Reminder: RESTORE MYIP Amendment 4 Public Comment Period Open Now

Escambia County invites residents to participate in the public comment period for the RESTORE Act Draft Multi-Year Implementation Plan Amendment 4, open now until Friday, June 27.

The MYIP is a plan for projects to be proposed completed using RESTORE funds from the 2010 Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill, with three amendments submitted for approval since 2017. Amendment 4 proposes modifying three existing projects and the addition of five new projects. Residents are encouraged to leave feedback on the five new projects before MYIP Amendment 4 is submitted for approval. Visit MyEscambia.com/MYIP to view Amendment 4 and learn more about each project.

The three modified projects include:

• Perdido Key Gulf of Mexico Public Access
• Perdido Key Beach Public Access - Property Acquisition and Construction
• South Navy Boulevard Improvements

The five new projects include:

• Bob White Lane and Ziglar Road Water Quality and Drainage Improvements
• Ellyson Industrial Park Stormwater Design and Construction
• Galvez Landing Design Update and Construction
• Marine Dive Garden
• Palmetto Phase 2 and Palomar Water Quality and Drainage Improvements

Public comments will be accepted the following ways:

• Emailing [email protected]
• By mail: Attention: Ryan Kirby, Natural Resources Management Department, 221 Palafox Place, Pensacola, FL 32502
• Via the public comment portal on MyEscambia.com/MYIP.

Background

In April 2010, the Deepwater Horizon oil platform exploded, killing 11 workers and leading to the worst environmental disaster in U.S. history. As a result, the RESTORE Act was signed into law in 2012, directing 80% of administrative and civil penalties back to the impacted areas of the Gulf Coast through the Gulf Coast Restoration Trust Fund.

The U.S. Department of Treasury serves as the administrator of the RESTORE Act Direct Component, one of five funding streams through the RESTORE Act. In Florida, RESTORE Direct Component projects are selected and implemented by the 23 Gulf Coast counties, contingent on compliance with the RESTORE Act and acceptance by the U.S. Department of Treasury.

To ensure projects are consistent with the RESTORE Act and obtain broad-based participation in the project selection process, Treasury requires submittal and acceptance of a Multi-Year Implementation Plan. The U.S. Department of Treasury approved Escambia County’s Initial MYIP on Oct. 20, 2017, which included 10 projects selected by the Escambia County Board of County Commissioners.

The first amendment to the MYIP was approved by the U.S. Department of Treasury on June 16, 2020, which included modification to three projects included in the Initial MYIP and the addition of eight new projects. The second amendment to the MYIP was approved by the U.S. Department of Treasury on Aug. 16, 2021, which proposed the addition of funds to one existing project and the addition of a new project. The third amendment to the MYIP was approved by the U.S. Department of Treasury on Feb. 16, 2024, which proposed the project alterations to two existing projects and the addition of eight new projects.

The RESTORE Act and the U.S. Department of Treasury require the county to complete a 45-day public comment period to obtain broad-based participation from the public prior to the submittal and approval of MYIP Amendment 4. Escambia County will take all public comments under advisement and reflect those comments in the public comment section of this document following the public comment period closure.

For questions or more information, please email [email protected].