Source: Aboveground storage tank.

Release: Approximately 33,600 gallons of Louisiana sweet crude oil.

Primary Injury:

The Trustees and Responsible Party (RP) worked cooperatively to assess the injuries to marsh habitat. Data collected from overflights that tracked the extent of oil spread, in conjunction with Global Positioning System (GPS) coordinates around the perimeter of the oiled area, were used by the Trustees and RP to determine that the oiled area was approximately 120 acres in size.

The Trustees and RP agreed to expedite the Natural Resource Damage Assessment (NRDA) process and use reasonably conservative assumptions when determining the service losses attributed to the oil spill. Reasonably conservative assumptions are protective of the environment (tending to produce an upper-bound injury estimate) and are intended to ensure that that public and environment are adequately compensated for the losses incurred. Using this approach, the Trustees and RP agreed that an initial 75% service loss over the entire 120-acre area of marsh was a reasonably conservative assumption. This assumption represents the average of the services lost over the 120 acres of marsh habitat injured, which ranged from near 0% (in areas exposed only to sheen) to 100% (in areas covered with heavy oil). The Trustees are confident that the assumption of an overall 75% loss of services is reasonably conservative and ensures that the environment and the public will be adequately compensated for the losses incurred.