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Oil spills, uncontrolled releases of hazardous substances, ship groundings, forest fires, floods, war, and a wide-range of other events can result in adverse changes to the natural environment. Such changes can affect natural resources and the services these resources provide. Environmental and other laws grant governments the authority to recover dollar damages and other relief from the party responsible for such change (e.g., CERCLA, the 1990 Oil Pollution Act, and the Park Service Resource Protection Act). IEc is proud to offer world-class NRDA expertise gained through more than 20 years of service to a wide range of federal, state, tribal, private, and international clients.
Our NRDA experience is exceptionally broad. We have conducted assessments involving coastal, marine, terrestrial, riverine, estuarine, groundwater and wetland environments. We have evaluated potential injuries to a wide variety of ecological receptors and ecosystem functions, and have addressed the gamut of potential impacts to human use and enjoyment of affected resources. We are intimately familiar with scientific techniques commonly used in NRDA, including methods used to establish the cost of restoration or replacement, habitat and resource equivalency ("HEA"), as well as added or avoided cost, market price, revealed preference, and stated preference methods. We work on cases large and small, in both cooperative and litigious settings, and have helped our clients reach favorable settlements despite complex, uncertain and contentious conditions. We conduct primary economic and scientific research in the context of specific cases as well as to support broader programmatic goals. We also are expert in applying existing information to assess injury and damage. With over 100 cases in our portfolio, we have the strong foundation of knowledge and experience needed to assist clients in developing and implementing approaches within regulatory, technical, budgetary and other constraints.
As the recognized leader in NRDA, we were selected by the United Nations to manage the assessment of damages resulting from the 1991 Gulf War. In addition to our casework, we often are engaged to assist with programmatic and policy issues involving natural resource damages. The U.S. Coast Guard selected IEc to assist in developing a process for evaluating claims submitted to the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund established under the Oil Pollution Act. Other clients have retained IEc to develop NRDA guidance documents, to draft regulations, and to provide general support in damage assessment program development. Regardless of the assignment, we are widely respected throughout the field for the clarity, integrity, and objectivity of our work.
For a map showing some of the locations in the United States where IEc has worked, click here.
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