NetEnvironmentalBenefitAnalysisforDecisionMakers.pptVIP

Realities of an Oil Spill Once oil is spilled, there will be injury to the environment (Can’t put Humpty- Dumpty back together again). No amount of cleanup will remove all the oil from the environment. Realities of an Oil Spill Question becomes how to minimize the injury, not that injury can be avoided. Need to look at short-term vs long-term impacts with regards to habitat and species at risk. Goals of Oil Spill Response Protect human life Prevent additional or continuing loss of oil Prevent or mitigate environmental damage Keep oil away from sensitive habitats If oil contacts sensitive habitats, focus on clean up techniques which enhance recovery It can be difficult to achieve consensus among stakeholders on what the damage is likely to be and the best ways to avoid or minimize it Comparative Risk Assessment Analysis Methodology The NEBA process provides the basis for comparing and prioritizing risk. If every alternative presents some level of risk, then such an approach can provide the basis for choosing between alternatives. Goal of this risk assessment is to determine if available response options offer relative environmental improvement over natural recovery. The ‘No Response’ Option Emulsion of oil can result in volumes 2 – 3 times more than originally spilled. Does not address potential for significant impacts to surface water resources. Potential for impacts to inter-tidal and sensitive communities. Potential long-term impacts to surface water and inter-tidal resources. Little labor involved, mostly for monitoring. Only option where other forms of response are not practical. On-Water Mechanical Recovery Limited by weather and water conditions. Labor intensive and limited equipment availability. Temp. storage and long-term disposal needs Open-water recovery 15% Emulsion magnification Does not ameliorate impact potential for water surface/near shore areas Normally, not significant improvement over no-response Removes percentage of oil from wa