Assessment

Assessment Phase

Once the Assessment Plan is complete, there are 3 main activities that occur within the assessment phase:

a.            Injury Determination

b.            Injury Quantification

c.            Damage Determination

Injury Determination - Assess injuries to natural resources and services under our trusteeship by first determining whether injury has occurred as a result of the discharge or release and then quantifying the injury.

Examples of injury include:

a.            Surface water and groundwater

  1.           Contaminant concentrations that exceed regulatory limits
  2.   Conditions sufficient to adversely affect biological resources and human/cultural uses

b.            Soils (“geologic resources”)

  1.            Chemical concentrations toxic to microorganisms, invertebrates, plants, wildlife
  2.   Reduced water-holding capacity, nutrient cycling

c.             Vegetation

  1.            Reduced cover, diversity,
  2.   Impaired health, vigor, reproductive, capacity, stability

d.            Habitats

  1.            Alterations in habitat structure, resistance,
  2.   Reduced resilience, stability

e.            Biota

  1.            Death, Reproductive dysfunction, Immune modulation
  2.   Biochemical changes, Behavioral changes
  3.   Cancer/neoplasia, Disease

f.             Human Use

  1.            Cultural / ceremonial use impaired
  2.   Recreational use impaired
  3.   Subsistence use impaired
  4.   Commercial use impaired

Injury Quantification – Quantification of the injury (including lost resources services) requires an evaluation of the severity, extent, and duration of the injury. Note: Determine injury/reduction in services caused by the release or from the response actions only.

Damages Determination - The damages include the cost of assessment, the cost to restore resources and/or services to baseline, and may include compensation for resource losses from time of injury to full restoration.

Resolution

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