Public Comment Sought on Second Draft Restoration Plan, Public Webinar Set for March

TEXAS—The Texas Trustee Implementation Group (TIG) is working to restore the Texas coast along the Gulf of Mexico after the Deepwater Horizon oil spill and has released its Draft Restoration Plan/Environmental Assessment #2. This plan includes restoration projects to partially compensate for the injury to natural resources caused by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. The total estimated cost for the 13 proposed projects in the draft plan is approximately $39 million.

The TIG began this restoration planning process in October 2020, when it asked the public for restoration project ideas. More than 120 proposed restoration projects were reviewed, and 13 preferred projects are included in the draft plan. The proposed restoration projects, grouped by restoration type, include four Wetlands, Coastal, and Nearshore Habitat projects, two Nutrient Reduction projects, one Oyster project, two Sea Turtles projects and four Bird projects.

The draft plan is available for public review and comment through March 28, 2022. Anyone can review the draft plan and submit comments. Hard copies of the draft plan can be obtained at the following locations or viewed online:

• 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

Comments can be submitted electronically or via mail to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
P.O. Box 49567 Atlanta, Georgia 30345. After the public comment period ends, the TIG will review, consider and address public comments before releasing a final plan and environmental assessment.

The TIG is also holding a public webinar on March 9, 2022 at 6:00 p.m. to present the draft restoration plan and the proposed preferred alternatives. 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.