A consent decree between the U.S. Department of Justice and BP will yield significant funds for restoring and maintaining wildlife habitat along the Gulf Coast. Investments in water quality and wildlife habitat will bring enduring benefits to Florida.

The five states affected by the spill agreed to the settlement, which must now be approved by the judge supervising the case. 

Over a 15 year period, beginning next year, $5.1 billion of Clean Water Act penalties will be spent according to the federal RESTORE Act. Another $8.1 billion will be spent for natural resource damages. A separate agreement has BP paying $5.9 billion for state and local economic damages. In all, BP will have paid a total $20.8 billion to cover environmental and economic damages from the Deepwater Horizon disaster. 

“Florida appears to have fared well in the settlement with BP,” said Audubon Florida executive director Eric Draper. “Florida’s share of natural resource damage funds seem appropriately targeted toward water quality improvements and restoring wildlife in Florida’s coastal areas.”