On May 11, 2016, on Green Canyon Block 248, 97 miles off the coast of Louisiana, a crude oil spill from a well-head flow line resulted in the discharge of 80,892 gallons of oil into the Gulf of Mexico. On September of 2018, the Justice Department entered into a Consent Decree with the responsible party, Shell Offshore Inc, for $3.6 million, to restore habitat and natural resources impacted by the release of the Shell Green Canyon 248 Oil spill. NOAA and co-trustees, on behalf of the public, are releasing a Draft Restoration Plan and Environmental Assessment (PDF, 100 pages), out for public comment for 30 days until August 19, 2021.

The natural resource trustee agencies in the case are proposing these settlement funds be used to restore habitats for the fish, birds, and marine mammals impacted by the spill and to compensate the public for the natural resources and services injured as a result. 

The preferred restoration alternatives include: 

• The creation of a living shoreline in West Cove, Calcasieu Lake along Sabine National Wildlife Refuge in Cameron Parish, Louisiana
• The creation of a 5 acre colonial bird nesting island on Pass-a-Loutre Wildlife Management Area in the Mississippi River Bird’s Foot Delta
• A genetic stock assessment project on pantropical spotted dolphin populations off the coast of Louisiana 

These projects would address the natural resource injuries as a result of the spill, create and enhance natural habitat for birds and other species and help improve our understanding of pantropical spotted dolphin distribution in the Gulf of Mexico, leading to improved population assessments and more effective management.

NOAA, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, the Louisiana Oil Spill Coordinator’s Office, the Department of Public Safety, the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality, the Louisiana Department of Natural Resources, the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries and, the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority, as the natural resource trustees, invite the public to submit comments during the 30 day comment period window ending on August 19, 2021. 

• To submit comments via email, please send them to Charles K. Armbruster, charles.armbruster@la.gov with the subject line “Draft Restoration Plan for SGC 248 Oil Spill comments”

• Or mail your comments to: 
  • Louisiana Oil Spill Coordinators Office, Department of Public Safety and Corrections

    Attn: Charles K. Armbruster

    P.O.Box: 66614

    Baton Rouge, LA 70896

Requests for hard copies of the Draft Restoration Plan and Environmental Assessments should be submitted to the email or mailing address above before the comment deadline.