NRDAR Practice Exchange

Further Information

The materials provided below on natural resource damage assessment and restoration (NRDAR) issues include links to federal statutes containing natural resource damage (NRD) statutory provisions and federal natural resource damage assessment (NRDA) regulations promulgated by the US Department of the Interior (DOI) and the Department of Commerce/NOAA, as well as federal guidance documents. Also provided are links to all five federal natural resource damage programs, as well as other key government entities. Links to websites containing information on the Deepwater Horizon Incident are also included below.

For information on industry NRDAR-related information, visit the Ad-Hoc Industry Natural Resource Damage Group website.

Federal Statutes Including Natural Resource Damage Provisions


Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA)  (U.S. Government Printing Office, United States Code Website)

Oil Pollution Act (OPA) Full Text (U.S. Government Printing Office, United States Code Website)

Clean Water Act (CWA) Full Text (U.S. Government Printing Office, United States Code Website)

Marine Protection, Research and Sanctuaries Act (MPRSA) Full Text (U.S. Government Printing Office, United States Code Website)

Park Systems Resource Act (PSRA) Full Text (U.S. Government Printing Office, United States Code Website)

Federal Natural Resource Damage Assessment Regulations


U.S. DOI NRDA Regulations (CERCLA) "Type A" NRDA Regulations (U.S. Government Printing Office Website)

U.S. DOI NRDA Regulations (CERCLA) "Type B" NRDA Regulations (U.S. Government Printing Office Website)

U.S. DOC/NOAA NRDA Regulations (OPA) NRDA Regulations (U.S. Government Printing Office Website)

Federal Guidance Documents

Preassesment Phase: Guidance Document for Natural Resource Damage Assessment Under the Oil Pollution Act of 1990, the Damage Assessment Remediation and Restoration Program, NOAA, August 1996.

Injury Assessment: Guidance Document for Natural Resource Damage Assessment Under the Oil Pollution Act of 1990, the Damage Assessment Remediation and Restoration Program, NOAA, August 1996.

Specifications for Use of NRDAM/CME Version 2.4 to Generate Compensation Formulas: Guidance Document for Natural Resource Damage Assessment Under the Oil Pollution Act of 1990, the Damage Assessment Remediation and Restoration Program, NOAA, August 1996.

Primary Restoration: Guidance Document for Natural Resource Damage Assessment Under the Oil Pollution Act of 1990, the Damage Assessment and Restoration Program, NOAA, August 1996.

Restoration Planning: Guidance Document for Natural Resource Damage Assessment Under the Oil Pollution Act of 1990, the Damage Assessment and Restoration Program, NOAA, August 1996.

Federal Trustee Agency/Departments and Other Key Federal Government Entity Websites

NOAA Damage Assessment and Restoration Program (DARRP)

U.S. DOI Natural Resource Damage Assessment and Restoration Program

U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Habitat Restoration)

U.S. Department of Agriculture

U.S. Department of Defense

U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Environmental Management

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (NRD Notification and Coordination with Natural Resource Trustees)

Websites containing Information on the Deepwater Horizon Incident:

www.GulfSpillrestoration.NOAA.gov (NOAA website containing NRDA and restoration information)

www.RestoreTheGulf.gov (Unified Command Center website containing information on Spill Response)

www.fws.gov/home/DHOilSpill (US Fish and Wildlife Service website)

www.GeoPlatform.gov (Federal Geographic Data Committee website to provide a managed portfolio of common geospatial data, services and applications)

http://nrdata.org(Florida State website containing NRDA data)

www.dep.state.fl.us/DeepwaterHorizon(State of Florida website); http://losco-dwh.com/ (State of Louisiana website)

www.BP.com/NRDA (BP Deepwater Horizon NRDA website)

www.API.org/Newsroom/SafetyResponse/ (American Petroleum Institute website)


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