 2022, proposes a new suite of restoration projects to partially compensate for the injury to natural resources caused by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.

The Texas TIG reviewed more than 120 proposed restoration projects suggested by the public, state and federal agencies, and other various stakeholders. Of these, the Texas TIG proposes 13 preferred projects in the draft plan, including:

• Four Wetlands, Coastal, and Nearshore Habitat projects
• Two Nutrient Reduction projects
• One Oyster project
• Two Sea Turtles projects
• Four Bird projects

The total estimated cost for the 13 proposed projects is approximately $39 million.

To view the draft plan and obtain more information on the projects being proposed, including an overview and fact sheets, please visit the Texas Restoration Area page on the NOAA Gulf Spill Restoration website. Hard copies can also be obtained at the following locations:

    Port Arthur Public Library
    4615 9th Ave.
    Port Arthur, TX 77642

    Jack K. Williams Library Texas A&M University at Galveston
    200 Seawolf Parkway Building #3010
    Galveston, TX 77554

    Mary and Jeff Bell Library
    Texas A&M University - Corpus Christi
    6300 Ocean Drive Corpus Christi, TX 78412

Submit Public Comments

The draft plan is available for public review and comment through March 28, 2022. Comments can be submitted online at https://parkplanning.nps.gov/TXRP2 or by mail at the following address:

    U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
    P.O. Box 49567
    Atlanta, Georgia 30345

After the public comment period ends, the Texas Trustee Implementation Group will review, consider, and address public comments before releasing a final plan and environmental assessment.

Public Webinar

The trustees are holding a public webinar on March 9, 2022, at 6:00 p.m. (CST) to present the draft restoration plan and the proposed preferred alternatives. To register and attend the webinar, please visit: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/2667653123715836432.

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email with information on how to join on the meeting date. We recommend doing a GoToWebinar system check before attending. If you are unable to attend the webinar, the materials will be posted online after the webinar on the Texas Restoration Area web page.

02/25/2022

The Texas Trustee Implementation Group for the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill (Texas TIG) held its 2020 annual public meeting on November 4, 2020 via an online video presentation. The presentation included updates on the Texas TIG’s current restoration planning efforts and several ongoing restoration projects and will describe future planning efforts.

A PDF of the presentation and more information on the meeting is available here.

04/26/2021

The Texas Trustee Implementation Group held its 2019 annual public meeting on December 4, 2019 via an online video presentation. The presentation included an update on the work accomplished since the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, highlight several ongoing restoration projects, and present plans for future efforts.

A PDF of the presentation and more information on the meeting is available here.

04/26/2021

The Natural Damage Assessment Trustee council, which includes members of the Deepwater Horizon Texas Trustee Implementation Group, has issued a statement commemorating the 10-year anniversary of the Deepwater Horizon Spill. You can find the complete statement below, or visit the NOAA Gulf Spill Restoration webpage for more details:

Today marks ten years since the Deepwater Horizon oil spill occurred. The rig explosion led to the largest marine oil spill in American history and caused the loss of 11 men and injury to 17 others. For months, millions of barrels of oil flowed into the Gulf of Mexico. Many coastal communities were severely impacted. In these trying times, we recognize the human cost of the oil spill, and continue to extend our deepest condolences to those whose loved ones were lost or otherwise injured.

On this day, we, the Deepwater Horizon Natural Resource Damage Assessment Trustees, want to provide an update on our efforts over the past decade to restore natural resources across the Gulf of Mexico. From ensuring our restoration efforts benefit multiple resources of the ecosystem to leveraging funds for maximum efficiencies, we are utilizing settlement funds to address the injuries to the Gulf of Mexico and its coastal areas.

Immediately after the spill, we worked around the clock to assess the damages to the Gulf’s natural resources. During that assessment we began developing ideas for restoration projects that would address, not only the injuries, but also the loss of “services” the natural resources provide, such as recreational use. In addition, the extent and magnitude of the injuries led us to understand that rather than focusing on discrete projects, we needed to approach restoration from an ecosystem perspective.

We also recognized the need for monitoring and adaptive management of our restoration activities. Taking action in the immediate term was vital to setting the Gulf on the path to recovery. And, because this will be a long-term process, monitoring and adaptive management will allow us to adjust our approach to achieve the most effective results.

To accelerate the recovery of the ecosystem, BP agreed to provide up to $1 billion for early restoration activities beginning in April 2011. With those early restoration funds, we immediately got to work and ultimately approved 65 projects with a combined cost of approximately $875 million. Examples include $320 million for four barrier island projects on Louisiana’s coast, as well as marsh creation projects in Barataria Basin, which was the area most heavily impacted by the spill. Additionally, a multi-state $45 million project is benefiting sea turtles by enhancing nest protection and stranding response, and engaging the shrimp fishing industry to reduce sea turtle bycatch and understand why and when it’s occurring.

In 2016, the historic BP settlement required the company to pay up to $8.8 billion, including the early restoration funds, over 15 years – the largest ever for natural resource injuries. At that time, in addition to our work on early restoration projects, we transitioned to a full-scale restoration effort.

Our Work to Restore the Gulf of Mexico

Our post-settlement work is organized and conducted as Trustee Implementation Groups where Trustees work together to propose and implement restoration projects within their respective restoration areas. These groups bring in partners and funding from other sources, when possible, to enhance restoration projects’ scope and effectiveness. In the ten years since the spill, approximately 200 projects have been approved to restore injured Gulf resources. The combined estimated cost of these projects is $1.4 billion.

In the first decade since the spill, we have made significant progress restoring resources, such as recreational use, water quality, living coastal and marine resources, and wetlands, coastal, and nearshore habitats. These restoration types are described in detail in our programmatic restoration plan.

These efforts build upon our ecosystem approach to restoring the Gulf. For example, many of our projects are designed to benefit multiple restoration types. Projects that restore coastal marshes may also benefit wildlife, improve water quality, and enhance recreational opportunities. Additionally, a beach project that enhances recreational access to beaches may also educate visitors about the local birds and their nests.

We are also restoring resources in multiple locations across the Gulf. For example, we have oyster reef projects in the waters off each of the five Gulf States. We are restoring habitats for migratory birds and sea turtles in multiple locations from barrier islands to the beaches that line the Gulf Coast. We have restoration projects for wetlands, coastal, and nearshore habitats and for improving water quality across the Gulf. And, we're continuing restoration of resources and habitats offshore in the Gulf, including new projects for marine mammals, deep-sea habitats, fish, and sea turtles.

To make the most of these efforts, we work hard to leverage funding from other sources and strive to engage other restoration partners. For example, the McFaddin Beach and Dune Restoration in eastern Texas funded by Natural Resource Damage Assessment (NRDA), the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation’s Gulf Environmental Benefit Fund, RESTORE, the state, and the county. In addition, there are several projects intended to restore an adjacent salt marsh project funded by the Gulf Environmental Benefit Fund. This collaboration has increased the restoration footprint and reaps far greater environmental benefits.

Through coordination across funding sources, we are leveraging resources and will be able to accomplish more than would be possible with NRDA settlement funds alone.

As restoration planning has progressed through the years, the Trustees have developed guidance documents to act as roadmaps. Examples include the strategic frameworks for birds, marine mammals, oysters, and sea turtles as well as guidance for monitoring and adaptive management.

Looking Ahead

We are committed to restoring the natural resources of the Gulf of Mexico for years to come. We will strive to maintain our rapid rate of progress and number of workers on the job, even as we focus additional attention on safe practices in light of the current public health situation. As we implement restoration projects, it is imperative that we manage them well and monitor their success. This monitoring and adaptive management evaluates the success of current projects and adapts them, as needed, to ensure that we maximize resource restoration. We can also use our monitoring information for future projects to improve their results.

Restoration does not happen overnight, but through careful design, successful implementation, and robust monitoring, we are confident that the wetlands, coastal, and nearshore habitats, water quality, living coastal and marine resources, and recreational use will be restored. Stay informed on our restoration efforts, including the annual progress and financial reports to be released in June by visiting our website at www.gulfspillrestoration.noaa.gov.

04/20/2020

The Texas Trustee Implementation Group will hold its 2019 annual public meeting on December 4, 2019 via an online video presentation. The presentation will include an update on the work accomplished since the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, highlight several ongoing restoration projects, and present plans for future efforts.

The video presentation may be viewed at any time starting on December 4 from 12 a.m. to 11:59 p.m. and can be viewed an unlimited number of times. The public will also have the opportunity to provide comments related to the presentation topics during the same date and times through the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s public comment portal under the heading “Texas TIG Annual Meeting Video Presentation.”

Date: December 4, 2019
Time: 12 a.m. to 11:59 p.m. CT

Please view the video under the “Texas TIG Annual Meeting Video Presentation” heading.

For your convenience, a PDF of the presentation will be posted on the Trustees’ Texas Restoration Area page on December 5, 2019. The comment portal will close at 11:59 p.m. on December 4. If you need special assistance, including language assistance, please contact TXDWHNRDA@tpwd.texas.gov by November 25, 2019.

11/26/2019

The Texas Trustee Implementation Group (Texas TIG) held the 2018 annual public meeting on October 15, 2018 at Texas A&M University in Galveston, Texas. The public meeting included a presentation about the basics of the Natural Resources Damage Assessment process, updates and highlights on Deepwater Horizon oil spill restoration projects in progress, and an interactive open house where the public spoke with agency staff.

Meeting presentations and fact sheets are available on the TPWD Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill website.

10/31/2019

The Texas Trustee Implementation Group (TIG) has released its first restoration plan, selecting 13 restoration projects to compensate for injuries to natural resources caused by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. The Texas Trustee Implementation Group Final 2017 Restoration Plan and Environmental Assessment: Restoration of Wetlands, Coastal, and Nearshore Habitats; and Oysters was published on October 18, 2017 and prioritizes restoration projects for oysters and wetlands, coastal, and nearshore habitats with a total estimated cost of $45,761,000.

The 13 selected projects include:

• Bird Island Cove Habitat Restoration Engineering, Galveston Bay System
• Essex Bayou Habitat Restoration Engineering, Galveston Bay System
• Dredged Material Planning for Wetland Restoration, Texas Coast
• McFaddin Beach and Dune Restoration, Sabine Lake Area
• Bessie Heights Wetland Restoration, Sabine Lake Area
• Pierce Marsh Wetland Restoration, Galveston Bay System
• Indian Point Shoreline Erosion Protection, Corpus Christi Bay System
• Bahia Grande Hydrologic Restoration, Lower Laguna Madre
• Follets Island Habitat Acquisition, Galveston Bay System
• Mid-Coast Habitat Acquisition, Matagorda County
• Bahia Grande Coastal Corridor Habitat Acquisition, Lower Laguna Madre
• Laguna Atascosa Habitat Acquisition, Lower Laguna Madre
• Oyster Restoration Engineering, Galveston Bay System

The final restoration plan reflects revisions to the draft plan resulting from public comments and continuing project development by the Texas TIG. In light of the recent impacts to the coast by Hurricane Harvey, the Trustees re-evaluated the proposed preferred project sites and determined that environmental coastal conditions did not change sufficiently to warrant a change in the suite of projects selected in this restoration plan.

View the restoration plan.

For more information about ongoing restoration efforts in Texas or to view this restoration plan, visit NOAA's Texas Restoration Plan webpage.

10/18/2017