Where Are We Now?
Current Developments in Gulf Restoration

Webinar Series

The Environmental Law Institute, Gulf Restoration Network, and Ocean Conservancy have teamed up to launch a new webinar series, “Where Are We Now? Current Developments in Gulf Restoration.”

Over the past five years, many processes and funding opportunities have emerged in the wake of the BP oil spill – all with different scopes, limitations, and timelines. The webinar series is intended to keep the public informed about these processes and opportunities, providing current information and analysis as well as a forum for participants to get answers to their questions.

Join us as experts share critical information about the restoration processes, including the Natural Resource Damage Assessment, RESTORE Act, and National Fish and Wildlife Foundation’s Gulf Environmental Benefit Fund. Learn how restoration efforts are being implemented in the five Gulf States and find out about opportunities to participate in Gulf restoration. The webinar series will take place every three months.

This page provides all the information you will need about the webinar series. Click below to view a schedule of upcoming webinars (including links to free registration), summaries and recordings of past webinars, and helpful links.

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Upcoming Webinars

Future webinars will be announced shortly. Stay tuned!

 

Summaries and Recordings of Past Webinars

RESTORE Council Comprehensive Plan: Questions and Answers

Wednesday, September 21, 2016
Recording unavailable due to technical difficulty

On August 23, 2016, the Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council released an update to its Comprehensive Plan. The plan will have far-reaching implications for how billions of dollars are spent on Gulf restoration. The public can comment on the draft plan through October 7.

The webinar convened RESTORE Council staff (including Executive Director Justin Ehrenwerth) to provide background on the plan and answer questions from the audience. The goal was to provide information that will inform the public and enhance the public’s ability to provide meaningful comments.

Greater Than the Sum of Its Parts: Using Coordination and Leveraging to Enhance Gulf Restoration

Monday, March 7, 2016

Billions of dollars have been obligated to several different restoration and recovery processes in the wake of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Given the focus of these processes, there is the potential for overlap – not only among the various processes, but also with many existing plans and programs. This overlap makes coordination essential, from development of plans, programs, and projects through funding and implementation.

This webinar brought together representatives from federal, state, and local government to discuss how coordination and leveraging are playing a role in Gulf restoration. The goal of this webinar was to understand what opportunities are available, and what more can be done, to make Gulf restoration greater than the sum of its parts.

BP Proposed Consent Decree Released: Details of the Deal and Gulf Restoration Planning

Tuesday, November 3, 2015

View the recording below:

On October 5, 2015, the BP Consent Decree was released and opened to the public for comment. The Consent Decree settles most claims against BP arising from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, including Clean Water Act civil penalties (to flow through the RESTORE Act) and Natural Resource Damages (“NRD”). Along with separate agreements with local government entities, these settlements total $20.8 billion.

Also on October 5, the draft Programmatic Damage Assessment and Restoration Plan (referred to as the “Draft PDARP”) was released, providing a comprehensive plan to restore the Gulf of Mexico region using NRD monies. With the Consent Decree and the Draft PDARP, we now have new information that will shape Gulf restoration for decades to come.

The webinar convened experts to discuss the Consent Decree and NRD. The goal of the webinar was to spark discussion, provide answers to questions, and facilitate productive public participation in this important milestone in Gulf restoration.

RESTORE Council Funded Priorities List: Timelines, Participation, and Next Steps

August 25, 2015

View a recording of the webinar here:

On August 13, 2015, the Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council released its draft Initial Funded Priorities List (“FPL”). The draft FPL proposes “to focus on 10 key watersheds across the Gulf”, as well as on some Gulf-wide initiatives, at a cost of approximately $140 million. This webinar convened three members of the Council staff (along with moderator Bethany Kraft from the Ocean Conservancy) to discuss the draft FPL. The webinar began with presentations from Council staff, after which the floor was opened for questions and discussion.

Restoring the Gulf of Mexico: A Year in Review

June 24, 2015

The series premiere provided an overview of how restoration efforts have unfolded over the last year and where these efforts might be heading. See the video below for the full recording.


You can see the slides used by the presenters here:

  • NRDA Presentation (Teresa Chan, Environmental Law Institute)

  • RESTORE Act Presentation (Michelle Erenberg, Ocean Conservancy)

  • NFWF Presentation (Jordan Macha, Gulf Restoration Network)

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    Helpful links on Gulf Restoration

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