Natural Resource Damages Program Restoration Funds

Natural Resource Damage settlements fund restoration projects. Trustees use a planning process or grant requests to identify projects.

Restoration Planning

NRD claims can be settled under both federal and State laws. Federal law requires that Trustees prepare restoration plans.

Trustees hold public meetings to explain the settlement. A planning process allows the public to submit project ideas or proposals. In that process, Trustees describe how they will select project ideas or proposals.

Trustees then prepare and release a restoration plan for public review and comment. After considering these comments, Trustees release a final restoration plan. Cities, towns, watershed groups, and others complete the approved restoration projects. As restoration plans are available for public review, they will appear below.

Gloucester Manufactured Gas Plant Site Restoration Planning

In 2023, Trustees settled NRD claims with the responsible party at a former Manufactured Gas Plant in Gloucester for $5,380,000. Hazardous chemicals released by the former manufactured gas plant contaminated soils and groundwater, as well as sediment in the adjacent Gloucester Harbor. Those contaminants resulted in injuries to natural resources. A restoration planning meeting was held on October 30, 2024. Information on the case and how to submit project ideas can be found on the NOAA case webpage (link below). Project Information Forms are due by December 20, 2024. 

Ocean King Oil Release Restoration Planning (Great Harbor, Woods Hole)

In January 2018, oil was released from the M/V Ocean King into the waters of Great Harbor in Woods Hole in Falmouth, Massachusetts. The release injured migratory birds (including common eider, white winged scoter, and long-tailed duck), recreational shellfishing, and shoreline resources in Great Harbor. A virtual restoration planning meeting was held on November 13th, 2024. A recording of the meeting, a copy of the presentation, a case fact sheet, and the form for submitting project ideas can be found below. Project Information Forms are due by January, 13, 2025. 

Restoration Grants

MassDEP awards grants to public and non-public entities to fund restoration projects. This funding does not follow a set schedule. Grant opportunities are announced as settlement funds become available.

The NRD Program holds public meetings before releasing grant announcements. At this meeting, the NRD Program will explain the settlement. We will also discuss the type of projects that can receive funding and how we will select projects. A grant application allows the public to submit project proposals.

MassDEP will award funds through a grant contract. The NRD Program may need to prepare and release a restoration plan for public review and comment. If so, a grant contract will be awarded following approval of a final restoration plan.

Grant announcements and applications, when available, will be posted on COMMBUYS and below.

North River Restoration (Colrain, MA) Grant Opportunity

MassDEP's NRD Program will be issuing a Grant Announcement and Application (GAA) in October 2024.  The grant opportunity is for projects that will restore, replace, and/or acquire the natural resources or resource services that were injured by the 2019 acid release at the Barnhardt Manufacturing facilities in Colrain, MA. Projects must be in the Deerfield River Watershed in Colrain, MA with a focus on projects in and around the North River subwatershed.

There was a virtual presentation on the funding opportunity and GAA on Wednesday September 18, 2024. The meeting was recorded and is posted below.

The GAA has been posted on the Commonwealth’s Procurement website (COMMBUYS) and is available below.

Massachusetts NRD Trust

Trustees deposit NRD settlement monies into specific funds. The U.S. Department of the Interior manages the DOI Restoration Fund. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration administers the Damages Assessment, Remediation, and Restoration Fund (DARRF). MassDEP manages the Natural Resource Damages Trust Fund.

State or federal Trustees may take the lead on contracts or agreements with agencies, municipalities, non-profits or others. Trustees can transfer monies between their specific funds to pay for restoration.

The Massachusetts NRD Trust was established in 1998 and amended in 2004 and 2011 by the legislature.  It is used to fund the work to develop NRD claims and restoration projects from settlements.