Escambia County invites residents to participate in the public comment period for the RESTORE Act Draft Amended Multi-Year Implementation Plan Amendment 4, open now until Monday, Sept. 22. The MYIP is a plan for projects to be proposed completed using RESTORE funds from the 2010 Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill, with three amendments submitted for approval since 2017.
In response to public comments provided on the MYIP Amendment 4, Escambia County has amended the MYIP Amendment 4. These changes include removing the proposed new project Galvez Landing Design Update and Construction and sustaining and continuing with the Perdido Key Gulf of Mexico Public Access and related Perdido Key Beach Public Access – Property Acquisition and Construction projects as originally proposed in the original MYIP and MYIP Amendment 3 respectively. These material changes mean the MYIP must go back out for public review so the public is aware and has the opportunity to comment on the changes. The Amended MYIP Amendment 4 is now available for an additional 45-day public comment period.
Amended MYIP Amendment 4 proposes modifying one existing project and the addition of four new projects. Residents are encouraged to leave feedback on the five new projects before Amended MYIP Amendment 4 is submitted for approval. Visit MyEscambia.com/MYIP to view Amendment 4 (Amended) and learn more about each project.
The one modified project includes:
Perdido Key Gulf of Mexico Public AccessPerdido Key Beach Public Access - Property Acquisition and Construction- South Navy Boulevard Improvements
The four new projects include:
- Bob White Lane and Ziglar Road Water Quality and Drainage Improvements
- Ellyson Industrial Park Stormwater Design and Construction
Galvez Landing Design Update and Construction- Marine Dive Garden
- Palmetto Phase 2 and Palomar Water Quality and Drainage Improvements
Public comments will be accepted the following ways:
- Emailing [email protected]
- By mail: Attention: Ryan Kirby, Natural Resources Management Department, 221 Palafox Place, Pensacola, FL 32502
- Via the public comment portal on MyEscambia.com/MYIP.
Background
In April 2010, the Deepwater Horizon oil platform exploded, killing 11 workers and leading to the worst environmental disaster in U.S. history. As a result, the RESTORE Act was signed into law in 2012, directing 80% of administrative and civil penalties back to the impacted areas of the Gulf Coast through the Gulf Coast Restoration Trust Fund.
The U.S. Department of Treasury serves as the administrator of the RESTORE Act Direct Component, one of five funding streams through the RESTORE Act. In Florida, RESTORE Direct Component projects are selected and implemented by the 23 Gulf Coast counties, contingent on compliance with the RESTORE Act and acceptance by the U.S. Department of Treasury.
To ensure projects are consistent with the RESTORE Act and obtain broad-based participation in the project selection process, Treasury requires submittal and acceptance of a Multi-Year Implementation Plan. The U.S. Department of Treasury approved Escambia County’s Initial MYIP on Oct. 20, 2017, which included 10 projects selected by the Escambia County Board of County Commissioners.
The first amendment to the MYIP was approved by the U.S. Department of Treasury on June 16, 2020, which included modification to three projects included in the Initial MYIP and the addition of eight new projects. The second amendment to the MYIP was approved by the U.S. Department of Treasury on Aug. 16, 2021, which proposed the addition of funds to one existing project and the addition of a new project. The third amendment to the MYIP was approved by the U.S. Department of Treasury on Feb. 16, 2024, which proposed the project alterations to two existing projects and the addition of eight new projects.
The RESTORE Act and the U.S. Department of Treasury require the county to complete a 45-day public comment period to obtain broad-based participation from the public prior to the submittal and approval of MYIP Amendment 4. Escambia County will take all public comments under advisement and reflect those comments in the public comment section of this document following the public comment period closure.
