Injury Determination and Quantification

Salazar, Michael H.; Iliff, John W.; ,

Injury Determination and Quantification

by Michael H. Salazar, National Oceanic and Atmospheric, Administration, Seattle, United States,
John W. Iliff, National Oceanic and Atmospheric, Administration, Seattle, United States,

Document Type: Proceeding Paper

Part of: Coastal Zone '93

Abstract:

Several different approaches for injury determination and quantification are discussed within the framework of the natural resource damage assessment process. The basic concepts and terminology of the regulations are defined and examples of natural resources and injuries are given. The importance of demonstrating a pathway from the oil or hazardous substance release as well as showing that the resource has been exposed to the contaminant of concern is explained. The limitations of science in demonstrating cause-and-effect due to such extraneous factors as temporal and spatial variability of natural-occurring events and deviations from normal patterns is explained. The importance of recoverability, i.e., the time needed for natural recovery is discussed within this context. To synthesize, we have attempted to structure the scientific basis of injury determination and quantification within the legal framework concerning standards of proof.

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