Federal and state officials said Friday that they have chosen 44 projects worth $627 million to restore the Gulf of Mexico and its shores after the major 2010 oil spill.

The set of projects is the largest yet of various efforts to restore the Gulf after the explosion and 87-day oil spill at the BP-operated Deepwater Horizon rig, the largest offshore oil spill in United States history.

ADVERTISEMENT

Most of the money, about $397 million, will go to ecological losses, and the remainder will be used for recreational losses.

“Preserving, protecting and restoring natural resources is an integral part of our efforts to foster resilience in communities nationwide, including those affected by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill,” Kathryn Sullivan, administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, said in a statement. It is one of five federal agencies working with four states on the restoration efforts.

“These projects reflect an earnest commitment to the Gulf and will enhance the region’s economic, social, and ecological resilience in the future,” she said.

“The trustees have done a comprehensive job of identifying projects to help the Gulf Coast recover from the devastating Deepwater Horizon spill and have given careful consideration to the many insightful public comments received through the process,” Interior Secretary Sally Jewell Sarah (Sally) Margaret JewellNational parks pay the price for Trump's Independence Day spectacle Overnight Energy: Zinke extends mining ban near Yellowstone | UN report offers dire climate warning | Trump expected to lift ethanol restrictions Zinke extends mining ban near Yellowstone MORE said.

“Now we can move forward with these projects that will help restore the natural resources of the region, improve resiliency to hurricanes and other catastrophic weather events and provide an economic boost to local communities,” she said.

The money comes from penalties BP has paid to the federal government for its role in the Deepwater Horizon spill.