Public Invited to Review and Comment on Draft Damage Assessment and Restoration Plan and Environmental Assessment for the Texas City Y Oil Spill Natural Resource Damage Assessment

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Response staff performing clean-up of beaches affected by the Texas City “Y” oil spill, March 27, 2014. Credits: U.S. Coast Guard

Houston, TX - The U.S. Department of the Interior, represented by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD), Texas General Land Office (TGLO), and Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ), collectively known as the “Trustees,” announce the release of the Draft Damage Assessment and Restoration Plan and Environmental Assessment (TCY Draft DARP/EA) to address injuries associated with the March 2014 Texas City Y Oil Spill near Texas City, Texas.

Summary:

On March 22, 2014, bulk carrier M/V Summer Wind and oil tank-barge Kirby 27706 collided in Galveston Bay near Texas City, Texas. The collision punctured the #2 starboard tank of Kirby 27706, discharging approximately 168,000 gallons of Intermediate Fuel Oil (IFO-380) into the Houston Ship Channel, Galveston Bay, and state and federal waters. Kirby Inland Marine, L.P. (Kirby) was identified as the Responsible Party. The Trustees conducted a Natural Resources Damage Assessment in cooperation with Kirby. 

The Trustees determined that the Incident, including response and cleanup efforts, caused injury to wildlife, including benthic organisms, fish, birds, and marine mammals; and resulted in injuries to recreational services, including lost opportunities for the public to visit and enjoy shoreline and open water areas.  

On January 20, 2020, the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas entered a Consent Decree resolving the Trustees' claims for injuries to natural resources resulting from the Incident. Kirby agreed to pay $15,300,000.00 in damages and assessment costs to resolve federal and state claims for injuries to natural resources and services resulting from the Incident and to provide for the Trustees' costs to oversee, implement, and monitor the restoration of natural resources. 

The TCY DARP/EA describes how the Trustees propose to utilize recovered funds to address natural resources and services that were injured, lost, or destroyed due to the Incident. Specifically, the Draft TCY DARP/EA proposes projects, also referred to as alternatives, to help restore, replace, or acquire resources and services equivalent to those lost or impacted by Texas City Y oil spill and evaluates proposed alternatives under the Oil Pollution Act (OPA), the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), and their implementing regulations. The Trustees invite the public to comment on the TCY Draft DARP/EA.   

Public Review:

The Draft TCY DARP/EA is available for a 30-day public comment period, beginning July 3, 2026 at the following link: https://www.cerc.usgs.gov/orda_docs/DocHandler.ashx?task=get&ID=14508. Physical copies can be requested by contacting Heather Biggs at the contact information provided below. Comments must be submitted within 30 calendar days of July 3^rd, 2026 to be considered by the Trustees.

Comments may be submitted in writing or email to: 
By U.S. Mail: 
Heather Biggs 
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 
Texas Coastal and Central Plains ESFO 
17629 El Camino Real, Suite 211 
Houston, TX 77058

By email to: TexasCityYNRDAR@fws.gov