Natural resource damage assessment guidelines for developing restoration plans (Oil Pollution Act of 1990)

The Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (OPA)' reflects, among other concepts, the goal of making the environment and public whole for injuries to natural resources and services resulting from oil spill incidents. This goal is achieved through the return of injured natural resources and services to baseline, and compensation for interim losses from the date of the incident until recovery of the affected natural resources and services. Recently, the U.S. Department of Commerce, acting through the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), issued final regulations providing an approach that public officials (trustees) may use when conducting Natural Resource Damage Assessments (NRDA) under OPA.