This story was updated on January 26, 2018.
The Louisiana Trustee Implementation Group has released two draft plans to address recreational use loss and ecosystem injuries in Louisiana and Gulf of Mexico caused by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Both of these draft plans are consistent with the Trustees’ Programmatic Restoration Plan. We are requesting public comment for each at this time.
Those draft plans released are:
- The Draft Restoration Plan and Environmental Assessment #2: Provide and Enhance Recreational Opportunities (Draft Recreational Use Plan) which describes and proposes implementation of restoration projects intended to restore for lost recreational use opportunities. Also note:
- The Draft Recreational Use Plan’s public comment period ending, originally January 19, has been reopened until February 2, 2018.
- The Draft Recreational Use Plan’s public comment period ending, originally January 19, has been reopened until February 2, 2018.
- The Draft Strategic Restoration Plan and Environmental Assessment #3: Restoration of Wetlands, Coastal, and Nearshore Habitats in the Barataria Basin, Louisiana (Draft Barataria Strategic Plan) which considers a suite of restoration approaches and techniques to address ecosystem-level injuries in the Gulf of Mexico. Also note:
- The Draft Barataria Strategic Plan has a 45-day public comment period, ending February 5, 2018.
We hosted a public meeting to present the draft plans and solicit public comment on January 24 at the University of New Orleans. More info is below.
Draft Recreational Use Plan
The Draft Recreational Use Plan considers re-allocating funds originally dedicated to the Louisiana Marine Fisheries Enhancement, Research, and Science Center Early Restoration project which is not moving forward because of feasibility issues arising in the planning process. Those funds are being proposed for reallocation to fund other restoration projects in the Draft Recreational Use Plan. Included are $22 million in project alternatives emphasizing the creation and enhancement of recreational fishing infrastructure, providing more opportunities and access to recreational fishing, and educational and outreach promoting use and stewardship of natural resources. A list of the project alternatives with associated costs can be found in the fact sheet below.
More information about the Draft Recreational Use Plan:
- Full Draft Recreational Use Plan (pdf)
- Executive Summary (pdf)
- Fact Sheet in: English (pdf) | Vietnamese (pdf)
- Federal Register Notices: December 20, 2017 Notice | January 26, 2018 Notice (Reopening Comment Period)
| Public comment on the Draft Recreational Use Restoration Plan, originally scheduled to end January 19, has been reopened until February 2. Comments can be submitted through the following opportunities: | ||
| In Person | Online | By Mail |
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The Louisiana Trustees presented this plan and solicited public comment at the University of New Orleans on January 24 at 5:30 p.m. CST. Watch the meeting on the Louisiana Coastal Protection & Restoration Authority's Facebook page. (external link) |
Via our Planning, Environment and Public Comment website: https://parkplanning.nps.gov/LA- |
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, P.O. Box 49567, Atlanta, GA 30345 |
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or Louisiana Coastal Protection & Restoration Authority, ATTN: Joann Hicks, P.O. Box 44027, Baton Rouge, LA 70804 |
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Draft Barataria Strategic Plan
In the Draft Barataria Strategic Plan, rather than proposing specific projects for construction, the trustees evaluated a suite of approaches and techniques, for example large-scale sediment diversions or marsh creation, to determine how to best support restoring ecosystem-level injuries in the Gulf of Mexico through restoration in the Barataria Basin. Additionally, the Trustees propose advancing several projects to be considered for additional evaluation, but are not to receive funding or start construction upon approval.
The coastal wetlands within the Barataria Basin provide the foundational habitat for the Barataria Basin ecosystem, support resources within the Barataria Basin and throughout the Gulf of Mexico, and were among the most heavily oiled parts of the Gulf Coast shoreline in the aftermath of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. The projects considered for further evaluation propose to restore more than 50,000 acres of marsh and land through various strategies.
More Information about the Draft Barataria Strategic Plan:
- Full Draft Barataria Strategic Plan (pdf)
- Executive Summary in: English (pdf) Vietnamese (pdf)
- Fact Sheet in: English (pdf) Vietnamese (pdf)
- Federal Register Notice
| Public comment on the Draft Barataria Strategic Plan is open for 45 days, starting December 20 and ending February 5. Comments can be submitted through the following opportunities: | ||
| In Person | Online | By Mail |
|
The Louisiana Trustees presented this plan and solicited public comment at the University of New Orleans on January 24 at 5:30 p.m. CST. Watch the meeting on the Louisiana Coastal Protection & Restoration Authority's Facebook page. (external link) |
Via our Planning, Environment and Public Comment website: https://parkplanning.nps.gov//LA-SRP | U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, P.O. Box 49567, Atlanta, GA 30345 |
|
or Louisiana Coastal Protection & Restoration Authority, ATTN: Joann Hicks, P.O. Box 44027, Baton Rouge, LA 70804 |
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Stay tuned to our website for more information, and if you'd like to receive email updates, sign up here and check the "Gulf Spill Restoration" box after submitting your email.