Burton Suedel* and Sandra Brasfield USACE-ERDC-EL Vicksburg, MS Smart Rivers Conference

1. Burton Suedel* and Sandra Brasfield USACE-ERDC-EL Vicksburg, MS Smart Rivers Conference New Orleans, LA 14 September 2011 Developing a PIANC Standard of Practice for Conducting Initial Assessments of Environmental Effects of Navigation and Infrastructure Projects

3. Background Procedures already developed to assess environmental risks for navigation and port infrastructure projects Methodology lacking for identifying stressors and pathways contributing to environmental impacts early in the project A new standard of practice being developed by PIANC EnviCom WG 143 providing a transparent method for performing the initial assessment process for navigation and port infrastructure projects

4. Purpose Identify and describe the events and pathways of potential environmental impacts, from the possible external driving forces, and the likely environmental receptors that might be affected by navigation and infrastructure projects Relevant projects include maintenance and new work dredging, port and harbor development, and harbor construction

6. Working with Nature Incorporates Working with Nature philosophy focusing on: Achieving project objectives in an ecosystem context rather than assessing the consequences of a predefined project design Identifying win-win solutions rather than simply minimizing ecological harm Working with Nature advocates the following steps: Establish project need and objectives Understand the environment Make meaningful use of stakeholder engagement; identify win-win options Prepare project proposals/design to benefit navigation and nature

7. Initiation Phase Scoping and Planning Define project scope - Identify the information needed to complete the initial assessment Define the problem – Develop problem statement that identifies the essential elements of the problem and explicitly defines the problem Establish project objectives – Identify the fundamental project objectives to develop a structured decision making process Define project alternatives – Develop a list of alternatives that represents the range of potential choices the decision makers will have for pursuing the stated objectives Identify reference locations - To evaluate project alternatives via comparisons with a reference location or baseline alternative Engage stakeholders

8. Engaging Stakeholders Developing a process to engage stakeholders is needed to ensure a successful process Stakeholder involvement should start early to promote transparency and ensure the assessment proceeds effectively, efficiently and credibly To meet challenges, get the participation right Effective stakeholder engagement involves active stakeholder participation at appropriate points in the assessment process rather than as passive recipients of the results

9. Exploration Phase Define assessment criteria Gather information Develop conceptual model Define project alternatives Assess environmental impacts Case Studies Sand hunger Port expansion

10. Information Gathering - Checklist • Identifies potential environmental receptors and habitats in the project area and the potential for the project to cause adverse impacts • Checklist organized by the description of the: • Project area • Environment potentially affected by the project • Dredging-related and other operations

11. Lines of Evidence (LOE) • Broad categories of information such as chemical concentrations in soil, presence and numbers of a threatened species, etc. • Identified to determine whether stressors related to an infrastructure project are adversely impacting environmental receptors • Use checklist information as a starting point for identifying LOE • Determine which data are needed for sound decision making • Multiple LOE are often required to make a decision during the initial assessment • Uncertainty is high • Costs for making an incorrect decision are also high

12. Conceptual Models • Projects may result in stressors being placed on the ecosystem - these stressors must be identified  • Pathways as links between stressors and environmental receptors • Conceptual models required to fully support the initial environmental assessment • Communicate the rationale behind the selection and integration of stressors, pathways and receptors • Developing example conceptual models

13. Uncertainty Acknowledgment and treatment of uncertainty are key elements Addressing uncertainty: Should be consistent with the overall scope and purpose of the initial assessment Initial assessments conducted in data-poor environments Much of the information required to quantify uncertainty may be lacking Projects consistent with the Working with Nature philosophy are expected to exhibit intrinsically high uncertainty Should characterize the types, sources, extent and magnitude of substantial uncertainties consistent with the available data The nature, magnitude and implications of uncertainties should be communicated to decision makers and stakeholders

14. Path Forward • Stagger webinars and meetings for optimal progress • Describe techniques that can be used to facilitate decision making • Develop ways of considering various lines and weights of evidence • Develop assessment of environmental impacts • Investigate and evaluate the possibilities for alternatives • Draft expected to be completed in early 2012 • Publication by PIANC is expected in late 2012 or 2013