A Framework for Considering Climate Change Impacts in Project Selection for Deepwater Horizon Restoration Efforts
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WETLANDS RESTORATION
A Framework for Considering Climate Change Impacts in Project Selection for Deepwater Horizon Restoration Efforts Bethany Carl Kraft 1,2
&
Raelene Crandall 2
Received: 28 May 2019 / Accepted: 12 September 2019 # The Author(s) 2019
Abstract The 2010 Deepwater Horizon (DWH) oil spill resulted in extensive damage to the northern Gulf of Mexico ecosystem. Resulting fines and penalties have triggered one of the largest ecological restoration efforts in U.S. history. Nearly $20 Billion in funding from oil spill-related claims and settlements will be available in the coming years for environmental restoration and economic recovery. At the same time, climate change is also impacting ecosystem form and function in the Gulf region, which could undermine the long-term sustainability of projects by limiting their useful life or impeding anticipated benefits over time (e.g., ecosystem services, flood protection). These challenges can be considered and addressed in project planning, selection and adaptive management phases of restoration. If decision-makers do not consider the longevity of projects in the face of climate-related stressors, in 30 to 50 years there could be very little to show for a $20 Billion investment, with the Gulf ecosystem still in need of extensive restoration but without the monetary resources to accomplish restoration goals and mitigate climaterelated impacts. This paper provides a framework for decision makers to consider how to incorporate climate change considerations for wetland restoration activities related to the DWH spill. Keywords Deepwater horizon . Restoration . Climate change . Decision-making . Wetlands restoration
Introduction The Gulf of Mexico is the ninth largest body of water in the world and supports a diverse array of wildlife, habitats and ecosystem functions (NOAA 2011). The natural resources of the Gulf region also drive the coastal economy, with the five states bordering the Gulf of Mexico contributing over $3 trillion to the national Gross Domestic Product in 2016 (BEA 2017). The 2010 Deepwater Horizon (DWH) oil spill caused extensive damage to the marine and coastal/estuarine ecosystems and economy of the Gulf region, resulting in “an injury to the entire ecosystem of the northern Gulf of Mexico” according to the Deepwater Horizon Natural Resource Damage Assessment (NRDA) Trustees (DWH Oil Spill Trustees 2016). The DWH disaster further exacerbated the declining
* Bethany Carl Kraft [email protected] 1
Volkert, Inc., 1110 Montlimar Drive, Ste 1050, Mobile, AL 36670, USA
2
University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
health and function of Gulf ecosystems and economies which have suffered from decades of significant human and natural stressors, including: (1) chronic loss of critical wetland habitats; (2) erosion of barrier islands; (3) imperiled fisheries; (4) water quality degradation, including the annual appearance of a hypoxic dead zone that was the size of New Jersey in 2017; (5) impacts from invasive species; (6) substantial coastal la
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