On May 17, 2011, a Federal district court judge signed a consent decree requiring Bouchard Transportation Co. Inc. and its affiliates to pay more than $6 million to settle a portion of the federal and state natural resource damage claims for the spill. The Trustees will use these settlement funds to further evaluate, select, and implement specific restoration projects to compensate for the natural resource injuries, in compliance with requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). In accordance with NEPA and regulations implementing the NRDA provisions of the Oil Pollution Act, the Federal Trustees will prepare documentation of a reasonable set of alternatives to be considered as part of a Restoration Plan (RP) and Environmental Assessment (EA).

The Trustees initiated the restoration planning by holding two public meetings in September 2011 including one meeting in Buzzards Bay, MA on September 21st, and a second meeting on September 22nd in Fall River, MA. The purpose of these public meetings was to discuss the status of the case settlement and potential restoration project alternatives to be considered in the development of a Draft Restoration Plan (RP) and Environmental Assessment (EA).

Based on public input, the Draft RP/EA will identify a reasonable set of restoration project alternatives, and be available for public review and comment. Comments provided at the public meetings and/or submitted during the designated comment period will be fully considered in the Draft RP/EA. The presentation materials provided by the Trustees at each of the two public meetings can be reviewed at: Buzzards Bay Public Presentation 09 21 22 11. Note this presentation includes information on the criteria that will be used by the Trustees to evaluate potential restoration alternatives for projects in MA and RI. This presentation also provides examples of appropriate versus inappropriate projects using funds from the Buzzards Bay settlement.

Restoration projects may include but are not limited to:

• Shoreline and aquatic projects that restore the same or similar natural resources or natural resource services that were injured, for example:



• Restoring or enhancing fish populations such as river herring (alewife, blueback herring) or other species that are forage species for gamefish such as striped bass and summer flounder
• Restoring or rehabilitating tidal marshes by removing obstructions (such as undersized culverts) to normal tidal exchange, removing soil fill, or controlling non-native invasive plants in marshes
• Restoring or enhancing shellfish populations such as bay scallop, oyster, and quahog by creating spawner sanctuaries, releasing seed, or enhancing their benthic habitats
• Beach nourishment benefiting organisms that inhabit or use beach substrates
• Planting or seeding of eelgrass beds
• Construction of artificial reefs for enhancing lobster and finfish habitat


• Projects for Ram Island that restore the same or similar natural resources or natural resource services that were injured, for example:



• Construction of a protective measure to dissipate wave energies and shoreline erosion (e.g., stone revetment)
• Construction of a tidal marsh fringe within the southern lagoon for fringe marsh habitat restoration or enhancement


• Lost use projects that restore the same or similar natural resource services that were injured by the spill and spill clean-up, for example:



• Purchase of a coastal property along Buzzards Bay for public access to the shore
• Construction of a public boat ramp in an area where public facilities are lacking
• Installation of a hiking trail and boardwalk to improve foot access to a beach or other public coastal property
• Eliminating pollution sources to shellfish beds
• Development of shellfish restoration or stock enhancement projects to increase hard clam, bay scallop, and oyster populations including spawner sanctuaries in the vicinity of areas managed for recreational shellfishing


• Piping plover projects that restore the same or similar natural resources or natural resource services that were injured, for example:



• Protecting nesting habitat via fee acquisitions or conservation easements
• Enhancing habitat by increasing the quality or spatial extent of nesting or foraging areas
• Integrated management program including predator control, public outreach and education, and increased enforcement

The public is welcome to submit restoration project ideas for the Trustees to consider for inclusion into the Draft RP/EA. Through this web site, the Trustees provide a blank electronic form along with instructional guidelines for the public to use in submitting project ideas. The guidelines are first provided, followed by the form that is available for submitting information for a project. Once a form has been completed, submit by clicking on the Submit by Email icon at the end of the form. Organizations or persons are welcomed to submit one or more forms. The form and guidelines can be accessed here at: Buzzards Bay Restoration Project Form and Guidelines. Please note that project forms will be accepted through December 18, 2011. After this date, the public will still have opportunity to suggest or comment on project alternatives through the Draft RP/EA public review process.