Use of Habitat Equivalency Analysis as a tool for scaling ecosystem service losses and gains in Natural Resources Damages Assessments and beyond
Presentation Abstract
Habitat Equivalency Analysis (HEA) is a tool developed for use in Natural Resources Damages Assessment (NRDA) conducted under the US Oil Pollution Act (OPA) and Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 to determine the scale of compensatory restoration necessary to offset reductions in ecosystem services from release of oil or hazardous substances. HEA is based on the principal concept that the public can be compensated for injured resources and services through a replacement project providing additional resources and services of the same type.
Several NRDAs have been completed or are under investigation throughout the Puget Sound and over time a common set of models and assumptions regarding Salish Sea resources and resource services have evolved and been adapted to specific sites. This process has resulted in completion of successful on-site and off-site mitigation projects using both in-kind and out of kind habitat enhancements.
When appropriately applied HEA provides a useful framework to facilitate discussions regarding several elements stemming from pollution, development, and restoration such as the specific resources and resource services provided by a given area and habitat under baseline and stressor-influenced conditions, the magnitude of service reductions resulting from development or pollution and the increase in services resulting from restoration and time to attain function of restoration.
This ecosystem services accounting tool developed for NRDA provides a flexible and adaptable framework for quantifying ecosystem services applicable to mitigation under various programs. For example, HEA can be used for development of in lieu fee programs, advance mitigation, and development of mitigation banks. This presentation provides examples of HEA as applied in Puget Sound NRDAs and for other ecosystem services accounting purposes.
Session Title
Decision support tools to support adaptive management of Salish Sea restoration efforts
Conference Track
Protection, Remediation and Restoration
Conference Name
Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference (2016 : Vancouver, B.C.)
Document Type
Event
Location
2016SSEC
Type of Presentation
Oral
Genre/Form
presentations (communicative events)
Contributing Repository
Digital content made available by University Archives, Heritage Resources, Western Libraries, Western Washington University.
Subjects – Topical (LCSH)
Ecosystem services--Law and legislation--Salish Sea (B.C. and Wash.)
Geographic Coverage
Salish Sea (B.C. and Wash.)
Rights
This resource is displayed for educational purposes only and may be subject to U.S. and international copyright laws. For more information about rights or obtaining copies of this resource, please contact University Archives, Heritage Resources, Western Libraries, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA 98225-9103, USA (360-650-7534; heritage.resources@wwu.edu) and refer to the collection name and identifier. Any materials cited must be attributed to the Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference Records, University Archives, Heritage Resources, Western Libraries, Western Washington University.
Type
Text
Language
English
Format
application/pdf
Use of Habitat Equivalency Analysis as a tool for scaling ecosystem service losses and gains in Natural Resources Damages Assessments and beyond
2016SSEC
Habitat Equivalency Analysis (HEA) is a tool developed for use in Natural Resources Damages Assessment (NRDA) conducted under the US Oil Pollution Act (OPA) and Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 to determine the scale of compensatory restoration necessary to offset reductions in ecosystem services from release of oil or hazardous substances. HEA is based on the principal concept that the public can be compensated for injured resources and services through a replacement project providing additional resources and services of the same type.
Several NRDAs have been completed or are under investigation throughout the Puget Sound and over time a common set of models and assumptions regarding Salish Sea resources and resource services have evolved and been adapted to specific sites. This process has resulted in completion of successful on-site and off-site mitigation projects using both in-kind and out of kind habitat enhancements.
When appropriately applied HEA provides a useful framework to facilitate discussions regarding several elements stemming from pollution, development, and restoration such as the specific resources and resource services provided by a given area and habitat under baseline and stressor-influenced conditions, the magnitude of service reductions resulting from development or pollution and the increase in services resulting from restoration and time to attain function of restoration.
This ecosystem services accounting tool developed for NRDA provides a flexible and adaptable framework for quantifying ecosystem services applicable to mitigation under various programs. For example, HEA can be used for development of in lieu fee programs, advance mitigation, and development of mitigation banks. This presentation provides examples of HEA as applied in Puget Sound NRDAs and for other ecosystem services accounting purposes.
