Escolar Documentos
Profissional Documentos
Cultura Documentos
BLM Manual
BLM Manual
1. Overview .............................................................................................................................................................1 1.1 Introduction....................................................................................................................................................1 1.2 Purpose of NRDAR .......................................................................................................................................2 1.3 Definitions, Terminology, and Acronyms ......................................................................................................2 1.3.1 1.3.2 Definitions and Terminology.............................................................................................................2 Acronyms .........................................................................................................................................6
1.4 The BLM Acting as a Natural Resource Trustee ..........................................................................................8 1.5 When NRDAR May Be Appropriate ..............................................................................................................8 1.6 NRDAR Authorities .......................................................................................................................................9 1.6.1 1.6.2 1.7.1 1.7.2 1.7.3 Statutes and Regulations .................................................................................................................9 DOI and BLM NRDAR Authorities, Policies, and References .......................................................10 DOI Bureaus...................................................................................................................................11 Other Federal, State, and Tribal Trustees .....................................................................................11 Coordination with other Trustees and Response Agencies...........................................................12
1.8 Relationship between NRDAR and Response Actions...............................................................................12 1.9 Introduction to the Steps of Natural Resource Restoration ........................................................................13 1.9.1 1.9.2 1.9.3 1.9.4 1.9.5 1.10 Pre-NRDAR Preparation ................................................................................................................14 Injury Scoping.................................................................................................................................14 Pre-Assessment Screening............................................................................................................15 Assessment Planning and Implementation....................................................................................15 Post-Assessment ...........................................................................................................................15
2. Managing NRDAR ............................................................................................................................................16 2.1 NRDAR Management Responsibilities .......................................................................................................16 2.1.1 2.1.2 2.1.3 2.1.4 2.1.5 2.1.6 Assistant Director: Washington Office (WO).................................................................................16 State Director .................................................................................................................................16 DOI Lead for NRDAR: The Authorized Official .............................................................................18 Authorized Official Designation ......................................................................................................19 The BLM and the Authorized Official .............................................................................................19 Deciding To Proceed with NRDAR ................................................................................................19
2.2 The Trustee Council, the AO, and Lead Administrative Trustee ................................................................20 2.3 Management Involvement and Decisions ...................................................................................................20 2.3.1 2.3.2 2.3.3 2.3.4 2.4.1
BLM Manual
State Director: Administrative Process Approvals and Decision Points .......................................20 State Director: Technical Process Approvals and Decision Points...............................................21 State Director: Legal Process Approvals and Decision Points .....................................................22 District/Field Office Manager..........................................................................................................23 NRDAR Involved Staff....................................................................................................................24
Rel. 1-1712 05/27/2008
The BLM Coordinator.....................................................................................................................24 Legal Representation .....................................................................................................................26 Other BLM Staff .............................................................................................................................26 Case File and Administrative Record (AR) ....................................................................................27 Funding ..........................................................................................................................................28 Cost Coding....................................................................................................................................29 Cost Avoidance and Recovery.......................................................................................................30 Cost Tracking and Documentation.................................................................................................30
3. The NRDAR Process .......................................................................................................................................31 3.1 Overview .......................................................................................................................................................1 3.2 Pre-Planning for NRDAR ............................................................................................................................32 3.3 Natural Resource Injury Scoping (NRIS) ....................................................................................................32 3.3.1 3.3.2 3.3.3 3.3.4 3.4.1 3.4.2 3.4.3 3.4.4 3.4.5 3.4.6 3.4.7 3.4.8 3.5.1 3.5.2 3.5.3 3.5.4 3.5.5 3.5.6 3.6.1 3.6.2 3.6.3 3.6.4 3.6.5
BLM Manual
Purpose and Process.....................................................................................................................32 Emergency Restoration..................................................................................................................35 Ephemeral Data Collection ............................................................................................................35 Documentation ...............................................................................................................................35 Purpose ..........................................................................................................................................35 Pre-Assessment Screening Criteria...............................................................................................36 Review of Available Data ...............................................................................................................37 Additional Data Collection for Pre-Assessment .............................................................................37 Exemptions from NRDAR Liability .................................................................................................38 Decision to Initiate NRDAR ............................................................................................................39 PAS Determination (PASD) Report ...............................................................................................40 Notice Letter to PRPs.....................................................................................................................40 Introduction: Goals of the Assessment .........................................................................................41 The Preliminary Estimate of Damages ..........................................................................................42 The Assessment Plan (AP) ............................................................................................................43 The Assessment: Injury Determination and Quantification...........................................................48 Damages Determination ................................................................................................................54 Pre-Claim Restoration Planning.....................................................................................................58 Required Documentation ...............................................................................................................60 Damages Claim and Demand Letter..............................................................................................60 Claim Report for Negotiations and Legal Issues............................................................................61 Damages Claim Settlement or Litigation........................................................................................62 Damages Claims in Bankruptcies ..................................................................................................62
Rel. 1-1712 05/27/2008
Receiving Damages Claims from Settlement or Litigation.............................................................62 Restoration Planning After Damages Receipt ...............................................................................63 National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and Other Requirements ...........................................63
4. Cooperative Agreements and Assessments with PRPs..............................................................................65 4.1 Introduction..................................................................................................................................................65 4.2 Cooperative Assessments ..........................................................................................................................65 4.3 Factors to Consider in Cooperative Assessments ......................................................................................65 5. References .......................................................................................................................................................66 Appendix A: Legal References and Background Information ....................................................................... A-1 Appendix B: Example Supplemental Cost Documentation Forms ................................................................. B-1 Appendix C: Natural Resource Injury Scoping Report .................................................................................... C-1 Appendix D: Determination Details of Resource and Habitat Injury .............................................................. D-1 Appendix E: Habitat Equivalency and Resource Equivalency Analysis and Metrics................................... E-1
BLM Manual
BLM Manual
1.
OVERVIEW
1.1 INTRODUCTION
This Handbook provides guidance and policy that the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) Bureau of Land Management (BLM) personnel should follow when undertaking Natural Resource Damage Assessment and Restoration (NRDAR) activities. The BLM is responsible for sustaining the health, diversity, and productivity of the BLM-managed land under its jurisdiction for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations. The Federal Land Policy and Management Act (FLPMA) of 1976, Public Law 94-579, (43 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.) requires that the BLM provide the public the opportunity to use and appreciate significant cultural and natural resources while protecting and conserving them (FLPMA; 135 Departmental Manual 1, 1.3, A-D). Pursuant to these responsibilities, the resource management goals of the BLM are to maintain the health of the land and, to the best of its ability, to restore or replace resources that are harmed by pollution. The authorities and process of NRDAR are very useful tools for the BLM to use in accomplishing these resource stewardship responsibilities. The NRDAR authorities enable the BLM to seek compensation for restoration of injured resources (see Definitions and Terminology, Section 1.3) from the potentially responsible party (PRP) to fund restoration, but NRDAR injury assessment and restoration planning steps also can be a part of the BLM site activities that are funded by the BLM. When the release (or the threat of a release) of hazardous substances or a discharge of oil harms the BLM-managed land or BLM-managed natural resources, and when response actions will not sufficiently restore the affected resources, the BLM and other Federal, State, and Tribal natural resource managers are authorized to seek damages from the PRP to restore the resources. The Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) of 1980, the Clean Water Act (CWA) of 1972, and the Oil Pollution Act (OPA) of 1990 provide a process for NRDAR activities that: