Zasoby i środowisko · 19.10.1994

Natural Resource Damage Assessments

The Department of the Interior is initiating a biennial review of the regulations for assessing natural resource damages resulting from a discharge of oil into navigable waters under the Clean Water Act or a release of a hazardous substance under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act. The regulations provide procedures that Federal, State, and Indian tribe natural resource trustees may use to obtain compensation from potentially responsible parties for injuries to natural resources. The regulations provide an administrative process for conducting assessments as well as two types of technical procedures for the actual determination of injuries and damages. ``Type A'' procedures are standard procedures for simplified assessments requiring minimal field observation in cases of minor discharges or releases in certain environments. ``Type B'' procedures are site-specific procedures for detailed assessments in other cases. This advance notice solicits comment on how the administrative process and all but one of the type B procedures should be revised.