Posted on July 2, 2025
Trustees discuss projects at 10th-annual meeting
Did you know Alabama has approved 43 restoration projects funded by the settlement from the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill?
The 10th-annual Deepwater Horizon webinar, which was open to the public, was held for regional trustee implementation groups (TIGs) to discuss updates on settlement-funded projects, which was finalized in 2016. TIGs from Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas, the open ocean and the general region shared statistics from the past year.
Chris Blankenship, commissioner for the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, spoke on Alabama’s upcoming and in-progress projects.
He said the next state restoration plan, which was released at the end of last year, includes addressing nutrient reduction in Puppy Creek, Juniper Creek and Big Creek; stewardship of coastal Alabama beach nesting bird habitat; improving oyster resilience; Laguna Cove/Little Lagoon natural resources; Bay Front Park improvements; and Lower Perdido Islands habitat.
“Construction is moving along very well,” he said about Orange Beach’s Lower Perdido Islands habitat restoration, which began earlier this year. “It’s expected to be completed in August of 2025. … Altogether, the project will restore 23 acres of coastal habitat.”
He said this project was implemented by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). NOAA maintains a Gulf Spill Restoration website with more information on all regional projects on behalf of trustees for the Deepwater Horizon Natural Resource Damage Assessment (NRDA).
“Work in the Alabama restoration area focuses on restoring and conserving habitat and replenishing and protecting wildlife such as sea turtles, marine mammals, birds and oysters,” the website reads. “We are also providing and enhancing recreational opportunities, restoring water quality and restoring habitats on federal lands.”
Focusing on overall Alabama projects, Blankenship said the Alabama TIG has committed around $200 million out of $295 million in their allocation from the Deepwater Horizon funds.
According to Chris Doley, chief of NOAA’s office of habitat conservation, funding is set to wrap up in 2031.
“We are almost 2/3 of the way through the 15-year payment period by BP of the restoration funds,” Doley said. “Our restoration work won’t stop when we see the last payment from BP. We will continue to plan and implement new projects and ensure our work is successful through monitoring and adaptation.”
Doley said $8.8 billion of the $20.8 billion 2016 global settlement was allocated for NRDA restoration, which covers evaluations of the damage to natural resources from the oil spill and how to effectively target restoration.
For more details on each project and additional data, go to gulfspillrestoration.noaa.gov.
Featured above is the timeline for restoration after the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill.
Above is a slide featuring achievements of the regional trustees as a whole.
Above, Alabama funding update and total projects approved.
Above, an overview of Alabama projects in progress.
Restoration projections for Walker Island as part of the Lower Perdido Island habitat regrowth project.
Restoration projections for Walker Island as part of the Lower Perdido Island habitat regrowth project.
