DRAFT DAMAGE ASSESSMENT AND RESTORATION PLAN AND ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT For the November 26, 2004, M/T Athos I Oil Spill on the Delaware River near the Citgo Refinery in Paulsboro, New Jersey.

January 2009

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Department of Environmental

Protection, Fish and Boat Commission, Game Commission

This Draft Damage Assessment and Restoration Plan/Environmental Assessment was prepared by the natural resource Trustee agencies: the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection; Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control; and Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Department of Environmental Protection, Fish and Boat Commission, and Game Commission. These agencies have conducted a natural resource damage assessment (NRDA) for the 26 November 2004, spill of more than 263,000 gallons of oil from the M/T Athos I into the Delaware River and nearby tributaries. The goal of the NRDA is to restore the publics natural resources injured by the oil spill. This document also serves as an Environmental Assessment to analyze the potential effects of the actions and alternatives on the quality of the human environment, in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act.

Contact:

Linda Burlington NOAA Office of General Counsel for Natural Resources GCNR 1315 East-West Highway, Bldg. 3 Silver Spring, Maryland 20910 (301) 713-1217; Fax (301) 713-1229 Linda.B.Burlington@noaa.gov

http://www.darrp.noaa.gov/northeast/athos/index.html

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http://www.darrp.noaa.gov/northeast/athos/index.htmlmailto:Linda.B.Burlington@noaa.gov

CHAPTER 1.0 - INTRODUCTION................................................................................... 1

1.1 - Overview of the Incident ..................................................................................... 1

1.2 - Summary of Preassessment Activities................................................................ 4

1.3 - Summary of Injury Assessment ......................................................................... 5

1.4 - Summary of Alternatives Analysis and Identification of Preferred Restoration

Alternatives................................................................................................................... 5

CHAPTER 2.0 PURPOSE AND NEED FOR RESTORATION.................................... 8

2.1 - Authorities and Legal Requirements for NRDA Under OPA ......................... 8 2.1.1 - Overview of the Oil Pollution Act ................................................................. 8

2.1.2 - NEPA Compliance....................................................................................... 12

CHAPTER 3.0 - AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT ............................................................ 13

3.1 - Physical Environment ....................................................................................... 13

3.2 - Biological Environment..................................................................................... 14 3.2.1 Birds............................................................................................................ 14

3.2.2 - Fish .............................................................................................................. 14

3.2.3 Plants .......................................................................................................... 15

3.3 - Economic and Cultural Environment.............................................................. 15

CHAPTER 4.0 - INJURY DETERMINATION............................................................... 17

4.1 - Overview of Preassessment Activities and Findings....................................... 18

4.2 - Trustee Determination Based on Preassessment Findings ............................ 27

4.3 - Injury Assessment Strategy .............................................................................. 27 4.3.1 - Shoreline Injury Assessment........................................................................ 28

4.3.2 - Bird and Wildlife Injury Assessment........................................................... 35

4.3.3 - Aquatic Injury Assessment .......................................................................... 37

4.3.4 - Lost Recreational Use Injury Assessment ................................................... 39

4.4 - Summary of Injuries.......................................................................................... 42

CHAPTER 5.0 - RESTORATION PLANNING PROCESS AND ANALYSIS OF

ALTERNATIVES............................................................................................................. 43

TABLE OF CONTENTS

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5.3

5.1 - Restoration Strategy .......................................................................................... 43

5.2 - Restoration Evaluation Criteria ....................................................................... 44

- Reasonable Project Alternatives ............................................................. 56 5.3.1 Alternative 1: No Action/Natural Recovery .............................................. 56

5.3.2 Alternative 2: Augustine Boat Ramp ......................................................... 56

5.3.3 Alternative 3: Blackbird Reserve ............................................................... 57

5.3.4 Alternative 4: Brandywine Creek (multiple dams) .................................. 57

5.3.5 Alternative 5: Darby Creek Dam (multiple dams) ................................... 57

5.3.6 Alternative 6: Delaware Tributary Mussel Restoration .......................... 57

5.3.7 Alternative 7: Dravo Marsh Restoration Project ..................................... 58

5.3.8 Alternative 8: Fairmount Fish Ladder Rehabilitation............................. 58

5.3.9 Alternative 9: John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) .................. 58

5.3.10 Alternative 10: Lardner's Point Riparian Restoration........................ 58

5.3.11 Alternative 11: Mad Horse Wetland Restoration ................................ 58

5.3.12 Alternative 12: Milford Neck Tidal Marsh Restoration Project ........ 59

5.3.13 Alternative 13: Oyster Reef Restoration ............................................... 59

5.3.14 Alternative 14: Shellfish Restoration..................................................... 59

5.3.15 Alternative 15: Stow Creek Boat Ramp ................................................ 59

5.3.16 Alternative 16: Tinicum Island Recreational Trail.............................. 59

5.4 Identification and Environmental Consequences of the Restoration Alternatives ...................................................................................................................................... 60

5.4.1 Evaluation of No Action/Natural Recovery Alternative .......................... 60

5.4.2 Evaluation and Environmental Consequences for Non-Preferred Restoration

Alternatives .................................................................................................. 60

5.4.3 Evaluation and Environmental Consequences for Preferred Restoration

Alternatives .................................................................................................. 63

5.4.4 Cumulative Impacts..................................................................................... 74

5.5 Description of Preferred Restoration Alternatives ........................................ 74 5.5.1 Alternatives to Address Shoreline Resource Injuries .................................... 74

5.5.2 Alternatives to Address Aquatic Resource Injuries: Creating an Oyster Reef95 5.5.3 Restoration of Bird Losses: Habitat EnhancementMad Horse Creek, Blackbird

Reserve, and Oyster Reef ............................................................................ 107

5.5.4 Alternatives to Address Lost Recreational Uses .......................................... 125

5.6 Preferred Restoration Alternatives Summary ............................................. 132

5.7 Restoration Contingency Costs...................................................................... 134

5.8 Trustee Council Oversight Costs ................................................................... 135

6.0 - LITERATURE CITED........................................................................................... 137

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List of Figures

Figure 1. Approximate location of the Athos incident on the Delaware River.

Figure 2. Aerial view of the Athos listing to the vessels port side following the grounding

incident.

Figure 3. Submerged objects recovered from the Athos grounding location.

Figure 4. Key resources exposed to Athos oil.

Figure 5. Maximum extent of shoreline oiling in the Delaware River and its tributaries.

Figure 6. Representative examples of shoreline oiling observation.

Figure 7. Observed oiled birds.

Figure 8. Approximate location of restoration projects and origin of the Athos oil spill.

Figure 9. Lardner's Point conceptual restoration plan.

Figure 10. Location of proposed restoration projects for tributary injuries.

Figure 11. Conceptual plan for Heinz NWR Restor