Regional
National
Name of Assessment
Gulf spill restoration. Damage assessment, remediation, and restoration program
Full Reference
NOAA Gulf Spill Restoration
URL
http://www.gulfspillrestoration.noaa.gov/
Country
USA
Justification/Context of the Assessment
After an oil spill or hazardous substance release, NOAA’s team of scientists, economists,
restoration experts, and attorneys: collect data used to assist with cleanup and assess risk and
injury to natural resources; advise response agencies (e.g., Coast Guard and U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency) to ensure protection of and evaluation of risk to natural resources during
cleanup; determine the extent and magnitude of injuries to the environment and lost public uses;
define the type and scale of restoration that best addresses the injuries and lost human uses; work
cooperatively with responsible parties to resolve natural resource liability; and implement projects
to restore injured natural resources and uses.
Objectives of the Assessment
The goal of the short-term and long-term recovery projects implemented by the trustees is to
restore, replace, rehabilitate, or acquire the equivalent of the impacted resources.
Abstract
After an oil spill or hazardous substance release, NOAA’s team of scientists, economists,
restoration experts, and attorneys: collect data used to assist with cleanup and assess risk and
injury to natural resources; advise response agencies (e.g., Coast Guard and U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency) to ensure protection of and evaluation of risk to natural resources during
cleanup; determine the extent and magnitude of injuries to the environment and lost public uses;
define the type and scale of restoration that best addresses the injuries and lost human uses; work
cooperatively with responsible parties to resolve natural resource liability; and implement projects
to restore injured natural resources and uses. As a member of the Deepwater Horizon NRDA
Trustee Council, NOAA is focusing on short-term and long-term restoration projects that will
restore the Gulf Coast from the spill. The restoration planning process involves many steps and
includes input from scientists, experts, and the public. Since 1990, NOAA has worked with federal,
state, and tribal co-trustees to protect natural resources at more than 40 oil spills and 500 waste
sites. They have generated more than $600 million for restoration to: create and restore wetlands,
create oyster reefs and other shellfish habitat, restore coral and seagrass beds, acquire, restore,
and protect waterfowl habitat; conduct species recovery and monitoring programs, provide
improved recreational opportunities. Restoration can take many years and requires the work of
many dedicated people. NOAA will continue this work until the Gulf of Mexico is restored to its
pre-spill condition.
Questions
1. Trustee Council for the Deepwater Horizon oil spill: Department of Commerce: NOAA;
Department of the Interior: Fish and Wildlife Service, National Park Service, Bureau of Land
Management; Department of Defense; U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; U.S. Department of
Agriculture.
2. Yes. NOAA, Trustee Council for the Deepwater Horizon oil spill: Department of Commerce:
NOAA; Department of the Interior: Fish and Wildlife Service, National Park Service, Bureau of Land
Management; Department of Defense; U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; U.S. Department of
Agriculture.
3. After an oil spill or hazardous substance release, NOAA’s team of scientists, economists,
restoration experts, and attorneys: collect data used to assist with cleanup and assess risk and
injury to natural resources; advise response agencies (e.g., Coast Guard and U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency) to ensure protection of and evaluation of risk to natural resources during
cleanup; determine the extent and magnitude of injuries to the environment and lost public uses;
define the type and scale of restoration that best addresses the injuries and lost human uses; work
cooperatively with responsible parties to resolve natural resource liability; and implement projects
to restore injured natural resources and uses.
4. The goal of the short-term and long-term recovery projects implemented by the trustees is to
restore, replace, rehabilitate, or acquire the equivalent of the impacted resources.
5. They collect data which are used to assist with cleanup and assess risk and injury to natural
resources.
6. North Gulf of Mexico.
7. National area that is prone to damage.
8. Since 1990 and continuing.
9. Continuous.
10. All marine ecosystem.
11. Impacted marine resources by oil spill or hazardous substance release.
12. Assessments cover three phases. Fist one is based on collecting time-sensitive data and
reviewing scientific literature about the released substance and its impact to determine the extent
and severity of injury. Mathematical models may be used to help predict the fate and effects of
the spill on trust resources. If resources are injured, the next phase is the NRDA (Natural Resource
Damage Assessment) process; which is based on economic and scientific studies that assess the
injuries to natural resources and the loss of public use of these resources. Are evaluated the
proposed restoration options, then draft and seek public comment on a restoration plan. Final
restoration phase is based on first identify the full range of injuries to coastal and marine
resources and then determine the best restoration methods.
13. Pre-assessment and a Natural Resource Damage Assessment (NRDA).
14. Yes, on downloaded reports.
15. NOAA is working with other federal and state agencies as part of the Deepwater Horizon NRDA
(Natural Resource Damage Assessment) Trustee Council.
16. On the pre-assessment phase, mathematical models may be used to help predict the fate and
effects of the spill on trust resources.
17. Assessments are focus on oil spill or hazardous substance release.
18. A pre-assessment phase.
19. 20. Three phases of action: a) Pre-assessment, b) injury assessment and c) restoration.
21. Exact and Social Sciences, both groups of different sciences are applied for the assessment and
restoration of oil spill or hazardous substance release.
22. By a Working Cooperatively. The Oil Pollution Act authorizes certain federal agencies, states,
and Indian tribes (collectively known as natural resource trustees) to evaluate the impacts of the
Deepwater Horizon oil spill on natural resources. These trustees are responsible for studying the
effects of the spill through a process known as Natural Resource Damage Assessment (NRDA). As
part of this process, scientists work together to identify potential injuries to natural resources and
lost human uses resulting from the spill. NRDA activities for the BP oil spill have been divided into
these categories that focus on specific species, habitats, or uses. NOAA is working with other
federal and state agencies as part of the Deepwater Horizon NRDA Trustee Council. The Trustee
Council acts on behalf of the public to restore resources directly or indirectly harmed by oil
released into the environment following the Deepwater Horizon spill.
23. 24. No
25. NOAA is working with other federal and state agencies as part of the Deepwater Horizon NRDA
(Natural Resource Damage Assessment) Trustee Council.
26. Assessments are National but include the Gulf of Mexico region.
27. 28. Website with downloadable files.
29. English.
30. Reports.
31. Yes, the final phase is restoration.
32. Yes, recovery projects implemented are to restore, replace, rehabilitate, or acquire the
equivalent of the impacted resources.
33. 34. No.
35. Yes, proposals to restore, replace, rehabilitate, or acquire the equivalent of the impacted
resources.
36. Yes, Website is didactical.
37. Assessments are applicable after an oil spill or hazardous substance release.
38. Yes.
39. There are strengths in the assessment.
40. Yes. Based on the first identify, the full range of injuries to coastal and marine resources, is
determined the best restoration methods.