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
- Contaminant concentrations that exceed regulatory limits
- Conditions sufficient to adversely affect biological resources and human/cultural uses
b. Soils (“geologic resources”)
- Chemical concentrations toxic to microorganisms, invertebrates, plants, wildlife
- Reduced water-holding capacity, nutrient cycling
c. Vegetation
- Reduced cover, diversity,
- Impaired health, vigor, reproductive, capacity, stability
d. Habitats
- Alterations in habitat structure, resistance,
- Reduced resilience, stability
e. Biota
- Death, Reproductive dysfunction, Immune modulation
- Biochemical changes, Behavioral changes
- Cancer/neoplasia, Disease
f. Human Use
- Cultural / ceremonial use impaired
- Recreational use impaired
- Subsistence use impaired
- 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.