BP catastrophe spending 'marathon' begins with $183 million from Transocean

BILOXI -- The five-state Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council on Wednesday approved its first spending from the 2010 BP oil catastrophe, $183 million from a $1 billion settlement paid by Transocean.

Spending in Mississippi totals $20 million for four restoration projects. Gov. Phil Bryant hosted the council's meeting Wednesday at the Coast Convention Center.

"Today we cross the starting line, and we have a long marathon to run," said Toby Baker, a Texas representative on the council.

The funding will be used to focus primarily on 10 Gulf state watersheds, said Penny Pritzker, U.S. secretary of commerce and council chair. She said the money will restore more than 200,000 acres of habitat that supports fish and birds; develop workforce skills in the restoration arena; improve water quality; and pave the way for larger projects to deal with coastal erosion in Louisiana.

"The Gulf region's economy and its environment are not only the twin heartbeats for residents in the area, but they provide critical lifeblood to our nation," Pritzker said. " The environmental ecosystem, with its extraordinary habitats, wetlands, beaches and other natural resources, are vital to the way of life in the Gulf and drive its economy through commercial fishing, shipping, oil and gas production, tourism and other industries."

She said input from tens of thousands of Gulf state community members shaped the project list.

The council also voted on federal RESTORE Act funding percentages for the Gulf states covered:

-- 19.07 percent in Mississippi

-- 20.44 percent in Alabama

-- 18.36 percent in Florida

-- 34.59 percent in Louisiana

-- 7.58 percent in Texas

Council representatives from Louisiana and Texas abstained from the vote on funding percentages. Based on its percentage of oiled shoreline, Louisiana believes its percentage should be higher, and Texas objected to Harris County, which includes Houston, being left out of funding.

BP will pay a total of $5.5 billion in civil penalties under the federal Clean Water Act, with 80 percent funneled to the states over 15 years. The first round of funding is coming from the additional $1 billion Transocean settlement.

Pritzker said initial projects approved Wednesday will lay the foundation for future work.

"Every decision for the region has come from the region," she said. " It is important to note that the funding voted on today is just the beginning."

The list of the projects approved Wednesday was released in August and is available on the Restoration Council website.

This story was originally published December 9, 2015 at 6:30 PM with the headline "BP catastrophe spending 'marathon' begins with $183 million from Transocean ."