Natural Resource Damage Assessment and Restoration

THE KERR-MCGEE SITE: PLANNING FOR

RESTORATION Public Scoping Meeting August 18, 2015

Navassa, North Carolina

Introductions

Natural Resource Damage Assessment & Restoration (NRDAR)

Kerr-McGee Resource Injuries

The Restoration Planning Process

Restoration Criteria and Project Types

Public Involvement and Next Steps

Questions

PRESENTATION OVERVIEW

Trustees restore injured

natural resources

Trustees are authorized by law

Trustees conduct NRDAR

process

Trustees coordinate with

clean-up efforts

National Oceanic and

Atmospheric Administration

(NOAA)

US Fish and Wildlife Service

(USFWS)

North Carolina Dept. of

Environment and Natural

Resources (NCDENR)

THE TRUSTEES

NATURAL RESOURCE DAMAGE ASSESSMENT &

RESTORATION (NRDAR)

A legal and scientific process A collaborative process led by Trustees Includes public involvement NRDAR’s goal is to restore the injured environment and

services

NATURAL RESOURCE DAMAGE ASSESSMENT AND RESTORATION

Coastal Review Onlne, Catie Forde-Smith

Compensation for human health or economic injuries

Pollution clean-up

A fee or fine

Mitigation

NRDAR IS NOT…

Image: NOAA

KERR MCGEE RESOURCE INJURIES

Creosote wood treatment facility

Bordered by Brunswick River & Sturgeon Creek

KERR MCGEE: THE SITE

Operated 1930’s-1970’s

Dismantled 1980

Wood treatment process released hazardous substance into surrounding marshes

Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs)

PAHs impacted marsh sediments (BENTHIC Habitat) Species living in and around the sediments are impacted too

KERR MCGEE: THE INJURIES

NOAA Photo Library

cape_fear_rive_basin_cfrw

Wikipedia

KERR MCGEE: THE SETTLEMENT

January 2015: Legal

settlement reached

Settlement: >$23 million

Funds must be spent to

restore injured natural

resources and services

USFWS

THE RESTORATION PLANNING PROCESS

Scoping Draft

Restoration Plan(s)

Final Restoration

Plan(s)

On-the-Ground

Restoration Oversight & Monitoring

THE RESTORATION PLANNING PROCESS

RESTORATION SCOPING: TO DATE

Reviewed existing grant proposals

Reviewed existing restoration

plans

Conducted site visits

Participated in local partnerships

focused on habitat quality and

restoration

Coordinated with stakeholders NOAA Photo Library

RESTORATION SCOPING: TO DATE

Audubon Society

Bald Head Island Conservancy

Cape Fear Arch

Cape Fear Resource Conservation and Development

Cape Fear River Watch

City of Wilmington

Land Management Group, Inc.

NOAA

New Hanover County

New Hanover Soi l and Water Conservation District

North Carol ina Coastal Federation

North Carol ina Coastal Land Trust

NCDENR

Division of Marine Fisheries

Division of Mitigation Services

State Parks

NC Wildl i fe Resources Commission

The Nature Conservancy

Town of Navassa

US Army Corps of Engineers

USFWS

Site history

NRDAR summary

Restoration project criteria

Potential project types

Guidelines for public input

SCOPING RESULTS: DOCUMENT FOR PUBLIC REVIEW AND COMMENT

RESTORATION CRITERIA AND PROJECT TYPES

Meet Trustee’s goals

Be cost effective

Be likely to succeed

Provide measureable results

Avoid negative impact to natural resources

Provide ecological uplif t that is additional

Be compatible with clean-up process

Have no impact to public health/safety

PROJECT CRITERIA: RESTORATION PROJECTS MUST…

Strongly relate to injured resources

Be in proximity to the site

Provide a high degree of benefit

Benefit more than one resource

Have conservation significance

Demonstrate high level of planning and development

Leverage exist ing resources

Be consistent with exist ing environmental planning

goals

Others?

PROJECT CRITERIA: RESTORATION PROJECTS SHOULD ALSO…

Create, Restore, or

Enhance:

Riverine habitat

Coastal wetlands

Underwater, intertidal, or

shoreline habitat

Opportunities for

migratory fish

Acquire or Protect

sensitive lands

Others?

RESTORATION PROJECT TYPES

NOAA Office for Coastal Management

PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT & NEXT STEPS

Provide project suggestions and ideas

Provide existing plans that identify community restoration priorities

Review the public scoping document and provide input

Kerrmcgee.restoration@noaa.gov

Restoration Alternatives

Project Criteria

Public Input

Existing Information

HOW YOU CAN HELP

Public Comment period closes September 4, 2015

Summary of comments and responses provided to public

Draft restoration plans and seek input

Finalize restoration plans

Begin on-the ground restoration!

THE NEXT STEPS

Scoping Draft

Restoration Plan(s)

Final Restoration

Plan(s)

On-the-Ground

Restoration

Oversight &

Monitoring

Howard Schnabolk 843.740.1328

THANK YOU!

kerrmcgee.restoration@ noaa.gov www.darrp.noaa.gov