NATIONAL DISASTER RECOVERY FRAMEWORK:
NATURAL AND CULTURAL RESOURCES
RECOVERY SUPPORT FUNCTION
OVERVIEW
DOI/Office of Environmental Policy and Compliance
National Disaster Recovery Framework
(Cont’d)
Provides a flexible structure to enable
effective recovery support to disasterimpacted States, Tribes, Territorial and
local jurisdictions.
 Advances pre- and post-disaster recovery
planning
 Focuses on how to restore, redevelop,
and build a more resilient community

Office of
FDRC
Environmental
Academy
Policy– and
NCRCompliance
RSF Orientation
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Recovery Support Functions

National Disaster Recovery Framework created
six Recovery Support Functions (RSFs), each of
which is coordinated by a designated federal
agency.

DOI is the Coordinating Agency for the Natural
and Cultural Resources (NCR) RSF
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FDRC
Environmental
Academy
Policy– and
NCRCompliance
RSF Orientation
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Natural Resources

Natural Resources include:
Land, fish, wildlife, biota, and water
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FDRC
Environmental
Academy
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RSF Orientation
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Cultural Resources
Cultural Resources include:
Districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects
for the National Register of Historic Places,
archeological sites,
cultural landscapes,
structures, museum
objects and archives
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FDRC
Environmental
Academy
Policy
– NCR
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RSF Orientation
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NCR RSF Members:
Coordinating Agency:
 Department of the Interior (DOI)
Primary Agencies
 Department of the Interior
 Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
 Federal Emergency Management Agency
(FEMA)
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FDRC
Environmental
Academy
Policy
– NCR
and Compliance
RSF Orientation
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Coordinating Agency Role for NCR RSF
Department of the Interior

Represents NCR RSF at the national level

Maintains communication within the NCR RSF and across
other RSFs for NCR recovery issues

Coordinates activation and deployment of recovery personnel

Coordinates and leverages applicable Federal resources for
recovery of NCR

Monitors supported and implemented recovery programs

Evaluates the effectiveness of Federal NCR RSF efforts
Office of
Environmental
FDRC Academy
Policy–and
NCR
Compliance
RSF Orientation
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NCR RSF Primary Agencies
Department of the Interior

Provides technical assistance and subject matter expertise in assessing
impacts on NCR

Coordinates with Federal, tribal, state, and local entities and other partners
to ensure actions taken during recovery operations consider NCR

Shares best practices and assists in development of programmatic
approaches to address NCR issues

Provides technical expertise on NEPA and NHPA compliance

Provides subject matter expertise in stabilizing landscapes, restoring
watersheds, and project management.

Provides tribal consultation and coordination and technical assistance to
tribes to develop policies and procedure to address emergency
management issues.
Office of
Environmental
Policy
and Compliance
FDRC
Academy
– NCR
RSF Orientation
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What can NCR RSF provide?
The NCR RSF can potentially provide:
• Technical Assistance:
• Impact assessment, program applications,
policy issues, and hazard mitigation
• Funding Assistance:
• Direct or indirect
• Field/Remote Support
• Mission assignment and interagency
agreement
Office of
FDRC
Environmental
Academy
Policy
– NCR
and Compliance
RSF Orientation
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NCR RSF Pre-Disaster Preparedness




Develop strategies to address natural and cultural
resource recovery issues
Identify and develop relationships with key partners
Develop recovery plans that address the transitions
from response to recovery to steady-state
operations and promote the principles of
sustainability, resilience and mitigation
Encourage and support tribal, state, territorial and
local recovery planning efforts
Office of
FDRC
Environmental
Academy
Policy
– NCR
and Compliance
RSF Orientation
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NCR RSF Post-Disaster Recovery
Activities (Cont’d)
Monitoring and Situational Awareness
 Advanced Evaluation
 RSF Activation / Deployment
 Mission Scoping Assessment (MSA) and
Recovery Support Strategy (RSS)
Development
 RSS Implementation
 Transition to Steady-State

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FDRC
Environmental
Academy
Policy– and
NCRCompliance
RSF Orientation
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Bastrop County Complex Wildfires in Texas - 2012
Office of
FDRC
Environmental
Academy
Policy
– NCR
and Compliance
RSF Orientation
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Hurricane Isaac in Louisiana - 2012
• Coastal restoration
water quality
• Green space
• Cultural tourism
• Mission Scoping
Assessment
• Recovery Support
Strategy
Office of
FDRC
Environmental
Academy
Policy
– NCR
and Compliance
RSF Orientation
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Hurricane Sandy in New York - 2012
Jamaica Bay West Pond breach
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FDRC
Environmental
Academy
Policy
– NCR
and Compliance
RSF Orientation
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Hurricane Sandy in New Jersey - 2012
Sandy Hook Light House in December 10, 2012
by Lisa Foderaro
This aerial photo shows destruction in the wake of Superstorm Sandy
on Wednesday in Seaside Heights, N.J. (AP)
Office of
Environmental
Policy
and Compliance
FDRC
Academy
– NCR
RSF Orientation
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Sand pushed into tidal creek on the Burrough of Fenwick impacting tidal flow
Hurricane Sandy in Connecticut- 2012


Deployment:
 Two staff from DOI (BLM) and
FEMA (OEHP) since March 2013
Major Technical Support Areas:
 Dune and beach erosion
 Habitat and wildlife
 Water resources, fisheries and
aquaculture
 Threatened and endangered species
 Forest land
 Historic districts
 Museums
 Archaeological preserves
 Lighthouses
 Oil and chemical spills


Deliverables
 Mission Scoping Assessment
 Recovery Support Strategy
Implementation Phase
 virtual support
Sand pushed into tidal creek on the Burrough of Fenwick impacting tidal flow Ref: Sandy MSA for CT
Office of
FDRC
Environmental
Academy
Policy– and
NCRCompliance
RSF Orientation
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Flooding and Landslides in Colorado - 2013
Preble’s Meadow Jumping Mouse. Photo
courtesy of USFWS
Ramey Barn Historic
Property, by Boulder county
Breach to wetlands pond by
Boulder County
The Ute-Ladies-tresses Orchid by
FWS
Office of
FDRC
Academy
NCRCompliance
RSF Orientation
Environmental
Policy– and
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Flooding in Santa Clara Pueblo, New
Mexico - 2014
Flood damage to the Santa Clara pueblo Tribe’s Lands in July, 2013
Office of
FDRC
Environmental
Academy
Policy
– NCR
and Compliance
RSF Orientation
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Lessons Learned





Develop an inventory of your NCR.
Identify sources of this data.
Establish Points of Contact responsible for
maintaining, updating and disseminating data.
Provide this information to the RSF upon
activation, or before if possible.
Develop a plan or system for assessing
damages to NCR immediately following a
disaster.
Office of
FDRC
Environmental
Academy
Policy– and
NCRCompliance
RSF Orientation
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Summary and Close

The mission of the NCR RSF is to coordinate federal
departments, agencies, and other partners to provide
information and assistance to communities seeking to
preserve, protect, conserve, rehabilitate, recover and
restore natural and cultural resources during recovery.

Helping communities to achieve a successful NCR
recovery requires an effective coordination of the NCR
RSF with relevant ESFs and other RSFs, and the whole
community as necessary throughout the recovery
process.

Local primacy is critical to the recovery process.
Office of
FDRC
Environmental
Academy
Policy– and
NCRCompliance
RSF Orientation
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Questions?