Natural Resource Damage Natural Resource Damage Assessment Basics;Assessment Basics;
Applicability to Compacts withApplicability to Compacts with FSM and RMI FSM and RMI
Michael Fry Environmental Michael Fry Environmental Contaminants CoordinatorContaminants Coordinator
U.S. Fish and Wildlife ServiceU.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Honolulu, HawaiiHonolulu, Hawaii
Natural Resource Damage AssessmentNatural Resource Damage Assessment
Federal AuthoritiesFederal Authorities Oil Pollution Act of 1990, Section 1006 (b)Oil Pollution Act of 1990, Section 1006 (b)
15 CFR Part 990 (OPA).15 CFR Part 990 (OPA). OPA GoalOPA Goal – Make the environment and the – Make the environment and the
public public wholewhole for injuries to natural for injuries to natural resources and services resulting from an resources and services resulting from an oil release. oil release.
OPA not written into Compacts OPA not written into Compacts
OPA GoalsOPA Goals
Action 1-restore injured resources to Action 1-restore injured resources to baseline (e.g. # dead animals, acres baseline (e.g. # dead animals, acres of wetland, restoration of coral).of wetland, restoration of coral).
Action 2-compensate public for Action 2-compensate public for interim lost services interim lost services
(e.g. # lost days to tourism, loss of food (e.g. # lost days to tourism, loss of food chain source).chain source).
Phases of an Phases of an Natural Resource Damage AssessmentNatural Resource Damage Assessment
An OPA incident has occurredAn OPA incident has occurred
Agency -“Determination of Jurisdiction” Agency -“Determination of Jurisdiction”
No exclusionary criteria applyNo exclusionary criteria apply(e.g. military emergency, public vessel)(e.g. military emergency, public vessel)
Trust Resources of agencies are at risk as a Trust Resources of agencies are at risk as a resultresult
Spill Responders-Gather Initial NRDA DataSpill Responders-Gather Initial NRDA Data
NRDA 3 PhasesNRDA 3 Phases
1.1. Pre-assessment-ephemeral data.Pre-assessment-ephemeral data.
2. Restoration 2. Restoration
A. Injury AssessmentA. Injury Assessment
B. Cost ValuationB. Cost Valuation
C. Restoration PlanningC. Restoration Planning
3. Restoration Implementation3. Restoration Implementation
Identifying Resources at RiskIdentifying Resources at Risk Circumstances of the incidentCircumstances of the incident –location, –location,
condition of the vessel or facility, condition of the vessel or facility, environmental conditionsenvironmental conditions
Characteristics of the dischargeCharacteristics of the discharge – type of – type of product, source, time, duration, and product, source, time, duration, and volume of releasevolume of release
Resources at RiskResources at Risk
Characteristics of the natural resourcesCharacteristics of the natural resources – – species and habitat types, sensitive life species and habitat types, sensitive life stages, unique ecological componentsstages, unique ecological components
Potential for injuryPotential for injury – exposure, pathways, – exposure, pathways, causal mechanisms, and availability of causal mechanisms, and availability of procedures and dataprocedures and data
Potential Data To Be Potential Data To Be Collected During a SpillCollected During a Spill
Injured resourcesInjured resources Response injuriesResponse injuries Lost services Lost services Short-term impactsShort-term impacts Long-term impactsLong-term impacts
Injured ResourcesInjured Resources
Commercial FisheriesCommercial FisheriesOiled birdsOiled birdsLost recreationLost recreationCoral Reef and habitatCoral Reef and habitat
FishFishForage for birdsForage for birds
Response InjuriesResponse Injuries
Added damage to coralAdded damage to coral Introduced Introduced
invasive speciesinvasive species Salvage debrisSalvage debris
ExampleExampleM/V Cape Flattery M/V Cape Flattery GroundingGrounding
Initial grounding scar and broken Initial grounding scar and broken coral heads.coral heads.
Response injury-Response injury-
towing cable destruction towing cable destruction
anchor scaranchor scar
Calculating Damages and Calculating Damages and Funding RestorationFunding Restoration
Responsible Party has obligation to Responsible Party has obligation to compensate the public for injuries, both compensate the public for injuries, both economic and natural resource losses. economic and natural resource losses.
Several methods to value damages:Several methods to value damages:– Economic lossesEconomic losses– Lost use of resourcesLost use of resources– Habitat Equivalency AnalysisHabitat Equivalency Analysis– Costs of restorationCosts of restoration
% S
erv
ices
TimeIncident
Baseline
Quantification of Lost Services
Natural Reco
very
PermanentInjury
Sum of Lost Services
Restoration Action
Funding Restoration with RP Settlement Funds
Calculated RestorationBenefit
Using Settlement to Benefit Natural Resources
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