Grand Isle BP Recovery Process BP is working through the Natural Resource Damage Assessment, a group that studies the

environment, process to evaluate the potential for wildlife and natural habitats. The goal is to return the environment to pre-oil spill levels. Although, long term environmental impacts of the oil spill are not yet known. They are doing this in three ways: Emergency Restoration, Early Restoration and National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Projects. Emergency Restoration efforts are focusing on preventing and reducing additional damage, while the Early Restoration Efforts are geared towards restoring injured natural resources, and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation projects are conservation projects. BP spent over 26 billion dollars, 4.06 billion of which was in Louisiana, in claims, response, and clean-up efforts. Since May 2010, more than 200 initial and amended NRDA plans have been developed. Resourced like the NRDA will help guide restoration efforts. Four of their projects are rooted in Louisiana, costing over $365 million. These projects range from marsh and barrier island restoration to oyster cultch and fish hatchery. BP has also committed to pay 500 million dollars over the next ten years to support independent research through GoMRI (Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative). GoMRIs goal is to improve the coastal citizens ability to understand, respond to, and mitigate the potential impacts of oil spills to marine and coastal ecosystems. Projects like these are going on throughout the gulf coast. Phase I projects were approved in April 2012. These eight projects total $62 million and will resource and enhance wildlife, habitats and the service provided by habitats, and also provide additional access to the gulf for recreation on the water. Phase II, totaling nine million dollars, adds two additional projects that are designated to improve beach nesting habitat for birds and sea turtles. Phase III was announced in May of 2013 and is by far the most radical. It comprises of 28 projects, and totals $594 million. These projects include ecological projects that restore habitat and resources, as well as projects that make the use of natural resources for recreational activities easier. Nine projects are ecological, and consist of the re-creation of dunes, sea grass, and oyster habitats, as well as barrier islands that protect coastal areas from waves and tides, and the creation of living shore lines (made of organic materials) to protect habitat for wildlife. The 19 recreational projects address the temporary loss of the use of natural resources. These programs provide residents and visitors with new recreational options and better access to natural resources. In a more hands on approach in that the citizens of these towns can see it happening, BP has spent 70 million personnel hours cleaning up the gulf. In fact, Removal Actions have been

deemed complete, meaning that active oil clean-up has ended, for 4283 miles out of the 4376 miles along the shoreline of the Gulf of Mexico. 20 of the 93 remaining miles have either met the clean-up standards and are awaiting approval or are awaiting inspection to verify that the clean-up standards have been met. The other 73 miles are in patrolling and maintenance. This means that clean-up crews regularly patrol the shoreline and recover oil where it is found. Louisiana contains all 93 of these miles in addition 3192 miles that have been deemed clean. Most of the oil that was visible on Grand Isles beach has been cleaned up. Crews paid by BP are even drilling into the sand to make sure no oil has been buried. They do this by using augurs. Over 14,000 holes were drilled at Fourchon Beach, Elmers Island, Grand Isle, Grand Terre, and Grand Terre II, and only 3.5% actually had oil that needed to be cleaned. Small balls of oil and sand still continue to wash up on the beach. However, coast guard officials have declared that these are mostly composed of sediment and degraded oil, and the balls pose no health risks. Nevertheless, sightings of these or other possible oil-based materials can be reported to the NRC at 1-800-424-8802. Jefferson Parish received 2.2 million dollars from BP for a 3-year plan to revive tourism that was lost due to the oil spill. 75% of the money was split between Grand Isle and Lafitte. Tourist and spending in nearby New Orleans was, in 2012, the highest it has ever been in New Orleanss entire recorded history, with over nine million people visiting. Recreational fishing along the gulf coast was three percent higher than the 07-09 average. In the year after the oil spill, tourism in Grand Isle was down by eighty percent. However, by 2012, the numbers were back up to the pre-oil spill levels, and it even surpassed some of the pre-oil spill records. The majority of camps, which range from simple camps to the million-dollar Presidential Palace, are rented every weekend. In 2010, Grand Isles International Tarpon Rodeo had to be cancelled, but by 2011 it was back and stronger than ever. In fact, fishing is out-pacing even the most productive of years. The main section of Grand Isles State Park, which had been closed due to the oil spill, reopened, having the most visitors since the 04-05 year. The oil spill, in fact, even helped the tourism business. More new people than ever are coming to Grand Isle because they heard so much about it in the media. And sales taxes are up with the amount of workers being brought in, thus helping the stores and restaurants on Grand Isle flourish. Grand Isle is back, if not better than it was before the spill. Lynn Edwards, who visited Grand Isle several times throughout her life, was quoted as saying that Everything looks better than it was before. The beach is definitely cleaner than when I used to be a kid. Teri Hawsley visited and said that No one even thought about the oil spill when [they] decided to come [to Grand Isle]. Now the water looks great. Though the

quote that probably sums up Grand Isle best was given by Nick Plumer, a man from Prarieville that is currently living in Houston. Coming back here reminds me of who I am and where Im from. When something knocks us down, we get back up. It doesnt matter if its a hurricane or an oil spill. Say what you want about Grand Isle and the oil spill, but one thing is for certain, the inhabitants of the seven-mile island always find a way to bounce back.