Oil-spill repairs’ pace too slow, state claims

Published: Saturday, November 10, 2012 at 6:01 a.m.

Last Modified: Saturday, November 10, 2012 at 12:38 a.m.

BP’s early program to repair environmental damage from its 2010 oil spill is not moving quickly enough, Louisiana officials said.

Federal officials have announced the next round of early restoration projects paid for through $1 billion BP set aside. But while there is money to restore turtle and bird habitat in Florida, Alabama and Mississippi, there is no money for Louisiana.

More than a year has passed since BP announced the early restoration program. To date, about $70 million has been approved for coastal projects. About $30 million of that has been released for construction.

“If early restoration continues to progress at this pace, it would take approximately 23 years for BP to spend the full amount,” said Garret Graves, chairman of the state’s Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority. “At least BP is consistent. That is about the same time line they are apparently eyeing to clean up the oil they spilled. Early restoration isn’t ‘early’ if it takes years to get projects implemented.”

Graves said the goal was to implement these early projects in 2011 and 2012.

BP officials said the process is complicated and all parties must agree before projects can move forward. There are many more projects in the pipeline, including some for Louisiana.

“The two projects announced this week are part of BP’s unprecedented commitment to contribute up to $1 billion to early restoration efforts in the Gulf of Mexico. Eight early restoration projects, including efforts to restore dunes, marshes and oyster habitats are already underway along the coast from Florida to Louisiana, and BP continues to work with the federal and state trustees to identify and evaluate additional projects for implementation across the Gulf region,” said BP spokesman Scott Dean.

Officials said the nesting projects were fast-tracked because they had to get underway before the next nesting season in the spring.

The first phase of restoration paid for $14.8 million in oyster restoration work in Louisiana, along with a $13.2 million marsh creation project in Lake Hermitage in Plaquemines Parish.

The money is a down payment from the Natural Resources Damage Assessment, a years-long process that systematically catalogues damage to the environment from the oil spill and then creates a plan BP must pay for to restore the environment to pre-spill conditions.

Because that process is expected to take years, if not decades, BP agreed to pay $1 billion quickly and begin environmental-restoration projects along the Gulf Coast.

Public meetings have been held around the coast to solicit ideas about how to spend those dollars. In addition, Louisiana’s governor and attorney general, parish presidents, commercial fishermen, coastal leaders and nonprofit organizations collaborated to create the Louisiana Plan, an agenda of more than $500 million in projects they hope the down payment might pay for.

“BP has no trouble spending money on other initiatives. In fact, BP has spent more on self-congratulatory ads that distort conditions on the Gulf than on early restoration projects,” Graves said. “Meanwhile, back in reality, hundreds of millions of dollars in projects that can begin restoring the damage from the BP’s oil-spill disaster remain on a shelf, and we’re still waiting for BP to make it right.”

The second phase of projects will cost about $9 million to restore nesting habitat for birds and sea turtles, said Cynthia Dohner, natural resource trustee for the U.S. Interior Department.

The first project will protect bird-nesting, sandy beaches in Florida, Alabama and Mississippi. No money was included for Louisiana, though the state has several beaches that host nesting birds in the spring and summer.

The second project aims to reduce artificial lighting on nesting beaches for loggerhead sea turtles in Alabama and Florida.

Simone Maloz, executive director of Restore or Retreat, a Thibodaux-based coastal advocacy group, said she was surprised the announcement was made for relatively small-scale restoration projects.

But she added that she is hopeful the reason Louisiana wasn’t included in the announcement is because it is negotiating for bigger-ticket items.

“Louisiana is in the deepest negotiations with BP about what they will pay for,” Maloz said. “The hopeful part is that, in the long run. Louisiana is negotiating to get the best projects possible.”

Maloz added that coastal advocates are looking at other options to pay for projects because “we obviously can’t sit around and wait for this, especially if it’s coming in pieces like this.”

Graves encouraged BP to go public with its negotiations about these projects in light of the delays.

“It has become evident that Louisiana and BP have very different interpretations of what ‘early’ means,” Graves said.

Nikki Buskey can be reached at 857-2205 or nicole.buskey@houmatoday.com.

<p>BP's early program to repair environmental damage from its 2010 oil spill is not moving quickly enough, Louisiana officials said.</p><p>Federal officials have announced the next round of early restoration projects paid for through $1 billion BP set aside. But while there is money to restore turtle and bird habitat in Florida, Alabama and Mississippi, there is no money for Louisiana.</p><p>More than a year has passed since BP announced the early restoration program. To date, about $70 million has been approved for coastal projects. About $30 million of that has been released for construction. </p><p>“If early restoration continues to progress at this pace, it would take approximately 23 years for BP to spend the full amount,” said Garret Graves, chairman of the state's Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority. “At least BP is consistent. That is about the same time line they are apparently eyeing to clean up the oil they spilled. Early restoration isn't 'early' if it takes years to get projects implemented.”</p><p>Graves said the goal was to implement these early projects in 2011 and 2012.</p><p>BP officials said the process is complicated and all parties must agree before projects can move forward. There are many more projects in the pipeline, including some for Louisiana.</p><p>“The two projects announced this week are part of BP's unprecedented commitment to contribute up to $1 billion to early restoration efforts in the Gulf of Mexico. Eight early restoration projects, including efforts to restore dunes, marshes and oyster habitats are already underway along the coast from Florida to Louisiana, and BP continues to work with the federal and state trustees to identify and evaluate additional projects for implementation across the Gulf region,” said BP spokesman Scott Dean.</p><p>Officials said the nesting projects were fast-tracked because they had to get underway before the next nesting season in the spring.</p><p>The first phase of restoration paid for $14.8 million in oyster restoration work in Louisiana, along with a $13.2 million marsh creation project in Lake Hermitage in Plaquemines Parish.</p><p>The money is a down payment from the Natural Resources Damage Assessment, a years-long process that systematically catalogues damage to the environment from the oil spill and then creates a plan BP must pay for to restore the environment to pre-spill conditions.</p><p>Because that process is expected to take years, if not decades, BP agreed to pay $1 billion quickly and begin environmental-restoration projects along the Gulf Coast.</p><p>Public meetings have been held around the coast to solicit ideas about how to spend those dollars. In addition, Louisiana's governor and attorney general, parish presidents, commercial fishermen, coastal leaders and nonprofit organizations collaborated to create the Louisiana Plan, an agenda of more than $500 million in projects they hope the down payment might pay for.</p><p>“BP has no trouble spending money on other initiatives. In fact, BP has spent more on self-congratulatory ads that distort conditions on the Gulf than on early restoration projects,” Graves said. “Meanwhile, back in reality, hundreds of millions of dollars in projects that can begin restoring the damage from the BP's oil-spill disaster remain on a shelf, and we're still waiting for BP to make it right.”</p><p>The second phase of projects will cost about $9 million to restore nesting habitat for birds and sea turtles, said Cynthia Dohner, natural resource trustee for the U.S. Interior Department. </p><p>The first project will protect bird-nesting, sandy beaches in Florida, Alabama and Mississippi. No money was included for Louisiana, though the state has several beaches that host nesting birds in the spring and summer.</p><p>The second project aims to reduce artificial lighting on nesting beaches for loggerhead sea turtles in Alabama and Florida.</p><p>Simone Maloz, executive director of Restore or Retreat, a Thibodaux-based coastal advocacy group, said she was surprised the announcement was made for relatively small-scale restoration projects.</p><p>But she added that she is hopeful the reason Louisiana wasn't included in the announcement is because it is negotiating for bigger-ticket items.</p><p>“Louisiana is in the deepest negotiations with BP about what they will pay for,” Maloz said. “The hopeful part is that, in the long run. Louisiana is negotiating to get the best projects possible.”</p><p>Maloz added that coastal advocates are looking at other options to pay for projects because “we obviously can't sit around and wait for this, especially if it's coming in pieces like this.”</p><p>Graves encouraged BP to go public with its negotiations about these projects in light of the delays.</p><p>“It has become evident that Louisiana and BP have very different interpretations of what 'early' means,” Graves said.</p><p>Nikki Buskey can be reached at 857-2205 or nicole.buskey@houmatoday.com.</p>