The state will spend more than $53 million on 15 projects that are all directed towards Mississippi’s coast communities recovering from the Deepwater Horizon oil disaster nearly 10 years ago. Bryant stated that the latest round of projects will help to increase our natural resources for wildlife and marine life, as well as for sportsmen, recreation, and beach visitors. The RESTORE Act, which was passed in 2012 and directed civil penalties for oil spillage towards rehabilitation efforts in coastal states, will fund most of these projects. A large environmental damage settlement of $20.8 million was approved by a U.S. District Court in 2016 after an oil rig owned by BP and TransOcean, Anadarko, Halliburton, exploded off the Gulf Coast, killing 11 and injuring 17. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), between 4billion and 8 billion oysters were destroyed by the disaster. This figure includes hundreds of thousands of turtles and seabirds. These new projects are in addition to the $560 millions already spent on restoration efforts. On Tuesday, Gary Rikard, MDEQ Executive Director, stated that these projects were essential in the ongoing efforts to improve South Mississippi’s natural resources and economy. Five projects worth $15 million will be funded by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation’s Gulf Environmental Benefit Fund. This fund was established in response to criminal cases against TransOcean and BP following the spill. The biggest chunk of new spending will be directed towards: “We try and take that holistic approach towards restoration,” stated Chris Wells, MDEQ’s Director for Restoration. “Realizing the interconnectedness of all projects is key. Any effort we make to improve water quality will benefit oysters. Oysters are also filters so more oysters means more water quality improvement. The summit allowed the public to view some of the state’s restoration achievements. You can see a complete list of past and new projects on MDEQ’s Restoration Page.