From Problems to Solutions

Transcription

1 A RENEWED FOCUS ON THE GULF From Problems to Solutions

2 A National Commitment Given the magnitude of the BP oil disaster and the decades of environmental degradation that preceded it including hypoxia, pollution, coastal erosion, habitat loss, and overfishing now is the time to focus on fixing the systemic problems that have compromised the economy and ecology of the Gulf for decades. The Gulf s communities, both wild and human, have suffered severe injuries, and there s no question it will take sustained effort to realize full recovery. The parties responsible for the oil disaster must be held accountable for the damage done to coastal communities and natural resources. Beyond that, there is need for a national commitment to the necessary resources for restoring the Gulf to a healthy, productive, and resilient condition. With support from local, state, and federal governments, the children of the Gulf Coast can look forward to a future in which the region is truly healthy for generations to come. Now is the time to focus on fixing the systemic problems that have compromised the economy and ecology of the Gulf for decades. Cover: an oyster boat passes the marshes of Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana ( Tyrone Turner/ National Geographic Stock); Facing page: ( Jonathan McIntosh/Rainforest Action Network); This page from top: boats pulling boom during Deepwater Horizon response ( Cheryl Gerber); oil on the beach near wetlands at Grand Terre Island, Louisiana ( Cheryl Gerber); U.S. Fish and Wildlife biologists on Bird Island One, Louisiana ( Tom MacKenzie/USFWS);shrimp boats repurposed to aid in oil disaster cleanup ( Brandon Shuler).

3 Under the authority of the Oil Pollution Act of 1990, federal and state natural resource agencies are conducting a Natural Resources Damage Assessment (NRDA), which provides the legal basis for presentation of a claim for restoration costs to the responsible parties. NRDA only addresses damage and lost uses resulting from the release of oil or other contaminants from the BP disaster. NRDA takes the following actions: identifies and quantifies injuries to publicly-owned natural resources such as fish, wildlife, wetlands, and beaches determines the cost of restoring the injured natural resources and the lost uses of those resources recoups those costs from the responsible party and implements a restoration plan This page from left: Ocean Conservancy Director of Conservation Science Stan Senner takes water samples in the Gulf of Mexico ( Brandon Shuler); pelicans resting on a sign at Grand Isle, Louisiana ( Cheryl Gerber); Facing page: NRDA team member examines the shores near Bay Jimmy, Louisiana ( BP America). Natural Resources Damage Assessment According to the official NRDA process, there are three phases of Gulf restoration. Each phase has opportunities for the public to engage with decision-makers who are in charge of developing and implementing the restoration plan. 1. Pre-assessment Natural resources trustees first determine whether injuries have occurred. 2. Injury Assessment and Planning Once damage is confirmed, the trustees issue a Notice of Intent to Conduct Restoration Planning (NOI), triggering the formal process of quantifying injuries and developing a restoration plan. 3. Implementation The trustees present a written claim to the responsible parties. Restoration strategies can range from measures that target individual species and habitats, to efforts that benefit multiple species and habitats. In addition to projects that restore fish populations or create new habitats, science-based improvements in management tools can measurably contribute to achievement of restoration objectives. Lessons learned from the Exxon Valdez restoration efforts show that using science to help with management decisions is critical to achieving successful outcomes for ecosystem health. Making the Gulf Whole

4 A New Call to Action In the wake of the disaster, President Obama ordered Navy Secretary Ray Mabus to create a roadmap for Gulf restoration. In response, Mabus, a former Mississippi governor, held numerous town hall meetings to gather information from residents throughout the Gulf. This roadmap, America s Gulf Coast: A Long-Term Recovery Plan after the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill, has already spurred some important action by the President and many of its recommendations have been echoed by additional entities focused on paving the way for Gulf restoration. The Mabus Report lays out a vision to achieve: Resilient, healthy Gulf of Mexico ecosystems that support the diverse economies, communities, and cultures of the region. Recommendations from the Mabus report include the following actions by Congress to establish a governing body and a dedicated source of funds for tackling Gulf restoration: Dedicate a significant amount of Clean Water Act penalties paid by BP and other responsible to Gulf restoration efforts. Establish a management entity to oversee and implement the long-term restoration strategy and coordinate intergovernmental efforts. Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Task Force As a first step toward providing coordination and oversight for the restoration plan, the President quickly acted upon the recommendations of the Mabus report, creating by executive order the Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Task Force. The Task Force is required to present to the President a comprehensive Gulf restoration strategy document by October This Task Force, made up of federal and state representatives, is charged with addressing damages resulting from the BP disaster, and also longstanding problems plaguing the health of the Gulf region. It is critical that the Task Force incorporate NRDA findings as a cornerstone of its larger restoration strategy. Oil Spill Commission In addition to the work done by Secretary Mabus, in May 2010 the President assembled by executive order the National Commission on the BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill and Offshore Drilling. The goal of the commission is to find the root causes of the disaster and advise the President on ways to prevent future disasters. In January 2011, the Commission released its findings identifying the shortcomings of current drilling industry procedures and highlighted the need for prioritizing science and environmental protection as essential criteria for full Gulf restoration. In the wake of the BP oil disaster, the government regulators have taken steps designed to improve and strengthen their oversight. But the federal government and industry are encouraged by the Commission to do more to minimize the dangers posed by offshore oil and gas exploration, development, and production. The Commission s recommendations include key restoration priorities like long-term monitoring and research, reducing the dead zone, and improving essential fish habitat and ecosystems throughout the Gulf. During the town hall meetings, I heard one other theme: the need for dedicated recovery funding. As a gentleman told me in Theodore, Alabama: I ve seen so many starts, but then, because there wasn t a dedicated funding source, nothing happened. This page from left: Deepwater Horizon oil disaster response ( Cheryl Gerber); U.S. Coast Guard inspection in Pensacola, Florida ( U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Emily F. Alley); Facing page: a pelican flies over Grand Isle, Louisiana ( Cheryl Gerber). -Ray Mabus, Secretary of the Navy

5 Restoration Done Right 1. effective management structure including a formal and recognized process for public involvement 2. stable and coordinated sources of funding 3. selection of restoration projects designed to meet restoration goals 4. an ecosystem based approach 5. monitoring systems that identify lingering oil injuries, track restoration progress, and provide for adaptive management It is time to repair the many insults to the Gulf including and preceding the BP disaster. We cannot allow our leaders in government to ignore this opportunity to finally restore the Gulf of Mexico. Restoring Coastal Resources Coastal initiatives include restoration, enhancement and protection of: oyster reefs seagrass beds wetlands, including coastal marshes and mangroves Monitoring and Repairing Marine Resources Marine initiatives include: restoring and sustaining fisheries reducing pollution shrinking the dead zone Recovering and Revitalizing Coastal Communities Community initiatives include: projects that keep communities safe local hiring preferences for those impacted by the disaster restoration of key ecosystem services that benefit Gulf residents and the nation Because all ecosystems and habitats are linked, it is essential to pursue restoration comprehensively. Facing page: turtle grass ( Ocean Conservancy); This page from top: a seagrass bed shows damage from vessels that have run aground ( FWC); an orange brisingid basket star swimming over the top of a reef in the Gulf of Mexico ( Lophelia II 2010 Expedition, NOAA-OER/BOEMRE); a park ranger leads a training session for citizens interested in becoming volunteer park rangers for Gulf Islands National Seashore ( U.S. Army photo by Spc. Stephanie Cassinos). The Gulf s marine waters and coastal habitats are interdependent. In order to ensure success, a comprehensive restoration plan must include Gulf-wide coastal and marine habitats using a science-based approach with monitoring and adaptive management. Because all ecosystems and habitats are linked, it is essential to pursue restoration comprehensively. Furthermore, a review of past restoration programs reveals a number of key principles necessary for success. These include: Restoration should proceed with the following themes in mind:

6 Ocean Conservancy s Commitment to the Region Restoration priorities should reflect our best understanding of where there has been harm to and degradation of coastal and marine resources and the best opportunities for investing in the future of the Gulf of Mexico ecosystem, including the communities that depend upon it. The following recommendations are based on preliminary findings from the Natural Resource Damage Assessment (NRDA) and an assessment of restoration priorities included in the report prepared by Navy Secretary Ray Mabus.* Ocean Conservancy understands that the people who live in the Gulf and depend on the ocean for their livelihoods have a profound stake in the restoration and recovery process. In December 2010, we expanded our commitment to the region, establishing a new Gulf restoration team split between offices in New Orleans and Baton Rouge, LA, Austin, TX, and St. Petersburg, FL. 1. Protecting, restoring, and enhancing the coast and wetlands Restore resilience to coastal areas and nourish wetlands through major projects in the Mississippi River delta region and elsewhere in the five-state region. 2. Maintaining healthy, sustainable fisheries Restore and sustain Gulf of Mexico fisheries through investments in science, technology, fishing fleet performance, and strategies to restore depleted fish populations and support sustainable long-term management. 3. Restoring and protecting coastal and marine habitats Enhance key coastal and marine habitats like oyster reefs, seagrass beds, corals, and nesting sites for birds and turtles to strengthen and restore critical ecosystems services, such as shoreline protection, tourism, and fishing. We are building on our 20-year track record of working shoulder-to-shoulder with fishermen and Gulf communities to preserve the spectacular ecosystem and treasured way of life. 4. Shrinking the dead zone in the northern Gulf of Mexico Implement nutrient reduction strategies in the Mississippi River watershed to reduce the size and duration of the hypoxia zone to improve marine health and increase fisheries productivity in the Gulf of Mexico. 5. Taking the pulse of the Gulf ecosystem Create a permanently-funded, long-term ecosystem monitoring and research program to assess the health of the Gulf and provide the basis for adaptive management of coastal and marine natural resources. For more information on our Gulf Restoration Program and other activities in the Gulf region, visit our website: Our staff interprets scientific information on impacts and recovery. We also provide a point of entry for fishermen, community representatives, and others to engage positively in both the damage assessment process and also the overall restoration plan for the Gulf of Mexico. *The list is preliminary and subject to change as oil-related injuries to natural resources are documented through NRDA and other scientific studies that analyze injury and recovery in the Gulf of Mexico. In addition to direct interventions, the restoration strategies described here are designed to reduce pressure on the Gulf ecosystem and enhance its ability to recover as rapidly as possible while maintained healthy conditions. Priority restoration actions are those that would benefit multiple species, habitats and resource-dependent stakeholders, or that have been previously identified as needs by resource experts and managers. Facing page: volunteers clean the beach in Alabama ( Cheryl Gerber); This page: shrimp trawlers docked in Freeport, Texas ( Sara Thomas/Ocean Conservancy). Ocean Conservancy s Restoration Priorities

7 In the long run, science-based restoration comes down to the ecosystem and the people who depend on it this is the never-ending theme. All whose livelihoods are at stake must have a meaningful role in restoration. With the best science guiding us, Ocean Conservancy will be here every step of the way providing the voice. -Dennis Takahashi-Kelso, Executive Vice President of Ocean Conservancy 2011 Ocean Conservancy This booklet was originally released in April 2011 as part of. If you would like to reprint or redistribute it, please contact info@oceanconservancy.org. This project was funded by a Sappi Ideas that Matter Grant, and was designed by Imaginary Office in collaboration with Ocean Conservancy.