Mach, Reiter & Good. In prep. Managing for cumulative effects of human activities on
coastal and marine environments. Submitted to Currents February 2015.
LAW 101
Cumulative impacts
Presentation developed by: Sarah M. Reiter, Center for Ocean Solutions, February
Why look beneath the surface?
Jane Hawkey, Integration and Application Network, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science (ian.umces.edu/imagelibrary/).
Searching for the disconnect
Legal mandates
Bridging the gap
Challenge 1:
Accounting for
impacts
Challenge 2:
Advocating for
smart baseline
Effective
actions
Challenge 3:
Choosing the
right spatial scale
Searching for the disconnect:
Impacts
Legal mandates
Bridging the gap
Challenge 1:
Accounting for
impacts
Challenge 2:
Advocating for
smart baseline
Effective
actions
Challenge 3:
Choosing the
right spatial scale
Impacts: The Law
(Prahler et al., Stanford Environmental Law Journal
Impacts: The Interpretation
Legal intent
Similar
Past,
Present,
Future
Projects
All
Past,
Present,
Future
Projects
Past,
Present,
Future
Project
Impacts
Impacts
Analysis
Legally defensible
Impacts: The Action
Legal intent
Agency coordination
Mapping/Tracking
Searching for the disconnect:
Baseline
Legal mandates
Bridging the gap
Challenge 1:
Accounting for
impacts
Challenge 2:
Advocating for
smart baseline
Effective
actions
Challenge 3:
Choosing the
right spatial scale
Baseline: The Law
Historic
Existing
Future
Baseline: The Interpretation
Historic
Existing
Future
Baseline: The Action
Historic
Existing
Future
Searching for the disconnect: Scale
Legal mandates
Bridging the gap
Challenge 1:
Accounting for
impacts
Challenge 2:
Advocating for
smart baseline
Effective
actions
Challenge 3:
Choosing the
right spatial scale
Scale: The Law
Local
Regiona
Global
l
Jane Thomas, Integration and Application Network, University
of Maryland Center for Environmental Science (ian.umces.edu/imagelibrary/).
Scale: The Interpretation
Local
Regiona
Global
l
Jane Thomas, Integration and Application Network, University
of Maryland Center for Environmental Science (ian.umces.edu/imagelibrary/).
Scale: The Action
Prahler et al (2014)
Looking beyond U.S. waters
Looking beyond
projects to address
challenges
Looking beyond
U.S. waters to
Moving from
knowledge to action
• Accounting for
impacts
• Advocating for
smart baselines
• Choosing the
right spatial
scale
• Determine
whether
challenges cut
across
jurisdictions
• Determine
whether we can
learn lessons
• Waypoints
Acknowledging climate change
drivers
Jane Thomas, Integration and Application Network, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science (ian.umces.edu/imagelibrary/).
Implementing thresholds
Hunsicker et al (in press)
Moving from knowledge to action
Looking beyond
projects to address
challenges
Looking beyond
U.S. waters to
Moving from
knowledge to action
• Accounting for
impacts
• Advocating for
smart baselines
• Choosing the
right spatial
scale
• Acknowledge
climate change
drivers
• Implement
thresholds
• Waypoints
Waypoints for Cumulative Effects
Impact
s
Baselin
e
Consider
all projects
and all
impacts
Account for
historic
data and
trends
Scale
Use multiscale
approach
For further resources
www.centerforoceansolutions.com/MARINE/teachingresources/
Prahler, E., S.M. Reiter, M. Bennett, A. Erickson, M.L. Melius, M. Caldwell.
2014. It all adds up: enhancing ocean health by improving cumulative
impacts analyses in environmental review documents. Stanford
Environmental Law Journal 33(3):351-417. Link
Presentation developed by:
Sarah M. Reiter, Early Career Fellow, Center for Ocean Solutions,
Images
Integration and Application Network, University of Maryland Center for
Environmental Science (ian.umces.edu/imagelibrary/)
Funding