In August 1997 an oil well being drilled by the Sonat Exploration Company on private land approximately 1.5 miles northwest of Cravens, Vernon Parish, LA, blew out. The release included more than 13,000 barrels of oil and 600,000 barrels of contaminated salt water. Released oil, salt water, natural gas, drilling mud and tailings ultimately migrated offsite into the nearby Kisatchie National Forest, killing or injuring understory vegetation and hardwood trees. Additional vegetation had to be removed to facilitate response activities. Natural gas liquids and crude oil in the form of mist was transported downwind a significant undetermined distance. Sonat, the original RP, became the El Paso Production Company. The trustees published a draft DARP/EA in 2005 and final DARP and Restoration Implementation Monitoring Plan (RIMP) in 2006. The FWS R4 Regional Director signed on as the AO in 2006. In 2007 DOI signed a settlement agreement with the RP addressing natural resource damages. USFS implemented the RIMP between 2009-2018, which included habitat enhancement within 978 acres of red-cockaded woodpecker (RCW) habitat, including prescribed burning, mid-story clearing, timber removal, and installing 230 RCW nest cavity inserts. USFW ultimately documented 225 RCW eggs and 109 fledglings in project areas. In October 2018 the trustees determined (via memo to the administrative record) that restoration was complete. The federal Authorized Official approved closure July 2020. Restoration aided in the recovery of the endangered Red-Cockaded Woodpecker. See the story at: https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/3a36e4ffbce749d9bf93bb093f6dbc0c