Comments on Queen Bess Island Restoration still being accepted despite federal government shutdown

The federal government shutdown has affected the online portal for submitting public comments on the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill Louisiana Trustee Implementation Group’s (LA TIG) Draft Restoration Plan #1.1: Queen Bess Island Restoration Project. However, interested parties can continue to comment through the official submission deadline of January 22, 2019, via regular U.S. mail to this address:

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
P.O. Box 49567
Atlanta, Georgia 30345

Comments will also now be accepted via email at LATIG@la.gov through the duration of the comment period.

The comment period began with the release of the draft restoration plan on December 7, 2018. Interested parties have until January 22, 2019, to provide comments on the draft restoration plan. With the website comment portal currently not operable, the public is being advised of the additional means of commenting through email and the continued way of commenting through regular mail.

The Draft Restoration Plan and Environmental Assessment #1.1: Restoration of Queen Bess Island was released by the LA TIG and is consistent with the Trustees’ Programmatic Restoration Plan and proposes activities for restoring natural resources and services in Louisiana injured or lost as a result of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.

The Draft Restoration Plan 1.1 evaluates two alternatives for restoration of bird habitat, plus a no action alternative. The preferred alternative would create 30 acres of brown pelican habitat and 7 acres of tern and skimmer habitat. The estimated cost of the preferred alternative is $16.7 million. After the public comment period ends, the LA TIG will review, consider, and address public comments before releasing a final plan.

Click HERE for the Queen Bess Island project factsheet.