Gulf Restoration Groups Applaud Updated RESTORE Council Comprehensive Plan

Today, the Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration (RESTORE) Council released a draft update to its Comprehensive Plan, guiding restoration of the Gulf Coast in the aftermath of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. In May 2013, the RESTORE Council released its first Comprehensive Plan, “The Path Forward to Restoring the Gulf Coast,” which was unanimously approved by the Council in August 2013. As a result of the BP settlement, the RESTORE Council will administer more than two billion dollars in recovery and restoration funds over the coming years.  

National organizations working on Gulf of Mexico and Mississippi River Delta restoration – Environmental Defense Fund, the National Wildlife Federation, National Audubon Society, Ocean Conservancy and The Nature Conservancy – released the following statement in response to today’s announcement:

“The RESTORE Council has an unprecedented opportunity to make crucial investments toward the long-term recovery and resilience of the Gulf, and the Comprehensive Plan is the foundation upon which these decisions and investments will be made.

“We are pleased to see the RESTORE Council make continuing progress toward a meaningful Comprehensive Plan update with the release of this draft, which addresses many important issues. We applaud USDA’s leadership and the dedication of all the RESTORE Council members in improving this important guiding document. As the draft Comprehensive Plan advances toward finalization, our groups look forward to providing the Council with feedback that can make this updated plan as strong as possible to guide the tremendous restoration opportunities ahead.”