Description: Releases of hazardous materials result in the loss of natural resources and the services they provide to ecosystems and to humans. When these natural resources are managed by public or native American trustees for the public, the potentially responsible party is liable under several federal and state laws to assess the impact and provide restoration of those lost resources and services through a damage settlement. The process of assessing the injury and determining the appropriate restoration option is the Natural Resource Damage Assessment (NRDA). This workshop will describe what NRDA is, the laws and regulations that require it, the players around the table, and NRDA implementation. A substantial portion of the workshop will focus on the basics of the NRDA process, including the scientific and economic assessment that is required to determine the extent of injury and scale of restoration. The principles of cooperative and collaborative assessments will be discussed. Current and expected future trends will be summarized. The emphasis will be on the technical aspects, and legal cases, issues, and statutes will be included where pertinent. About the Instructor: Gordon Robilliard, Ph.D., ENTRIX, Inc. is a nationally recognized expert on the conduct of NRDAs for oil and chemical spills and for CERCLA sites. Dr. Robilliard has been involved as project manager, principal scientist, and/or peer reviewer in more than 75 NRDAs for oil and chemical spills from tankers, barges, storage tanks, tank trucks, pipelines, and railroad derailments. Dr. Robilliard has also been a leader in the development and implementation of NRDAs for CERCLA and similar contaminated sites. In particular, he is a pioneer in the concepts of (a) early integration of the NRDA assessment activities with the Remedial Investigations, especially the Ecological Risk Assessment, to minimize duplication and conflict of the environmental data collection and analysis, and (b) considering restoration-based remediation to satisfy the remedial and NRDA-restoration requirements in the same project. Most of his NRDA consulting work has been on the PRP's side of the table and he has worked closely with Trustees in numerous collaborative NRDAs. Dr. Robilliard has over 36 years of experience as a consulting environmental scientist and is a Founder, Vice President, Technical Director and Senior Principal as well as NRDA Co-Practice Leader with ENTRIX Inc. |
Course Topics:
| WHAT: -Natural Resource Damage Assessment Concepts -Definitions of Key Terms -Historical Context for Natural Resource Damage Assessment |
HOW: - NRDA Process from Pre-assessment Screening to Restoration Implementation - Flow Diagram - Comparison of NRDAs for Oil/Chemical Spills and Hazardous Material Releases - Injury Assessment - Natural Resources and Scientific Methods - Human uses and Economic Methods - Quantification and Scaling Injury - Role of Uncertainty - Restoration Planning and Implementation - Restoration Option Criteria - Scaling Restoration to Injury - Components of Restoration Options - Role of Uncertainty - Damage Claim and Components |
| WHY: -Injured Public Resources and Services Need to be Restored |
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| WHO SAYS SO: -Federal Laws Include CERCLA, OPA, CWA, MPRSA, NPSRPA, NMSA -State Laws -Public Demands -Corporate Environmental Responsibility Policies |
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| WHEN: -Receipt of Trustees' Invitation Letter -Oil, Chemical, and Hazardous Material Releases -Releases of other "Pollutants" Regulated under CWA |
STATUS AND FUTURE TRENDS -Collaborative Assessments -Department of Interior NRDA Rules for CERCLA Sites -Coordination of CERCLA Response Actions and Natural Resource Injury Determinations -Role of Passive Use Values |
| WHERE: Public Lands and Resources in USA and Territories |
CONCLUSION |
Intended Audience: This course is intended for environmental professionals (scientists, economists, managers, trustees, lawyers and consultants) seeking an improved understanding of Natural Resource Damage Assessment. Course Materials: Each participant will receive a copy of the course proceedings including notes and reference material on the first day of the course. Continuing Education Units: 1.3 What to Bring: Mechanical pencil, coffee mug and water bottle (to reduce waste). Please wear comfortable clothing appropriate for the prevailing weather. Registration: $495 (*$395 reduced tuition is available for Native American tribes; government employees; nonprofits; students; and NAEP, NEBC, NWAEP members). You may register via the link below or by calling the Northwest Environmental Training Center at 206-762-1976. Cancellation Policy: Registration fees are fully refundable up to 30 days prior to the event and 50 percent refundable (or 100% credit) thereafter up to 3 business days prior to the event. No refunds are issued for cancellations occurring less than 3 business days before the start day. Course registration fees and cancellation policy are subject to change without notice. Disability Accommodations: To request disability accommodations, please contact us at info@nwetc.org or (206) 762-1976 at least 30 days prior to the event. |
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Northwest Environmental Training
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A
nonprofit 501(c)(3) program
of the Northwest Environmental Education Council
650 S. Orcas Street, Suite 220, Seattle, Washington 98108
Phone: (206)762-1976, Fax: (206)762-1979
www.nwetc.org