Commissioner Murman quoted in this article in the BayouBuzz.com a Louisiana-based media site:

Hillsborough County will hold onto BP settlement money for now

Written by  A media source // Thursday, 30 July 2015 09:13 // 

TAMPA — Hillsborough County won’t immediately spend any of the money it received in the settlement with BP over the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill, commissioners decided Thursday.

Instead, the county will hold the money for at least a year. Hillsborough received $28.5 million in the settlement, and about $23 million will go into county coffers after legal fees are paid.

County administrator Mike Merrill said Hillsborough will likely receive its share in August.

There was movement from some quarters to give a large chunk of the money to protect environmental lands, but commissioners ultimately voted 7-0 that it was too early to divvy up the funds. Additionally, some commissioners said it was tourism and development that were affected by the oil spill in Hillsborough, not the environment.

“This BP oil spill money was a direct result of a loss of tourism,” Commissioner Sandy Murman said.