Soon after the April 2003 spill, the Trustee representatives for the Buzzards Bay oil spill (NOAA, USFWS, states of Massachusetts and Rhode Island) met with citizens, environmental groups, and local and regional officials to explain the Natural Resource Damage Assessment (NRDA) process. Five public meetings took place to inform the public about the current status of the spill response and future actions. Several of these public meetings were hosted by elected officials (U.S. Senator John F. Kerry, U.S. Congressman Barney Frank, and Massachusetts State Senator Mark Montigny), a local environmental organization (the Coalition for Buzzards Bay), and the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MADEP). The public meetings provided an opportunity to explain to local residents and other interested citizens that thorough documentation and assessment of the impacts from the spill was an integral part of the process leading to restoring the natural resources harmed by the spill as well as restoring the public’s use of these natural resources.

Through the NRDA process, Trustee agencies (NOAA, USFWS, MADEP and Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (RIDEM)) serve on behalf of the public to assess injury and determine the appropriate type and amount of restoration needed to compensate for injuries to or lost use of natural resources from the oil spill and associated response activities. For the Buzzards Bay oil spill, staff from the Trustee agencies spent considerable time over several years assessing and scaling the level of the natural resource injuries and lost uses of these injuries. Trustee agency staff was assigned to a number of technical working groups (TWGs) which included representatives of the Responsible Party, and each TWG was responsible for assessing a specific natural resource injury: shoreline, aquatic, birds and other wildlife, and lost uses including lost general coastal access, recreational shellfishing and recreational boating. Technical studies have included pre-assessment reporting, exposure characterizations, habitat equivalency analyses (HEAs) and resource equivalency analyses (REAs). The Trustees and Responsible Party have cooperatively assessed, agreed on the extent of the natural resource injuries, and reached a partial settlement on the injuries resulting from the spill (Refer to the Consent Decree in the Case Documents section). The Trustees are now working toward developing a Draft Restoration Plan that requires and benefits from public input. Public input from citizenry and local communities is essential information for the Trustees in preparing, completing, and implementing the Restoration Plan.

Upcoming Opportunities for Public Involvement

The public will have opportunity to suggest, review, and comment on potential restoration alternatives to compensate for the Buzzards Bay oil spill natural resource injuries. The Trustees have initiated the restoration planning phase of the NRDA process, which includes project identification and selection. There are several opportunities for the public to participate in the restoration planning phase including:

• Attend Public Meetings: The Trustees held two public meetings in September 2011 including one meeting in Buzzards Bay, MA on September 21st, and a second meeting on September 22nd in Fall River, MA. The purpose of these public meetings was to discuss the status of the case settlement and potential restoration project alternatives to be considered in the development of a Draft Restoration Plan (RP) and Environmental Assessment (EA). A notice of scheduled public meeting dates, time, and location was posted on this web site, in local public libraries and local newspapers, and through a general press release (See: Bouchard NRD Meetings 9-2011). Based on public input, the Draft RP/EA will identify a reasonable set of restoration project alternatives, and be available for public review and comment. Comments provided at the public meetings and/or submitted during the designated comment period will be fully considered in the Draft RP/EA. The presentation materials provided by the Trustees at each of the two public meetings can be reviewed at: Buzzards Bay Public Presentation 09 21 22 11. Note this presentation includes information on the criteria that will be used by the Trustees to evaluate potential restoration project alternatives. This presentation also provides examples of appropriate versus inappropriate projects using the Buzzards Bay settlement funds.

• Submit Restoration Project Information: The public is welcome to submit restoration project ideas for the Trustees to consider for inclusion into the Draft RP/EA. The Trustees provide a blank electronic form along with instructional guidelines for the public to use in submitting project ideas. The guidelines are first provided, followed by the form that is available for submitting information for a project. Once a form has been completed, submit by clicking on the Submit by Email icon at the end of the form. Organizations or persons are welcomed to submit one form per each project. The form and guidelines can be accessed at: Buzzards Bay Restoration Project Form and Guidelines. Please note that project forms will be accepted through December 18, 2011. After this date, the public will still have opportunity to suggest or comment on project alternatives through the Draft RP/EA public review process, as described in the following section.

• Comment on the Restoration Plan: In accordance with OPA and the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), NOAA and USFWS are required to prepare documentation of proposed restoration activities occurring through a federal action. The Trustees are responsible for preparing a Restoration Plan/Environmental Assessment (RP/EA) for public review and comment, and seek input during the public review period for the Draft RPs/EA. The RPs/EA will be available electronically for downloading from this website; and hardcopies and electronic copies on CDs will also be available at several local public libraries. It is anticipated that a Draft RP/EA will first be released for addressing piping plover injury and restoration. A second RP/EA is anticipated to be released in spring 2012 and will address restoration alternatives for shoreline, aquatic, and lost use injuries.

• Comment on Individual Project Authorizations: As selected restoration projects progress through feasibility and design phases, the projects will require local, state and federal regulatory authorizations. The public will have the opportunity to comment on specific restoration project activities as part of the public review process.