GOVERNOR SCOTT ANNOUNCES $58 MILLION IN EARLY RESTORATION PROJECTS FOR FLORIDA COMMUNITIES

PENSACOLA–Today, Governor Rick Scott announced that the Deepwater Horizon Natural Resource Damage Assessment Trustees have proposed $58 million in early restoration projects for Florida. To date, Phases I and II of early restoration projects for Florida have totaled $11.4 million.

Governor Scott said, “We’re committed to restoring the environment and economy that families have relied upon in the Gulf for generations. These $58 million in Florida projects represent a critical step forward in recovering from the natural resource and recreational losses that resulted from the BP oil spill. We will continue to work with our state, federal and local partners toward solutions that ensure impacted areas are revitalized for families.”

Florida’s Proposed NRDA Phase III Projects: Approximately $58 million

• Florida Gulf Coast Marine Fisheries Hatchery/ Enhancement Center, Escambia County. Approximately $20 million
• Florida Artificial Reef Creation and Restoration, Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa, Walton, and Bay counties. Approximately $11.4 million
• Pensacola Bay Living Shoreline, Escambia County. Approximately $11 million
• Florida Oyster Reef Restoration Escambia, Santa Rosa, Bay and Franklin counties. Approximately $5.4 million
• Scallop Enhancement for Increased Recreational Fishing Opportunity in the Florida Panhandle, Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa, Walton, Bay, Gulf, and Franklin counties. Approximately $3 million
• Florida Bay Seagrass Recovery Project, Gulf, Franklin and Bay counties. Approximately $2.7 million
• Big Lagoon State Park Boat Ramp Improvement, Escambia County. Approximately $1.5 million
• Bob Sikes Pier Restoration, Escambia County. Approximately $1 million
• Shell Point Beach Nourishment, Wakulla County. Approximately $880,000
• Florida Cat Point Living Shoreline Project, Franklin County. Approximately $800,000
• Perdido Key Boardwalk Improvements, Escambia County. Approximately $600,000
• Perdido Key Dune Restoration, Escambia County. Approximately $600,000

These projects, if successfully finalized after public review and comment, are in addition to the seven projects, on which Florida has been working, including several boat ramps, a dune restoration project and projects to protect and restore shorebird and sea turtle nesting habitat. With the additional projects, Florida will have allocated nearly $69 million of the $100 million available through the early restoration process defined in the April 2011 Framework Agreement between BP and the Trustees.

The Trustees intend to propose the early restoration projects using a method similar to previous draft restoration plans in order to continue the process of using early restoration funding to restore natural resources, ecological services and human use services injured or lost as a result of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill disaster.

This next set of projects includes many of the proposals that citizens have been suggesting, such as oyster and scallop restoration, seagrass restoration, artificial reefs, living shorelines, recreational beach restoration, state park improvements, and a hatchery project which will help restore the fisheries in north Florida as well as provide much needed research into the area of fisheries management and restoration.

The Trustees have worked to develop and negotiate the 28 proposed projects Gulf-wide, of which 12 are being proposed by Florida.