NRDA Trustee Implementation Group Approves 18 Projects in $62M Florida Restoration Plan

The Florida Natural Resource Damage Assessment (NRDA) Trustee Implementation Group has approved its Final Restoration Plan 2 and Environmental Assessment.

The Plan includes 18 selected projects that address five natural resource restoration types: Habitat Projects on Federally Managed Lands, Sea Turtles, Marine Mammals, Birds and Provide and Enhance Recreational Opportunities.

The plan includes 5 projects within Escambia County totaling $15.1 million:

• Johnson Beach Access Management and Habitat Protection: $3.2 million.
• Perdido Key Sediment Placement: $6.77 million.
• Pensacola Beach Fort Pickens Road Wildlife Lighting Retrofits: $540,000.
• Pensacola Community Maritime Park Public Fishing Marina: $3.19 million.
• Baars Park and Sanders Beach Kayak Fishing Trail Access Upgrades: $1.4 million.

The Draft Restoration Plan 2 and Environmental Assessment was released for public comment on Feb. 19, 2021 through March 29, 2021.The Trustee Implementation Group received and considered more than 20,000 correspondences.

The final Restoration Plan 2 and Environmental Assessment 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. For more information on additional projects funded through Deepwater Horizon Oil spill settlement, visit the County’s RESTORE page.

The entire Final Restoration Plan 2 and Environmental Assessment can be viewed here.