The Motiva State RCRA Site is an old (1903) oil and gas refinery located on approximately 5,000 acres of land in the City of Port Arthur, Jefferson County, Texas. Current use is primarily processing crude oil into finished products (i.e. motor oil, aviation fuel, gasoline, lubricating oil, diesel fuels, asphalt, etc.). Alligator Bayou traverses the center of the plant site. Historically wastewater from the refinery production was discharged into this waterway. Investigations show that groundwater beneath the facility contains light non-aqueous phase liquids which may be discharging into the Bayou. These investigations also show significant levels of metals, volatile organic compounds and total petroleum hydrocarbons. Surface water and biological resources in and adjacent to Alligator Bayou have been affected and are potentially still being affected by these contaminants. Primary resources at risk are surface waters, sediments, wetlands, birds, terrestrial wildlife, aquatic invertebrates and fish. A substantial bird rookery is located at the southeast corner of the site. The Trustees determined that the construction of approximately 32 acres of salt marsh within the vicinity of the site and the preservation in perpetuity of approximately 422 acres of woodlands within the watershed would compensate for compensate for injuries to the benthic and riparian habitat of Alligator Bayou. In 2008 the Trustees reached settlement for $1.2 million in natural resource damages. The Trustees finalized the DARP in 2008 that selected preservation in perpetuity of a 408 acre parcel of land adjacent to the Lower Neches River to offset riparian losses. Habitat protection would be established through the purchase of the property and transferring title to the U.S. Department of the Interior’s (National Park Service) Big Thicket National Preserve. While this tract is slightly smaller than the original restoration target, it is comprised of higher quality habitat than the injured riparian habitat. The proposed preservation tract would provide comparable or greater ecological services to those injured and offer additional benefits as it is tied into a larger corridor of preserved habitat associated with the Big Thicket. Transfer to the Big Thicket was completed in 2009. The Trustees are continuing work to identify an appropriate project and site for the remaining 32 acre salt marsh construction project.