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  Back to Chapter 4: Marine and Coastal Resource Protection Articles A new era for marine resource protection at Dry Tortugas and the Florida Keys By Brien Culhane, AICP Coral reefs in American Samoa: A practical approach to monitoring By Peter Craig Evolution of coral reef monitoring at Virgin Islands By Jeff Miller USGS science for coastal national parks By Rebecca L. Beavers Shifting sands: The challenges of managing NPS coastal resources By Julia Brunner and Rebecca Beavers Other Developments Award-winner Profile - Dr. Charles Roman honored |
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 Damage assessment process bears fruit The year 2001 was a busy one for the Environmental Response, Planning, and Assessment unit (ERPA) of the NPS Environmental Quality Division. The unit helps parks respond to oil spills and other environmental disturbances. It also conducts damage assessments and prepares claims that help parks recover funds from responsible parties for restoration of impacted resources. In 2001 ERPA settled 8 of 110 pending cases in criminal and civil court, involving 7 parks and damage to sea grass and coral reef habitats (photos), coastal forest, chaparral, battlefield resources, and earthworks. The unit also helped restore a breakwater at San Juan National Historic Site, Puerto Rico, and began drafting an NPS Director’s Order and other internal guidance on resource damage assessment and restoration. The cases remaining on the docket range from assessment to final restoration and address damage to park facilities, natural and cultural resources, and the loss of public enjoyment of these resources. These cases are predominantly vessel groundings, although encroachment on park resources such as illegal timber harvest is an emerging trend. |
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This material is from Natural Resource Year in Review--2001, published by the National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior, in May 2001 (publication D-2255) /YearInReview/yir/yir2001/04_marine/04_od2_ERPA.html Last Updated: |