intergenerational cross training workshop:
NATURAL RESOURCE DAMAGE ASSESSMENT AND RESTORATION
Agenda
September 18, 2025
9:30 AM
Welcome
Barbara J. Goldsmith, Executive Director, Ad-Hoc Industry Natural Resource Management Group; President, Barbara J. Goldsmith & Company LLC
Kegan Brown, Partner, Lowenstein Sandler LLP
9:45 AM
advancing common objectives and practices: background of workshop and desired outcomes
Barbara J. Goldsmith
10:00 AM
opening remarks: Natural Resource Management at US DOI - Current Priorities and Initiatives
Eva Vrana, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy and Environmental Management, US Department of the Interior
Introduced by:
Emily Joseph, Director, Office of Restoration and Damage Assessment, US Department of the Interior
10:45 AM
current tools in the toolbox: a review of natural resource damage assessment and restoration guidance and resource materials
Speakers will set the stage for the Workshop identifying the current “tools” available to public and private parties relative to natural resource damage assessment and restoration practices and issues. Such resources may include formal guidance documents, best practice materials, trainings, workshops, etc. Gaps and opportunities to expand the “toolbox” will also be identified.
Moderator
Emily Morrison, Ph.D., Senior Environmental Scientist, ARCADIS
Panelists
Daniel Hahn, Ph.D., Regional Resource Coordinator, Assessment & Restoration Division, SE Region, US Department of Commerce/National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
Timothy Hoelzle, Deputy Director, Office of Restoration and Damage Assessment, US Department of the Interior
Steven Miller, Deputy Assistant General Counsel, US Department of Energy
Tara Waikem Flynn, Sr. Projects Counsel, Barbara J. Goldsmith & Company LLC
Tara Whittle, NRDA Biologist, Texas General Land Office
12:00 PM
break for Lunch
12:45 PM
ask me anything: Cercla and opa: what sets them apart in nrda application?
While the federal natural resource damage assessment (NRDA) regulations under Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA) and Oil Pollution Act are voluntary, they often provide a construct for both public and private parties to work through a assessment process and identify restoration options. The facilitate will guide a discussion concerning similarities and the differences when approaching an NRDA for an oil spill under OPA or a hazardous waste site under CERCLA.
Facilitator
Barbara J. Goldsmith
Discussants
Kimberly Katzenbarger, Attorney, Office of the General Counsel, US Department of Commerce/National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
Jeffrey Talbert, Partner, Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer LLP
1:30 PM
interactive session 1: sharing practices and options in a CERCLA site application
This interactive session of the program will kick off with the presentation of a natural resource damage case example – real or hypothetical – that involves the release of hazardous substances under CERCLA. Discussants, based on their respective experiences, will work through various decision points and options within the NRDA and restoration process to see if common resolution and endpoints can be reached – or, alternatively, what gaps, challenges or opportunities might lead to same.
Facilitator
Kegan Brown
Discussants
Margaret Byrne, Northeast Region Spill Response Coordinator and Northeast Region Natural Resource Damage Assessment & Restoration (NRDAR) Coordinator, US Fish and Wildlife Service
William H. Desvousges, Ph.D., President and Owner, W.H. Desvousges & Associates
Annie Gibbs, Partner, Environmental Scientist, Windward Environmental
Kaylene Ritter, Ph.D., President and Founder, Natural Nexus LLC
3:00 PM
break
3:15 PM
interactive session 2: sharing practices and options in aN Oil Spill site application
This interactive session of the program will kick off with the presentation of a natural resource damage case example – real or hypothetical – that involves the release of oil under OPA. Similar to Interactive Session 1, discussants, based on their respective experiences, will work through various decision points and options within the NRDA and restoration process to see if common resolution and endpoints can be reached – or, alternatively, what gaps, challenges or opportunities might lead to same.
Facilitator
Jean Martin, Senior Counsel, BP
Discussants
Robin Bullock, Ph.D., Director, Center for Environmental Remediation and Assessment and Faculty, Environmental Engineering, Montana Technical University
Brian Ferrasci-O'Malley, Partner, Nossaman LLP
Jason Kinnell, Principal Economist and Founding Partner, Veritas Economic Consulting
Jon Wiebe, Restoration Program Manager, Louisiana Wildlife & Fisheries
4:45 PM
actions forward: what’s needed to meaningfully support the next generation of nrda pracititioners
A panel will reflect on the presentations and interactive sessions from the Workshop to identify which of the issues, methodologies and insights discussed will be most important to share with the broader multi-stakeholder practitioner community. Panelists will also offer commentary on the current “tools” available to NRDA practitioners and what could be useful actions moving forward to expand or supplement presently available resources.
Moderator
Stephanie Maggio, Ph.D., Ecological/Environmental Risk Assessor, GHD
Panelists
Katherine Hausrath, Lead Counsel, Montana Natural Resource Damage Program
Mike Johns, Ph.D., Partner Emeritus, Windward Environmental
Thomas Pearce, Counsel, Latham & Watkins LLP