The Louisiana Regional Restoration Planning Program Draft Regional Restoration Plan Region 2 September 2003 Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality Louisiana Department of Natural Resources Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Louisiana Oil Spill Coordinator’s Office, Office of the Governor National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration U.S. Department of the Interior Table of Contents LIST OF FIGURES .......................................................................................................... V LIST OF TABLES ........................................................................................................... V CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION ...........................................................................................1 LOUISIANA REGIONAL RESTORATION PLANNING PROGRAM SUMMARY ...........................2 Potentially Injured Resources/Services ...........................................................3 Restoration Types ...........................................................................................3 Settlement Alternatives....................................................................................4 Screening Criteria............................................................................................4 Regional Boundaries of the RRPs...................................................................5 SUMMARY OF PROGRAM BENEFITS.............................................................................5 CHAPTER 2 REGION 2 - DESCRIPTION............................................................................6 REGION 2 BOUNDARIES.............................................................................................6 AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT AND BIOLOGICAL RESOURCES..............................................6 Physical Environment......................................................................................6 Biological Resources.......................................................................................7 Socio-Economic Resources ............................................................................9 CHAPTER 3 REGIONAL RESTORATION PLAN.................................................................11 POTENTIALLY INJURED NATURAL RESOURCES AND SERVICES ....................................11 Coastal ..........................................................................................................11 Herbaceous Wetlands..................................................................................11 Forested Wetlands.......................................................................................12 Beaches/Shorelines/Streambeds.................................................................12 Oyster and Other Reefs ...............................................................................12 Water Column Organisms............................................................................12 Inland.............................................................................................................12 Herbaceous Wetlands..................................................................................12 Forested Wetlands.......................................................................................13 Beaches/Shorelines/Streambeds.................................................................13 Upland Vegetation .......................................................................................13 Water Column Organisms............................................................................13 Regionwide (Coastal/Inland) .........................................................................14 Birds ............................................................................................................14 Wildlife.........................................................................................................14 Recreational Resource Services..................................................................14 Cultural Resource Services..........................................................................14 RESTORATION TYPES ..............................................................................................14 Restoration Type Screening Criteria..............................................................17 Project Selection Screening Criteria ..............................................................18 ii Special Circumstances..................................................................................18 RESTORATION PROJECTS IN PLAN ............................................................................19 RRP Project Solicitation ................................................................................19 Region 2 RRP Restoration Project Selection ................................................20 SETTLEMENT CALCULATION .....................................................................................21 RP Implemented Restoration Project ............................................................21 Cash Settlement - Project-Specific Cash Out................................................21 Cash Settlement - Non-Project-Specific Cash Out ........................................22 Determination of Cost for a Non-Project Specific Cash Out .........................22 RRP REVISIONS .....................................................................................................24 REFERENCES .............................................................................................................25 LIST OF PREPARERS ...................................................................................................27 LIST OF AGENCIES......................................................................................................28 APPENDIX A - COMMON BIOTA AND ASSOCIATED HABITAT TYPES IN REGION 2............ A-1 APPENDIX B - PROJECT SOLICITATION FORM ............................................................. B-1 APPENDIX C - REGION 2 RRP RESTORATION PROJECTS ............................................ C-1 APPENDIX D – NON-PROJECT SPECIFIC CASH OUT COST ANALYSES FOR COASTAL HERBACEOUS WETLANDS IN REGION 2 ............................................ D-1 INTRODUCTION...................................................................................................... D-1 PROJECT COSTS................................................................................................... D-1 PROJECT FUNCTION .............................................................................................. D-5 COST/DSAY ........................................................................................................ D-7 APPENDIX E – NON-PROJECT SPECIFIC CASH OUT COST ANALYSES FOR FORESTED WETLANDS IN REGION 2 ................................................................ E-1 INTRODUCTION...................................................................................................... E-1 PROJECT COSTS................................................................................................... E-1 PROJECT FUNCTION .............................................................................................. E-6 COST/DSAY ........................................................................................................ E-7 APPENDIX F – NON-PROJECT SPECIFIC CASH OUT COST ANALYSES FOR OYSTER REEFS IN REGION 2............................................................................F-1 INTRODUCTION...................................................................................................... F-1 CREATED REEFS IN LOUISIANA: TWO- VERSUS THREE-DIMENSIONAL ......................... F-2 PROJECT COSTS................................................................................................... F-3 PROJECT FUNCTION .............................................................................................. F-7 COST PER DISCOUNTED KILOGRAM BIOMASS YEAR (COST/DKBY) ........................... F-8 iii iv LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1: RRP Regions........................................................................................2 Figure 2: Region 2 Boundary, Parishes, and Associated Habitat Types (adapted from Hartley et al. 2000) ........................................................8 Figure 3: Coastal Restoration Types by Resource/Service Category (NOAA et al. 2003) .............................................................................16 Figure 4: Inland Restoration Types by Resource/Service Category (NOAA et al. 2003) .............................................................................17 LIST OF TABLES Table 1: Project Solicitation Meetings for Region 2 RRP..................................20 Table A- 1: Common Vegetation in Region 2 and their Associated Habitats ............................................................................................ A-2 Table A- 2: Common Mammals in Region 2 and their Associated Habitats ............................................................................................ A-3 Table A- 3: Common Reptiles and Amphibians in Region 2 and their Associated Habitats .......................................................................... A-3 Table A- 4: Common Birds in Region 2 and their Associated Habitats – Waterfowl and Waterbirds................................................................. A-4 Table A- 5: Common Birds in Region 2 and their Associated Habitats – Colonial Nesting Wading Birds ........................................................