COASTAL HABITAT RESTORATION PLANNING IN LOUISIANA - LESSONS FROM THE GREENHILL-TIMBALIER BAY OIL-SPILL CASE

The restoration of marine and coastal habitat has become important bec ause of the frequency of petroleum spills and certain other toxic inpu ts into the marine environment. Each oil spill must be cleaned up and compensation is sought by federal and state trustees for the restorati on of any natural resources injured. This case history details a 1992 well blowout and oil spill in Timbalier Bay, Louisiana, and the assess ment and restoration activities that have been associated with the inc ident. Emphasis is placed on the post-spill activities to demonstrate the increasing relevance and implementation of habitat restoration eff orts under the marine trustee authority of federal, state, and other g overnments. The Timbalier Bay resource trustees negotiated a restorati on-based administrative settlement to compensate for the injured natur al resources. A habitat replacement analysis was conducted to determin e the appropriate compensation acreage to be created for the restorati on project. The administrative settlement of the case avoided a costly and time-consuming comprehensive damage assessment and associated lit igation. The restoration-based settlement concept is emerging as an ac cepted form of natural resource damages dispute resolution and compens ation. This cooperation between government and industry to plan, fund, and create a coastal wetland restoration project also has implication s in efforts to reverse Louisiana's severe barrier island erosion and coastal wetland loss problems.