Public Scoping for Preparation of a Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement for the Deepwater Horizon BP Oil Spill

摘要

On April 20, 2010 an explosion on the Deepwater Horizon MC252 drilling platform in the Gulf of Mexico caused the rig to sink, and oil began leaking into the Gulf. BP was unable to successfully cap the leak until mid-July, and millions of barrels of oil were released into the Gulf. In what has become the worst offshore oil spill in U.S. history, natural resources have been exposed to and impacted by oil and response activities. These resources include recreationally, ecologically, and commercially important species and their habitat within, and along the coast of, the Gulf of Mexico, as well as the services provided by these resources. The magnitude of this spill is something our nation has not seen before, causing significant impacts to natural habitats, wildlife, and human communities along large coastal areas of Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas, Alabama, and Florida. Although it will be potentially years before the full extent of the damage is known, the Trustees have acted quickly to begin injury assessments and to plan for restoration to compensate the public for those injuries. Because of the extensive nature of this spill and the broad range of resources affected, the Trustees will seek more of an ecosystem approach to developing a restoration plan, by exploring more holistic restoration actions which could benefit multiple resources and habitats.