BP Sending $100 Million to Florida for Gulf Restoration Projects

The Natural Resource Trustees for the Deepwater Horizon oil spill (Trustees) reached an agreement with BP on Thursday with the oil company agreeing to send $1 billion to help restoration projects in states impacted by last years oil spill.

This milestone agreement will allow us to jump-start restoration projects that will bring Gulf Coast marshes, wetlands and wildlife habitat back to health after the damage they suffered as a result of the Deepwater Horizon spill, said U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar.This agreement accelerates our work on Gulf Coast restoration and in no way limits the ability of all the Natural Resource Trustees from seeking full damages from those who are responsible as the NRDA process moves forward.

Im pleased that after a year of uncertainty and concerns about environmental damages which occurred as a result of the Deepwater Horizon explosion, Florida will be able to use this early restoration money to initiate greatly needed environmental restoration projects, said state Department of Environmental Protection Secretary Herschel Vinyard. Because we have worked diligently to assess the environmental damage resulting from the spill, we are well-positioned to be able to quickly begin performing important restoration projects and use Floridas share of the early restoration funds to assist our coastal communities with their continued recovery from the spill.

Florida will get $100 million for restoration projects while the rest of the money goes to other states and federal departments.