Plains All American Pipeline, LPSpill Response and Natural Resource Damage Assessment (NRDA)

Zoe Hole, StantecMay 27, 2016

Refugio Incident NRDA

Agenda

1Refugio Incident Details

2Natural Resource Damage Assessment (NRDA)

3A future for NRDA in BC?

4Questions and References

Refugio Incident DetailsDetails• May 19, 2015, ~20 miles west of Santa Barbara, CA• 101,000 gallon total release of crude oil• ~21,000 gallons released into the ocean via culvert

Refugio Incident Details

Refugio Incident Details

Refugio Incident Details

NRDAAfter an incident:• Response and clean-up costs• Penalties/fines• Public and private claims (lost revenue, lost

income, injury to property)• Natural resource damage assessment

NRDANatural Resource Damage Assessment (NRDA)• Oil Pollution Act (OPA) 1990• Compensation for injuries to natural resources, or

loss of enjoyment.Goal• “to make the environment and public whole for

injuries to natural resources and services resulting from an incident involving discharge of oil.”

NRDACooperative process between RP and Trustees1. Spill2. Data collection3. Injury quantification4. Damage quantification5. Restoration plan (draft and final)6. Restoration

NRDAResources are divided into Technical Working Groups (TWGs)• Birds• Fish• Mammals• Subtidal Habitat• Sandy Beach Habitat• Rocky Intertidal Habitat• Recreational Use

NRDAInjury calculation• Wildlife: size (#), duration (years lost)• Habitat: size (acres), degree (%), duration (years)• Rec use: size (# lost user days)

NRDA

Restoration Criteria

• Duration of Benefits• Likelihood of Success• Cost-Effectiveness• Time to Provide Benefits • Educational/Research Value• Relationship to Injured Resources and/or Services • Multiple Resource and Service Benefits • Comprehensive Range of Projects • Opportunities for Collaboration

A future for NRDA in BC?

• Currently no NRDA or similar legislation in BC

• BC MOE proposed amendments on spill preparedness and response in March, 2016

• NRDA may fit into the “Recovery” section

A future for NRDA in BC?

Key lessons BC can take from the Refugio Incident and California legislation:• Cooperative process• Focus on restoration• Regulate timelines

Questions?

Refugio beach

References

• https://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx?DocumentID=111070&inline

• http://www.plainsline901response.com/

• http://www.refugioresponse.com/