The Mississippi Trustee Implementation Group has released the Draft Restoration Plan 5 and Environmental Assessment: Nutrient Reduction and Birds (PDF, 155 pages) for public review and comment through July 29, 2026. The plan proposes three projects for implementation. These projects have a combined cost of approximately $19.5 million, to be funded by the Deepwater Horizon Mississippi Trustee Implementation Group’s Natural Resource Damage Assessment allocation.
The plan’s proposed restoration activities include:
- Hydrologic and stormwater system enhancements to address nutrient loading in Moss Point, MS, through construction of a nature-based stormwater park and urban reforestation in the watershed
- Enhancement of shallow-water bird habitat within wetland management units in multiple state wildlife management areas and national wildlife refuges in the Lower Mississippi River Valley
- Creation and restoration of beach and dune habitat on Cat Island to provide nesting and foraging opportunities for Mississippi’s shorebird populations, including those injured by the oil spill
The draft restoration plan is consistent with the Trustees’ Programmatic Restoration Plan.
We began this restoration planning effort on May 8, 2024, with publication of a Notice of Solicitation (PDF, 3 pages) requesting the public submit project ideas to the Trustee Implementation Group. On June 2, 2025, we published a Notice of Initiation of Restoration Planning and began writing the draft plan.
How to Submit Public Comments
The 30-day public review and comment period ends on July 29, 2026. We will accept public comments via the following methods:
- Via the Web: HTTPs://parkplanning.nps.gov/MSRP5EA
- Via U.S. Mail: Hard copy addressed to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Gulf Restoration Office, 341 North Greeno RD, Suite A, Fairhope, Alabama, 36532. To be considered, mailed comments must be postmarked on or before the comment deadline.
Public Webinar Information
The Mississippi Trustee Implementation Group will post a pre-recorded webinar to present an overview of the draft restoration plan and the proposed preferred alternatives. It will be available at https://www.mdeq.ms.gov/restoration/ on July 15, 2026.
After the public comment period ends, we will review, consider, and address public comments before releasing a final restoration plan and environmental assessment.
Additional Documents
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