The Florida Trustee Implementation Group has released its Draft Restoration Plan 2 and Environmental Assessment (PDF, 452 pages). The draft plan is consistent with the Trustees’ Programmatic Restoration Plan and proposes projects for restoring natural resources and services injured or lost in Florida as a result of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. We will accept public comment through March 29, 2021. We will conduct a virtual public meeting on March 11, 2021.
Preferred Project Alternatives
The suite of 19 restoration projects proposed in this draft plan includes projects that address the restoration types listed below. The projects, if approved, will be funded by each respective restoration type:
- Habitat Projects on Federally Managed Lands (four proposed projects)
- Sea Turtles (three proposed projects)
- Marine Mammals (one proposed project)
- Birds (four proposed projects)
- Provide and Enhance Recreational Opportunities (seven proposed projects)
One project addresses both the Habitat Projects on Federally Managed Lands and the Provide and Enhance Recreational Opportunities restoration types, but is only counted under the Habitat Projects on Federally Managed Lands restoration type above. If approved, it would be funded by both restoration types. The approximate cost to implement all the proposed projects is $62,200,000.
Fact sheets for all of the preferred and non-preferred projects are below.
Public Comment and Virtual Meeting
The public is encouraged to review and comment on the draft plan through March 29, 2021 by submitting comments online, by mail, or during the virtual public meeting.
- Online: https://parkplanning.nps.gov/FLTIGRP2
- By mail:
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
P.O. Box 29649 Atlanta, GA 30345
We will hold a virtual public meeting on Thursday, March 11, 2021 at 5:00pm Eastern Time. We will present the draft plan and take comments during the meeting.
- Register for the meeting at https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/4537956480105991181
- After registering, participants will receive a confirmation email with instructions for joining the meeting. A GoToWebinar system check is recommended before attending.
Plan Document
- Draft Restoration Plan 2 and Environmental Assessment (PDF, 452 pages)
Fact Sheets
Note: These fact sheets include preferred and non-preferred projects listed in the draft restoration plan.
Habitat Projects on Federally Managed Lands
- Johnson Beach Access Management and Habitat Protection (PDF, 1 page)
- Perdido Key Sediment Placement (PDF, 1 page)
- Old Fort Pickens Road Utility Line Relocation (PDF, 1 page)
- Pensacola Beach Fort Pickens Road Wildlife Lighting Retrofits (PDF, 1 page)
Sea Turtles
- Increased Observers and Outreach to Reduce Incidental Hooking of Sea Turtles in Recreational Fisheries (PDF, 1 page)
- Reducing Threats to Sea Turtles Through Removal of In-Water Marine Debris along Florida's Gulf Coast (PDF, 1 page)
- Assessing Risk and Conducting Public Outreach to Reduce Vessel Strikes on Sea Turtles (PDF, 1 page)
- Removal of Barriers on Sea Turtle Nesting Beaches along Florida's Gulf Coast (PDF, 1 page)
Marine Mammals
- Florida Gulf Coast Marine Mammal Stranding Network (PDF, 1 page)
- Reducing Injury and Mortality of Bottlenose Dolphins in Florida from Illegal Feeding Activities (PDF, 1 page)
Birds
- Gomez Key Oyster Reef Expansion and Breakwaters for American Oystercatchers (PDF, 1 page)
- Egmont Key Vegetation Management and Dune Retention (PDF, 1 page)
- Northeast Florida Coastal Predation Management (PDF, 1 page)
- Florida Shorebird and Seabird Stewardship and Habitat Management - 5 Years (PDF, 1 page)
- Florida Shorebird and Seabird Stewardship and Habitat Management - 10 Years (PDF, 1 page)
Recreational Opportunities
- Pensacola Community Maritime Park Public Fishing Marina (PDF, 1 page)
- Baars Park and Sanders Beach Kayak Fishing Trail Access Upgrades (PDF, 1 page)
- Engineering and Design for Pensacola Beach Park West Improvements (PDF, 1 page)
- Gulf Breeze Parks Boating and Fishing Access Upgrades (PDF, 1 page)
- Lincoln Park Boat Ramp and Dock Improvements (PDF, 1 page)
- St. Vincent National Wildlife Refuge Recreational Improvements at Indian Pass (PDF, 1 page)
- Florida Artificial Reef Creation and Restoration (PDF, 1 page)
- Apollo Beach Recreational Sportfish Hatchery Facility (PDF, 1 page)