Florida uses oil spill money for conservation land
Florida using money from oil spill settlement to acquire more conservation lands in Panhandle
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) -- Florida is using money from an oil spill settlement for conservation lands in the Panhandle.
State officials said Tuesday that half of Florida's $10 million settlement has been used to buy property and obtain a conservation easement.
The settlement is with MOEX Offshore. It was a 10 percent investor in a well that leaked oil into the Gulf of Mexico when the Deepwater Horizon rig exploded in 2010. MOEX is the first entity involved in the spill to resolve civil penalty claims.
The state closed Friday on a conservation easement over Seven Runs Creek in Walton County. Earlier this month the state purchased lands at Escribano Point in Okaloosa County.
The other $5 million from the settlement is being used stormwater projects in Bay, Okaloosa and Santa Rosa counties.
