NOAA and other federal and state agencies announced that they are initiating a restoration scoping process for the Deepwater BP oil spill. This is a key step in the ongoing Natural Resource Damage Assessment for the spill.
The restoration scoping process will allow NOAA and other federal and state agencies to take a comprehensive look at the types of restoration that may be required to offset potential impacts from the spill on habitat, fish, wildlife, and human use of those resources.
To organize the restoration scoping process and satisfy various legal mandates, the agencies will use a Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement, or PEIS. The PEIS will serve as the core restoration planning document to offset impacts from the BP spill. It will also analyze potential environmental effects associated with implementation of the proposed restoration alternatives.
Through the process, you will have the chance to give us your ideas on what types of projects are important to restore the affected resources after the spill. You can make your voice heard by attending public meetings, or by submitting a comment or project idea. Comments can be submitted in person at a meeting, online, or by mail. All of your comments will be reviewed by NOAA and the other agencies as we develop a restoration plan for the Gulf.
Meeting dates and cities have been announced, with information about venues and times to come soon. Stay up-to-date with the latest on the NRDA process by joining our online mailing list and subscribing to our RSS feed.