*>EPA
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
EPA 842-K-18-004
August 2018
PREPARING FOR DISASTER:
The National Estuary Program's Role in
Pre-Disaster Planning, Post-Disaster Recovery,
and Hazard Mitigation

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PREPARING FOR DISASTER:
The National Estuary Program's Role in Pre-Disaster Planning, Post-Disaster Recovery, and Hazard Mitigation
Table of Contents
Terms	2
Acronyms	2
Executive Summary	3
Introduction	4
A Case Study of Barnegat Bay Partnership:	5
A Case Study of Barataria-Terrebonne National Estuary Program	11
A Case Study of Coastal Bend Bays and Estuaries Program	17
A Case Study of San Francisco Estuary Partnership	21
Conclusion	26
Appendices	27
Bibliography	29
Acknowledgements
This document was developed by Emily Donahoe, ORISE participant with the U.S. EPA Office of Wetlands, Oceans &
Watersheds. Thank you to the Directors and staff at Barnegat Bay Partnership, Barataria-Terrebonne National Estuary
Program, Coastal Bend Bays and Estuaries Program and San Francisco Estuary Partnership for providing the information
contained in these case studies.
Disclaimer
The findings and recommendations reported in this white paper are made available for informational purposes only and do
not represent the Environmental Protection Agency's position on the topics covered.
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PREPARING FOR DISASTER:
The National Estuary Program's Role in Pre-Disaster Planning, Post-Disaster Recovery, and Hazard Mitigation
Terms
These terms are defined by the National Disaster Recovery Framework (2016):
Disaster Recovery: The capabilities necessary to assist communities affected by an incident to recover effectively.
Disaster Response: The capabilities necessary to save lives, protect property and the environment, and meet basic human
needs after an incident has occurred,
Hazard Mitigation: The capabilities necessary to reduce loss of life and property by lessening the impact of disasters.
Resiliency: The ability to adapt to changing conditions and withstand and rapidly recover from disruption due to
emergencies.
NATIONAL RESPONSE
FRAMEWORK (NRF)
NATIONAL DISASTER RECOVERY
FRAMEWORK (NDRF)
PREPAREDNESS
ONGOING*
SHORT-TERM
DAYS
LONG-TERM
MOMTMS-YEARSI
Image citation: (U.S. Homeland Security, 2016)
Acronyms

BBP
Barnegat Bay Partnership
BTIMEP
Barataria Terrebonne National Estuary Program
BTEF
Barataria Terrebonne Estuary Foundation
CBBEP
Coastal Bend Bays and Estuaries Program
CCMP
Comprehensive Conservation Management Plan
CRS
Community Rating System
DWH Spill
Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill
EPA
Environmental Protection Agency
FEMA
Federal Emergency Management Agency
HMP
Hazard Mitigation Plan
JFO
Joint Field Office
LHMP
Local Hazard Mitigation Plan
NEP
National Estuary Program
NDRF
National Disaster Recovery Framework
NRC
National Response Center
RSF
Recovery Support Function
SFEI
San Francisco Estuary Institute
SFEP
San Francisco Estuary Partnership
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PREPARING FOR DISASTER:
The National Estuary Program's Role in Pre-Disaster Planning, Post-Disaster Recovery, and Hazard Mitigation
Executive Summary
Over half of the 28 National Estuary Programs' (NEP) study areas have been affected by a disaster or hazard
event, including: hurricanes, floods, fires, nor'easters, and hazardous waste spills. Throughout this white paper,
four case studies demonstrate that NEPs play an important role in pre-disaster planning, post disaster recovery,
and hazard mitigation initiatives; acting primarily as capacity builders, communicators, conveners of partners
and community members, and scientific experts.
The case studies also reveal several challenges and lessons learned the NEPs encountered during post-disaster
recovery and hazard mitigation initiatives. Such challenges and lessons learned include: 1) the lack of thorough
planning within the CCMP and engagement with state and regional Hazard Mitigation Officers; 2) the need to
determine the appropriate role for the NEP during disaster recovery and/or hazard mitigation; 3) the difficulty
with securing funding for hazard mitigation and post-disaster recovery projects; and, 4) the process of working
with outdated policy to carry-out nature-based infrastructure for resiliency planning.
Considering the important role that NEPs play in disaster recovery and hazard mitigation, the challenges that
these four case studies illustrate, and the likelihood that the frequency of hazard and disaster events will
increase in the future (See Appendix 1), it is vital that NEPs not only continue to engage in this type of work, but
also receive appropriate support from partners to enhance their effectiveness.
BARNEGAT BAY PARTNERSHIP - SUPERSTORM
SANDY
•	Acted as a conduit of information to the public and
to partners
•	Provided scientific expertise to decision-makers
•	Operated as a community convener
Challenges & Lessons Learned
•	Identifying thorough planning procedures
•	Building an effective information- sharing role with
the right decision makers
•	Providing positive and informative messages
BARATARIA-TERREBONNE NATIONAL ESTUARY
PROGRAM - DEEPWATER HORIZON OIL SPILL
•	Provided non-biased media engagement
•	Conducted public outreach and education
•	Coordinated volunteer activities
•	Provided scientific and technical expertise
Challenges & Lessons Learned
•	Determining BTNEP's appropriate role as a scientific
expert and educator during recovery activities
•	Continuing to emphasize prevention and mitigation
COASTAL BEND BAYS & ESTUARIES PROGRAM -
HURRICANE HARVEY
•	Acted as a trusted scientific resource to decision-
makers and the community
•	Provided data and resources to contribute to the
data pool on the impacts of Hurricane Harvey on
natural resources
Challenges & Lessons Learned
•	Accurately planning for monitoring and tracking
post-disaster data
•	Communicating effectively with local, state, and
federal government partners
SAN FRANCISCO ESTUARY PARTNERSHIP -
HAZARD MITIGATION AND RESILIENCY PLANNING
•	Enabling innovative action through a well-informed
CCMP
•	Acting as a community conduit for resiliency work
and highlighting the importance of regional
approaches to hazard mitigation / resiliency
planning
Challenges & Lessons Learned
•	Innovative projects, outdated approval processes
•	Working regionally while balancing local needs
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PREPARING FOR DISASTER:
The National Estuary Program's Role in Pre-Disaster Planning, Post-Disaster Recovery, and Hazard Mitigation
Introduction
The 28 National Estuary Programs are
situated in coastal communities across
the United States and are often at the
frontlines when a disaster or hazard
event occurs (See Appendix 2). Before,
during, and after disaster or hazard
events, NEPs use their connections with
community members and numerous
partners to build local capacity for
effective action. NEPs communicate
credible, scientific information, lead
outreach initiatives, support
environmental assessment tasks, and
conduct many other pre- and post-
disaster activities within their study areas and watershed. This white paper includes four case studies detailing
the experiences and challenges that NEPs have with disaster recovery scenarios or hazard mitigation initiatives.
The first case study focuses on Barnegat Bay Partnership located along the central New Jersey coastline and the
Partnership's experience with Superstorm Sandy in 2012. The second case study highlights Barataria-Terrebonne
National Estuary Program, located in the southeast coast of Louisiana, and the Program's experience with the
2010 Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill. Next, the third case study is about Coastal Bend Bays and Estuaries Program,
located in the southeast coast of Texas, and the Program's disaster recovery initiatives after 2017's Hurricane
Harvey. Finally, the last case study features San Francisco Estuary Partnership and the Partnership's innovative
action in the hazard mitigation and resiliency field.
These case studies are informed by interviews with NEP staff, publicly available information, material posted on
the NEP websites, and various journal articles. The information collected in these case studies can be shared
with other NEPs, coastal communities, and other relevant stakeholders in order to learn from and improve pre-
disaster recovery planning, post-disaster recovery initiatives, and hazard mitigation planning.
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PREPARING FOR DISASTER:
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A Case Study of Barnegat Bay
Partnership:
Experiences and Lessons Learned from
Superstorm Sandy
Introduction and Background
This case study explores Barnegat Bay Partnership's
(referred to as "the BBP" or "the Partnership")
experience with Superstorm Sandy, including pre-
disaster recovery planning, BBP's role during
recovery efforts, and lessons learned.
Hurricane Sandy made landfall in the U.S. on
October 29, 2012 and was one of the costliest
tropical storms in United States history, with
damages totaling upwards of $65 billion USD (NOAA
Hurricane Research Division, 2017). This Category 1
hurricane had a pressure typical of a Category 3
storm and approached the East Coast during a
spring high tide. Only days after the hurricane, the
region was hit by a powerful nor'easter, causing
further devastation to the area. With these factors
combined, what came to be known as Superstorm
Sandy generated flooding and wind damage in 24
states in the northeast and mid-Atlantic (FEMA,
2013). New Jersey was one of the most severely
impacted, with more than 346,000 homes damaged
(Smith, 2013).
Located primarily in Ocean County, NJ, the Barnegat
Bay Partnership is one of the Environmental
Protection Agency's 28 National Estuary Programs
and was profoundly affected by Superstorm Sandy
(EPA, 2017). Communities like Bay Head, Seaside
Heights, and many others in BBP's study area
suffered substantial damages during the storm.
Barnegat Bay Partnership's Role in
Pre-Disaster Recovery Planning
Prior to Sandy, the BBP was heavily engaged in
discussions and research about the current and
future effects of sea-level rise, increased flooding,
BBP Played a Vital Role During
Superstorm Sandy Recovery
•	Acted as a conduit of information to
the public and to partners
•	Provided scientific expertise to
decision-makers
•	Operated as a community convener
BBP Learned Valuable Lessons
throughout this Experience
•	Identifying thorough planning
procedures
•	Building an effective information-
sharing role with the right decision
makers
•	Providing positive and informative
messages
and stronger and more frequent tropical storms on
their watershed and community. However, much of
the community had been lulled into a sense of
security. The last major hurricane to hit the region
was Hurricane Donna in 1960; the worst previous
storm to hit the state was the Ash Wednesday
Nor'easter in 1962 (NOAA National Hurricane
Center, n.d.; Rose, 2012). Because the population of
the Jersey Shore then was less than 20% of what it
is today, the possibility of a storm like Superstorm
Sandy was unimaginable to many.
Nevertheless, the BBP staff continued educating the
community about the watershed and participated
as local scientific experts in relevant conversations.
Starting in July 2012, a BBP staffer was invited to be
part of the planning team for the development of
Multi-Jurisdictional All-Hazard Mitigation Plan for
Ocean County, New Jersey. This FEMA-approved
plan identifies hazards through a vulnerability
analysis and develops a mitigation plan to save
lives, reduce property damage, and increase
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PREPARING FOR DISASTER:
The National Estuary Program's Role in Pre-Disaster Planning, Post-Disaster Recovery, and Hazard Mitigation
community resiliency during destructive events.
This document also qualifies the county for pre-
disaster and post-disaster grant funding (Ocean
County, NJ, 2014). As an active stakeholder in
Ocean County, the BBP helped ensure that future
climate risk language was highlighted throughout
the document. While the planning process began
several months before Sandy, much of the
document was written post-Sandy and was
published in 2014.
Barnegat Bay Partnership's Role in
Disaster Response and Recovery
Superstorm Sandy Response
Within the first days to weeks after a destructive
event, disaster response efforts prioritize saving
lives, protecting property and the environment,
and meeting basic human needs (U.S. Homeland
Security, 2016). Because most disaster response
activities require training beforehand and/or are
addressed by other local, state, and federal
agencies, the BBP did not have a large role in such
activities. However, one of BBP's staff was
previously trained and contributed significant time
with the Hazardous Materials Mitigation Response
Team. Although only one staff member was trained
to assist with immediate response activities, the
staff member's in-depth knowledge about the
watershed and natural resources from a scientific
standpoint was a significant asset to the response-
related activities. While having this type of training
is not a requirement for the National Estuary
Program, the Barnegat Bay Partnership found that
familiarity with these types of response activities
was helpful from an awareness standpoint.
Superstorm Sandy Recovery
In comparison with disaster response activities,
disaster recovery efforts are long-term and aim to
provide stabilization and rehabilitation to different
aspects of the impacted areas, including: economic
viability, human health and wellbeing,
Post Superstorm Sandy damage and cleanup. Photos by
Army National Guard Sgt. 1st Class Jim Green hill (top);
Barnegat Bay Partnership/ Martha Maxwell-Doyle
(middle and bottom).
infrastructure, and natural and cultural resources
(U.S. Homeland Security, 2016). As a partnership
invested in restoring, protecting, and enhancing the
natural resources of the Barnegat Bay ecosystem,
the BBP had and continues to have a direct and vital
role in disaster recovery activities post-Sandy.
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PREPARING FOR DISASTER:
The National Estuary Program's Role in Pre-Disaster Planning, Post-Disaster Recovery, and Hazard Mitigation
Communicating with Partners and the
Public
With guidance from NEP colleagues in Florida with
hurricane recovery experience, the BBP adopted the
role to serve as a conduit for sharing information
with community members and partners.
With strong ties to the communities within the its
study area, the BBP prioritized updating community
members and key partners through several
activities. The BBP updated its easily-accessible
webpage that listed contact information for food
banks, aid centers, and other emergency services.
Additionally, an email list was developed to update
subscribers on FEMA-related activities and other
relevant recovery information. These activities were
simple ways to keep locals informed if they looked
to the BBP's website for information. In subsequent
months after the hurricane, the BBP periodically
developed newsletter articles on recovery activities
and positive stories to keep the community
engaged. These important tasks ensured that
concerned citizens received reliable information
from a non-biased source.
In addition to providing online materials, another
significant component of the BBP's communication
strategy was staying up-to-date with its partners
about progress on recovery activities. The BBP
enabled regular contact with FEMA's Joint Field
Office (JFO), a multiagency group set up by
Homeland Security after a destructive event that
establishes response and recovery priorities (U.S.
Homeland Security, 2006). Given the extent of
property damage affecting residential homes and
businesses, the primary focus of recovery efforts
was to get back to "some kind of normal." At first it
was challenging for the BBP and its partners to call
attention to unmet recovery needs for natural
resources, specifically within the study area.
However, the BBP staff leveraged their positions as
trusted scientific resources, developed connections
to individuals within the JFO, and invited them to
BBP management committee meetings (Barnegat
Bay Partnership, 2018). By engaging with staff in the
JFO, the BBP remained up-to-date on FEMA
recovery activities and continually provided well-
informed input. As an additional action, the BBP
requested that a member of the JFO arranged
weekly updates by phone. These calls were open for
all of the BBP's partners to listen in and participate,
which was a critical strategy for the BBP to inform
invested groups about on-going recovery work and
ensured that efforts were not duplicated during this
particularly hectic time.
Providing Scientific Expertise
The BBP provided evidence-based information and
data throughout post-storm recovery with a
specialized lens on the region's watershed and
natural resources.
After Superstorm Sandy occurred, FEMA required
the county to develop a recovery plan to qualify for
various federal assistance. Since the Ocean County
Planning Department is one of the BBP's 30
partners, the Partnership's staff contributed to
Ocean County's Recovery Plan post-Sandy (Ocean
County, NJ, 2015). As scientific experts and
educators of the local watershed, the BBP is
identified as a key stakeholder and as a technical
expert in the plan. In addition to the BBP's
contributions to the recovery plan, the program
offered its scientific expertise for multiple post-
hurricane studies, reports, and online tools,
including a beach and dune performance
assessment, a community resiliency planning tool.
the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers study on resilient
adaptation, and more (The Richard Stockton College
of New Jersey, 2012; New Jersey Resilient Coastal
Communities Initiative, 2018; U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers North Atlantic Division, 2014).
Post-disaster monitoring is a crucial component to
determine the extent of environmental damage.
While the BBP did not have a post-disaster
monitoring plan in place after Superstorm Sandy,
the program quickly recognized the need for a
dynamic way to improve data-collection tactics.
With this in mind, the BBP developed an annual
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citizen science event, first launched in 2015, called
"Paddle for the Edge" (Barnegat Bay Partnership,
2018). This data collection event engages
volunteers with access to canoes, kayaks, or
paddleboards to record basic information about the
shoreline. This activity was created to improve the
shoreline characterization throughout the estuary
and to connect citizens to their watershed. With the
collected data, the volunteers contribute to a
growing database that provides an overview of the
ever-changing shoreline. With this program in place,
the BBP will be ready to monitor the changes to the
shoreline after storm events in the future.
Organizing Recovery Initiatives
The BBP operated as a community organizer for
events associated with recovery efforts and
promoted education about extreme weather events
like Superstorm Sandy.
After the storm, the BBP functioned as a
clearinghouse for hundreds of individuals interested
in post-disaster volunteer work. The BBP directed
these concerned citizens to various organizations to
support recovery efforts. In addition to directing
volunteers, the BBP dedicated their time and
resources to bring the community together to
examine ways to mitigate the effects of extreme
weather events, sea level rise, and other climate
risks. The BBP, at the invitation of the Toms River
mayor, partnered with the Institute on Science for
Global Policy and other groups to jumpstart local
conversations about the personal, economic, and
community-wide significance of diverse climate and
storm issues (The Institute on Science for Global
Policy, 2015).
Following the storm, the BBP worked with EPA's
Climate Ready Estuaries Program, the NOAA-funded
Jacques Cousteau National Estuarine Research
Reserve. New Jersey Sea Grant Consortium. NJDEP
Coastal Management Program, Rutgers University
Bloustein School of Planning and Public
Policy, and Sustainable New Jersey to develop the
Getting to Resilience website. This self-assessment
tool helps communities reduce their vulnerability
and increase their preparedness by linking planning,
mitigation, and adaptation. Using this assessment
tool, communities can find out how their
preparedness can be worth valuable points and
save money through FEMA's Community Rating
System and Sustainable Jersey (New Jersey Resilient
Coastal Communities Initiative, 2018).
Much later after the Superstorm Sandy, the BBP
developed the Jersey-Friendly Yards website with
funding from NJDEP to teach homeowners and
community members about how smart landscaping
can prevent the negative effects of stormwater
runoff, nutrient accumulation, and pet waste on the
watershed (Rethink the Lawn and Reduce Your
Environmental Impact, 2018). The BBP sponsored
community events including "Experience Jersey-
Friendly Yards" and "Greening Your Landscape
While Protecting the Watershed" to educate
participants about using green infrastructure
techniques, like rain barrels and rain gardens, to
improve water quality (Barnegat Bay Partnership,
2018).
It is important to note that these types of tools are
incorporated into the local Hazard Mitigation Plan
as well as receive Community Rating System (CRS)
flood mitigation credits. The BBP plans to continue
these types of community engagement events and
tool development to promote positive protection of
the watershed and community resilience.
Lessons Learned
In many ways, Superstorm Sandy was a wake-up call
for the BBP and New Jersey shoreline communities
alike. While six years have passed since Superstorm
Sandy, a number of communities within the BBP
study area are still recovering. For some
communities it may be 10 years before recovery
efforts are close to completion. The valuable
lessons learned from Superstorm Sandy will
continue to inform the BBP's future decision-
making.
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Lesson #1: Planning, planning, planning!
The BBP learned that it is critical to thoroughly
consider and document its roles in pre-disaster
recovery planning and hazard mitigation, and to
identify planning processes regarding both the
region's natural resources and communities.
When Superstorm Sandy hit, the BBP did not have
post-disaster monitoring procedures, hazard
mitigation language embedded into their
Comprehensive Conservation Management Plan
(CCMP), or a plan for post-disaster communication.
Even though the BBP is very well connected to its
local county, without these planning procedures in
place, the BBP did not have much leverage for
involvement in a number of recovery activities.
Instead, the Partnership had to devote resources to
foster new connections with the hurricane recovery
decision-makers at the state and federal level. As a
result, the BBP was not fully prepared to react to
the quick response times and turnaround needed
after a disaster event. These circumstances became
evident as the region and funding entities
prioritized rebuilding damaged infrastructure
before the summer vacation months and "shovel-
ready" project proposals. Unfortunately, the BBP
did not have the experience to anticipate this
reality. Although the program submitted several
project proposals with partners focused on
resiliency and restoring natural resources, some
proposals were rejected for being too expensive or
not immediately executable. Thus, the BBP was
overlooked for several watershed recovery projects
(e.g., shoreline or wetland restoration) and
community infrastructure (e.g., water supplies,
stormwater [flood] management). Several
proposals included use of common monitoring and
assessment metrics to guide future decision-making
on certain types of projects for which little
information was available in New Jersey (e.g., thin-
layer deposition, hybrid shorelines). It became clear
to the BBP that rebuilding with resiliency was less of
a priority than building back rapidly. Without pre-
disaster planning and ready-to-go projects, the BBP
did not have the opportunity to help change these
outcomes.
As the BBP revises its original 2002 CCMP, the
Partnership is including emerging climate threats,
like sea level rise and storm severity, and
integrating results from a broad, risk-based
vulnerability assessment (EPA. 2016). By
emphasizing these topics in its revised CCMP, the
BBP is positioning itself for improved planning for
post-disaster recovery initiatives and for funding
opportunities related to hazard mitigation and pre-
disaster recovery planning. The CCMP will be
incorporated by reference into the LHMP to ensure
their projects are eligible for FEMA hazard
mitigation grants. Additionally, the BBP has
identified post-disaster monitoring locations so that
in the future, the Partnership can act quickly after a
disaster event to assess the watershed. However, a
post disaster monitoring plan is still needed.
Lesson #2: It's all about information-
sharing
The BBP learned that its role as a nimble
communicator is crucial during disaster recovery to
both its partners and the public
Superstorm Sandy was the most extreme weather
event the BBP has experienced since the program's
creation in 1995. As such, the Partnership had to
determine its niche during hurricane recovery along
with the numerous other organizations and
agencies involved in these efforts. The BBP is
recognized for supporting decision-making on the
best available science and communicating credible,
scientific information to its partners and the public;
thus, the role of communicator became the
Partnership's main responsibility during recovery
activities. However, this role did not come without
challenges. The dynamic and fast-paced nature of
response and recovery efforts hindered
communication channels with the BBP, since
disaster recovery officials were simply unaware of
BBP's expertise with the local watershed.
Furthermore, FEMA officials within the Joint Field
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Office rotated every 2 to 3 weeks, which created
another obstacle for consistent communication
with the BBP.
To address these challenges, the BBP has prioritized
building and maintaining communication networks
with disaster recovery officials. By improving
channels of communication with local, state, and
federal emergency management offices and State
Silver Jacket Teams, and through recognition in
local and state hazard mitigation plans, the program
is better prepared to fulfill its role as an effective
communicator to the public and its partners.
Lesson #3: The need for positive and well-
informed messages with the public and
partners
The BBP learned that positive and consistent
messages are most effective during disaster
recovery to foster important conversations about
community and natural resource resiliency.
Long before Superstorm Sandy, the BBP established
itself as a local scientific source and educator
regarding environmental issues within the
community. Superstorm Sandy gave community
members a far-too-personal understanding of the
impact of extreme weather intensified by climate
change. As community awareness has increased
about these climate change, the BBP continues to
host meaningful conversations about how
communities and future generations can plan for
change and thrive. Post-Sandy, the BBP also
recognized the newly energized public and
experienced new audiences gaining interest in the
Barnegat Bay watershed, including local businesses.
The BBP leveraged this new-found interest to bring
new stakeholders to the table and incorporate them
into future climate adaptation efforts.
An important component of this work is highlighting
opportunities for change and success stories to
keep people engaged. After a disaster event,
accusatory and negative messages can be
commonplace, but remain ineffective. The BBP staff
discovered that people within the study area
responded well to positive messages and success
stories. Throughout the region's recovery process,
the BBP has dedicated its resources to create
educational messages that both teach and inspire.
The BBP continues to craft messages that highlight
success stories to better prepare the community
and partners against future extreme weather
events. The Partnership also aims to provide
messages about other types of disaster events like
fires and flooding.
Discussion
The Barnegat Bay Partnership played a significant
role during recovery efforts post-Superstorm Sandy.
The BBP functioned as a community convener, an
educator, and a communicator to not only the
general public, but also to the Partnership's 30+
partners and other recovery officials. As local
experts of the watershed and the region's natural
resources, the BBP was able and continues to
provide objective scientific information during the
often-chaotic process of disaster recovery.
Throughout the recovery process, the BBP learned
important lessons, including the utility of pre-
disaster recovery planning, the need for credible
science-based information to support decision
making, the power of positive communications, and
the importance of defining and carrying out a
unique role that builds on its recognized strengths
as a National Estuary Program. Current predictions
show that frequency and intensity of storms is likely
to worsen in the New Jersey area, supporting the
need for better planning for flooding, drought, and
fire events (U.S. EPA, 2016). Going forward, the BBP
is working to improve its disaster
preparedness by embedding its CCMP with findings
from its vulnerability assessment and improving
communication networks with disaster officials.
However, there is still a need for a post-disaster
monitoring plan.
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PREPARING FOR DISASTER:
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A Case Study of Barataria-
Terrebonne National Estuary
Program:
Experiences and Lessons Learned
from the Deepwater Horizon Oil
Spill
Introduction and Background
Barataria-Terrebonne National Estuary Program
(referred to as "BTNEP" or "the Program"), located
in southeast Louisiana, was one of several National
Estuary Programs that played a crucial role in
disaster recovery activities after the Deepwater
Horizon Oil Spill (Greening, et al., 2017). This case
study explores BTNEP's experience with the spill
including pre-disaster recovery planning, BTNEP's
role during recovery efforts, and major lessons
learned.
On April 20, 2010, the oil-drilling rig Deepwater
Horizon, located in the Macondo Prospect in the
Gulf of Mexico, exploded. The explosion resulted in
11 deaths, 17 injuries, and one of the worst
environmental disasters in United States' history
(U.S. EPA, 2015; Bray, 2018). Over an 87-day period,
nearly 134 million gallons of oil flowed into the Gulf
of Mexico until the leak was capped on July 15,
2010.
Over 1,100 miles of coastline, 1,200 miles of deep
ocean floor, and 68,000 square miles of surface
water were polluted by the oil. The spilled oil
contaminated the coasts of 5 states including Texas,
Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida,
severely disrupting their economies and their
ecosystems (NRDC, 2015). It is estimated that the
overall loss of impacted fisheries could be $8.7
billion by 2020 and in Louisiana alone, leisure visitor
spending dropped by $422 million from 2010 to
2013 (Oceana, 2015). Deep-sea corals, biologically
diverse habitats, and wildlife suffered dramatic die-
offs. Close to one million seabirds, five-thousand
marine mammals, and one-thousand sea turtles
BTNEP Played a Vital Role During DWH
Spill Recovery
•	Providing non-biased media
engagement
•	Conducting public outreach and
education
•	Coordinating volunteer activities
•	Providing technical expertise
BTNEP Learned Valuable Lessons
Throughout Recovery Efforts
•	Determining BTNEP's appropriate role
during recovery activities
•	Emphasizing prevention and mitigation
were impacted. As a result, a $USD 20.8 billion
settlement was approved against the owners and
operators of the oil rig (NOAA, 2017).
Pre-Disaster Planning
From 1991 to 2015, about 19 thousand oil release
reports were made by the National Response
Center (NRC) within BTNEP's estuary boundary
(Barataria-Terrebonne National Estuary Program,
2018). Given the frequency of oil spills and BTNEP's
dedication to protect and preserve the estuary, the
Program ensured that oil-spill prevention and
planning documents were in place early on. Oil spill
prevention was embedded into the Program's
Comprehensive Conservation Management Plan
(CCMP) in 1996. As the CCMP was updated through
the years, oil spill prevention and early detection
action plans have also been continually
implemented.
BTNEP promotes meaningful engagement with
important partners on oil spill prevention and early
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PREPARING FOR DISASTER:
The National Estuary Program's Role in Pre-Disaster Planning, Post-Disaster Recovery, and Hazard Mitigation
detection. Members of BTNEP's Management
Conference, including the Louisiana Oil Spill
Coordinators Office and the Louisiana Independent
Oil and Gas Association, participate in decision-
making activities as well as the development and
implementation of the CCMP (Barataria-Terrebonne
National Estuary Program, 2018). The diverse set of
stakeholders within the Management Conference
convenes quarterly to represent the community's
collective voice on watershed issues. In addition to
the program's inclusive Management Conference,
BTNEP has produced materials on oil spill
prevention, including an Oil Spill Prevention
Calendar which was sent to oil industries and
partners annually in 2005, 2007, and 2010
(Barataria-Terrebonne National Estuary Program,
2010). The calendar focuses on mitigation and
details different oil spill prevention techniques for
more common types of spills. Additionally, BTNEP's
Spill Prevention Guide highlights the need to invest
in preventative measures or be prepared to pay for
the consequences later (Barataria-Terrebonne
National Estuary Program, 2011).
It is important to note, however, that these types of
activities and materials addressed the "typical oil
spill." The extent and severity of the Deepwater
Horizon Oil Spill (DWH Spill) was beyond anything
BTNEP - along with industry, regulators, and
responders - had ever dealt with before. In
comparison to other oil spill events, the
environmental and economic impacts of the DWH
Spill are still very much felt today.
Barataria-Terrebonne National Estuary
Program's Role in Recovery
Disaster recovery efforts are long-term and aim to
provide stabilization and to rehabilitate many
different aspects of the impacted areas, including:
economic viability, human health and well-being,
infrastructure, and natural and cultural resources
(U.S. Homeland Security, 2016). As a program
invested in preserving, protecting, and restoring the
natural resources of the Barataria-Terrebonne
f--\
m > #'
Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Photos from top by BTNEP;
US Coast Guard; BTNEP.
National Estuary, BTNEP had a direct role in disaster
recovery activities post-oil spill.
Communication and Media Relations
One of the most important roles that BTNEP
adopted immediately after the spill was as a reliable
source of accurate information for media outlets.
Given the size of the oil spill event and the response
to it, media outlets heavily covered the story and
sometimes provided misleading or false
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PREPARING FOR DISASTER:
The National Estuary Program's Role in Pre-Disaster Planning, Post-Disaster Recovery, and Hazard Mitigation
information. Adding to the confusion, federal and
state responders with a scientific understanding of
the situation were often unable to directly engage
with the media as they were occupied with
containing the spill and related recovery activities.
As a trusted source and communicator, BTNEP had
the ability to share factual, non-biased information
with the media almost daily to counteract
misinformation.
The director of BTNEP at the time participated in
numerous interviews and gave presentations to
local, national, and international reporters.
Presentations included: explanations of the Oil
Pollution Act and the process of spill response; the
composition of oil and its influence on natural
resources; the differences between technological
and natural disasters; an explanation of dispersants,
their impacts, and when they can and cannot be
used; and information about how coastal
landscapes are both important naturally and
economically (Greening, et al., 2017). In addition,
BTNEP staff brought reporters to accessible,
affected areas on boats and trucks to give them a
closer look of the impacts. This hands-on
engagement piqued the interest of many corporate
partners, resulting in guided tours with the BTNEP
director and several oil company representatives to
the damaged areas as "lessons learned"
opportunities.
Conducting Public Outreach and Education
Throughout the recovery process, BTNEP created
informative materials and actively engaged with the
community to educate individuals about oil spills
and the recovery process.
To continue to dispel misinformation about the oil
spill, BTNEP produced and distributed a series of
factsheets that provided easy-to-understand
information to address frequently asked questions.
These fact sheets, titled Oil Spill Cleanup in a Marsh
Environment. Chemical Dispersants. and Using
Booms in Response to Oil Spills are posted on a
Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill Resources page on the
BTNEP website (Barataria-Terrebonne National
Estuary Program, 2010). The program's website also
hosted links to additional, relevant resources and
contact information.
After the spill, many schoolchildren were frightened
by the news and how their families' health and
finances would be affected by the oil spill. To quell
these concerns, BTNEP's Education Coordinator
volunteered to visit schools to provide accurate and
age-appropriate information about the impacts of
the oil spill. With presentation slides, hands-on
learning activities, and exploratory scenarios, the
students were both engaged and comforted by the
educational information. During these
presentations, the Education Coordinator also
shared the turtle rehabilitation program with the
students, which was very popular and taught the
students about different wildlife recovery
initiatives.
Coordinating Volunteer Activities
As a valued stakeholder within the community,
BTNEP served as a volunteer coordinator for locals
who wanted to help protect the region's natural
resources.
Following the spill, volunteer interest was very high.
BTNEP served as a major volunteer coordinator to
point interested parties in the right direction. Given
the fact that cleanup activities require specialized
training to handle hazardous chemicals, many
individuals could not participate directly in such
cleanup activities. BTNEP encouraged these
concerned citizens to donate much needed
materials instead - such as paper towels, cameras,
gloves, rope, and soap - to assist with recovery
efforts. As BTNEP received large quantities of these
donated items, staff coordinated deliveries to assist
other agencies and organizations in severely
affected areas, like Grand Isle, that were not set up
to receive such donations.
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PREPARING FOR DISASTER:
The National Estuary Program's Role in Pre-Disaster Planning, Post-Disaster Recovery, and Hazard Mitigation
Providing Technical Expertise
As scientific specialists of the local watershed,
BTNEP staff and program initiatives provided much
needed technical expertise during recovery efforts to
inform good decision-making.
Both before and after the oil spill, BTNEP prioritized
hiring and maintaining highly skilled staff in a
variety of areas, allowing the Program's staff to be
effective leaders during recovery processes. By
having specialized roles in areas like education,
watershed science, wildlife, and media
communications, the Program efficiently executed
recovery activities such as engagement with news
outlets, education outreach with local schools, and
contribution to the oiled sea turtle rehab operation
with Audubon Nature Institute. Additionally, due to
previous professional involvement in oil spill
management, the BTNEP director at the time served
as an important scientific resource to spill response
officials. This specialized knowledge allowed the
BTNEP director to provide critical guidance on the
best methods to remove oil from wetlands for
optimum recovery.
In addition to the Program's staff resources, BTNEP
contributed important data and resources to
characterize the extent of damage on local habitats.
Since 2005, BTNEP has continually conducted bird
monitoring surveys, as the area is home to more
than 400 species of birds (Barataria-Terrebonne
National Estuary Program, n.d.). After the spill, this
data proved to be extremely useful for post-spill
monitoring surveys of oiled birds and tracking
affected populations. To assist the parishes to track
the damages to their local communities, BTNEP
purchased and used eight GPS cameras to
photograph and obtain GPS coordinates and dates
to track the spread of oil from the spill.
Funding Opportunities
Despite not receiving any funding from FEMA, the
Coast Guard, or the DWH Spill settlement, BTNEP
utilized its network of partnerships to support some
of the recovery activities.
After a disaster event, funding opportunities for
various recovery efforts become available, although
sometimes difficult to track down. Even though
BTNEP did not receive disaster relief funding from
FEMA, Coast Guard, or funding from the settlement,
BTNEP utilized alternative opportunities to help
support their recovery activities after the spill.
Founded in 1995, Barataria-Terrebonne Estuary
Foundation (BTEF) is a non-profit created to support
BTNEP's mission (Barataria-Terrebonne Estuary
Foundation, n.d.). After the oil spill, concerned
individuals from around the country donated to the
foundation to support the program's recovery
initiatives. In addition, a local bank organized a
fundraiser for BTEF, providing further financial
support. International, national, and local
companies also donated to advance restoration
activities.
In a show of solidarity and support, Delaware
Center for the Inland Bays, one of the 28 National
Estuary Programs, planned a charity concert on the
beach for BTNEP, which was a huge success
(Delaware coastal businesses rally for Gulf aid,
2010). Hundreds of people attended the event and
donated, contributing approximately $60,000 to the
Gulf recovery efforts. Despite these additional
funding opportunities, most of the financial support
was derived through the National Estuary Program's
base funding to BTNEP, provided by EPA.
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PREPARING FOR DISASTER:
The National Estuary Program's Role in Pre-Disaster Planning, Post-Disaster Recovery, and Hazard Mitigation
Lessons Learned
Given the massive impact of the spill, the numerous
spill responders entering the region, and the
widespread media coverage, this type of disaster
scenario was different than anything BTNEP had
ever experienced before. It has been eight years
since the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill occurred, and
the damages still linger today (U.S. National Ocean
Service, 2017). Despite BTNEP's in-depth
engagement and planning prior to the DWH Spill
the Program faced a number of challenges
throughout the recovery process. These challenges
presented BTNEP with a variety of learning
opportunities that continually inform the Program's
current and future decision-making.
Lesson #1: Determining BTNEP's Role
throughout Disaster Recovery Initiatives
BTNEP learned the importance of identifying the
program's role as a non-biased educator, scientific
expert, and community facilitator throughout
recovery initiatives.
After a disaster event such as the DWH Spill
response is fast-moving and dozens of outside
entities-federal, state, private, and NGOs-are
incorporated into the recovery process. During
recovery efforts, BTNEP pinpointed the program's
most effective role during recovery activities. With
BTNEP's previous experience in oil spill recovery
and community engagement combined with the
program's detailed knowledge about the
watershed, BTNEP was uniquely set up to support a
variety of post-disaster recovery activities as a
community educator, scientific expert, and
facilitator. By fulfilling these specific roles
throughout oil spill recovery, BTNEP contributed
significantly to the recovery efforts within the
region. Additionally, by following state Hazard
Mitigation Plans, the program ensured that they
were taking appropriate steps, along with the spill
recovery officials, to address and fulfill the needs of
the community and natural resources (State of
Louisiana, 2014). BTNEP plans to maintain and
improve engagement with local and state partners
to update and refine action plans specifically related
to oil spills in planning documents such as the
CCMP.
Lesson #2: Emphasizing Oil Spill Prevention
vs. Reaction
BTNEP learned to renew the program's emphasis on
preventative rather than reactive measures to
mitigate negative impacts from oil spills and other
disaster events.
The importance of emphasizing preventative
actions was heavily reiterated to BTNEP throughout
the DWH Spill recovery process. The Deepwater
Horizon Oil Spill was a man-made disaster that
caused catastrophic environmental and economic
damages to affected regions. Toxins, like oil and
chemical spills, remain one of BTNEP's priority
concerns, since more and larger spills occur in this
program's study area than in any other area in the
United States (Barataria-Terrebonne National
Estuary Program, 2011). Since these oil and
chemical spills are man-made, they are entirely
preventable. Throughout recovery efforts, BTNEP
and its acting Management Conference members
served as educators to school groups and to several
private oil and gas companies interested in reducing
oil and chemical spill risk. This interest
demonstrated by both community members and
private companies not only verified to BTNEP the
importance of preventative measures as the
number one way to reduce negative environmental
impacts, but also indicated the community's
willingness to learn how to improve.
With this renewed interest, BTNEP continues to
educate local community members and corporate
partners about preventative actions to ensure that
they are well-suited to protect the surrounding
communities and natural resources.
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PREPARING FOR DISASTER:
The National Estuary Program's Role in Pre-Disaster Planning, Post-Disaster Recovery, and Hazard Mitigation
Discussion
Throughout the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill
recovery process, BTNEP fulfilled a crucial role as a
nori-biased educator and community organizer.
BTNEP's unique position as source of watershed
experts, volunteer coordinators, and educators
allowed the program to be nimble with activities
such as media, community, and private sector
engagement. Additionally, because of the program's
dedicated work within the study area, BTNEP
provided important data, such as bird survey data
and GPS data, to assist with wildlife and habitat
rehabilitation after the spill. The lessons learned
from these recovery efforts will assist BTNEP going
forward with their future decision-making related to
hazard mitigation and pre-disaster planning.
Overall, this program's strong foundation proved to
be an invaluable resource throughout the
Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill recovery initiatives.
Deepwater Horizon oil spill impacts. Photo by BTNEP.
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PREPARING FOR DISASTER:
The National Estuary Program's Role in Pre-Disaster Planning, Post-Disaster Recovery, and Hazard Mitigation
A Case Study of Coastal Bend Bays
and Estuaries Program:
Experiences and Lessons Learned
from Hurricane Harvey
Introduction and Background
This case study explores Coastal Bend Bays and
Estuaries Program's role in Hurricane Harvey pre-
disaster preparedness activities, post-disaster
recovery initiatives, and lessons learned from these
experiences.
Coastal Bend Bays and Estuaries Program (referred
to as CBBEP or "the Program") is one of 28 National
Estuary Programs and is located along the south-
central Texas coastline (Coastal Bend Bays and
Estuaries Program, 2018). With a 515-square mile
study area. CBBEP protects and restores bays,
estuaries, and bayous in the Copano, Aransas,
Corpus Christi, Nueces, Baffin, and upper Laguna
Madre systems. The Program joined the National
Estuary Program in 1994 and CBBEP's first
Comprehensive Conservation Management Plan
was approved in 1999 (Coastal Bend Bays and
Estuaries Program , 2018).
Hurricane Harvey made landfall with maximum
sustained winds of 130mph in south-central Texas
on August 25th, 2017 as a Category 4 hurricane
(National Weather Service, 2017). In the following
days, Hurricane Harvey stalled in southern Texas
and produced catastrophic rainfall and flooding
throughout the impacted areas (The Weather
Channel, 2017; National Weather Service, 2017).
Southeast Texas and southwest Louisiana received
40-60 inches of rainfall - 27 trillion gallons of rain -
over a 6-day period (National Hurricane Center,
2017). In some areas, storm surge levels surpassed
12 feet above ground level (National Weather
Service, 2017). Over 300.000 structures in the
affected region were flooded, some as a result of
rainfall and others from storm surge (CBS News,
2017). Adjusted for inflation, Hurricane Harvey is
CBBEP Played a Vital Role During Hurricane
Harvey Recovery
•	Acting as a trusted scientific resource
•	Providing data and resources about the
impacts of Hurricane Harvey on
important natural resources
CBBEP Learned Valuable Lessons
throughout this Experience
•	Monitoring and tracking post-disaster
data
•	Communicating effectively with local,
state and federal government partners
the second costliest tropical cyclone on record after
2005's Hurricane Katrina, with a total of $125 billion
USD in damages (National Hurricane Center, 2017).
Coastal Bend Bays and Estuaries Program was
severely affected by Hurricane Harvey and played
an important role in pre-disaster and post-disaster
activities.
CBBEP's Role in Pre-Disaster Planning
Before Hurricane Harvey, CBBEP was involved in
several pre-disaster planning initiatives that aim to
increase the Program's preparedness for current
and future changes in sea-level, weather patterns,
geology, hydromorphology, and other potential
hazards. The Program continues to be involved in
these types of activities.
Using the CCMP to Guide Action
A large part of this preparedness is reflected in the
Program's newly updated CCMP - the 2nd draft
currently available online for public review (Coastal
Bend Bays and Estuaries Program, 2018). In
particular, Chapter 14 "Coastal Resilience", of the
plan is entirely focused on the impacts of changing
climatic and environmental conditions and the
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PREPARING FOR DISASTER:
The National Estuary Program's Role in Pre-Disaster Planning, Post-Disaster Recovery, and Hazard Mitigation
important role CBBEP must play in •'effective
avoidance, mitigation, minimization and adaptation
strategies (Coastal Bend Bays and Estuaries
Program, 2018)." This section of the CCMP is heavily
influenced by the vulnerability assessment
conducted in 2016 in partnership with The Nature
Conservancy. Through this assessment, the Program
is well-informed about the likely impacts on the
study area's coastal habitats and wildlife most
susceptible to storm surge and flooding from future
storms, due to sea level rise, erosion, subsidence,
and other processes. The vulnerability assessment
also produced five recommended actions that are
used to develop the Program's Coastal Resilience
Action Plan. Actions within this plan include:
facilitating studies to better understand the wide
range of effects of climate change; assisting
development and implementation of adaptive
management plans to conserve and protect coastal
resources; and, developing formal and informal
education materials that are locally relevant to
share with local communities. Furthermore, CBBEP
will share the results of the adaptive management
plans to counties and city leadership for their use in
planning. The Coastal Resilience Action Plan and
accompanying goals is an important step to set
CBBEP up for successful implementation of
important climate adaptation tasks, like promoting
hazard mitigation and pre-disaster planning.
Utilizing Partnerships to Encourage
Effective Planning
The Program's 2016 vulnerability assessment and
other studies on sea-level rise and advanced storms
are shared with local government officials to assist
with planning, establishing CBBEP as a center of
excellence on the study area's natural resources.
Additionally, the Program engages with more than
32 government, corporate, and non-profit partners
to involve them in outreach about climate risks and
preparedness
CBBEP is also named in the Texas Coastal Bend
Council of Governments' Coastal Bend Hazard
Mitigation Action Plan, which identifies the program
Damage cased by Hurricane Harvey. Photos by Owen
Fitzsimmons.
as a partnering agency to carry out specific hazard
mitigation action items (Coastal Bend Mitigation
Action Plan, 2012).
CBBEP's Role during Post-Disaster
Recovery
Rockport, Texas is within the CBBEP study area and
was the site of Hurricane Harvey's landfall with
IBOmph winds and 20 inches of rain. Nearby, Port
Aransas was devastated by the storm, with Aransas
County (population: 23,000) suffering more
destroyed single-family homes than Harris County
(population: 4.5 million) (South Texas Economic
Development Center, 2018; McGraw, 2018).
Despite these damages and the extreme flooding
that resulted from the storm, CBBEP staff self-
described the study area's impacts as "fairly
modest" in comparison to other affected areas.
CBBEP was fortunate to not have any major lasting
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PREPARING FOR DISASTER:
The National Estuary Program's Role in Pre-Disaster Planning, Post-Disaster Recovery, and Hazard Mitigation
water quality problems, but certain regions in the
Program's study area, like the rookery islands,
suffered severe damages.
For the first six months after the hurricane, most
activities were immediate disaster response-
focused— such as cleaning the streets of downed
power lines, garbage, and debris— and carried out
by local government entities. State and local
partners are very experienced with hurricane
response and recovery, so their plans were
prepared and well-executed. As response activities
slowly transitioned into longer-term recovery
activities, CBBEP played a crucial role in providing
both scientific expertise and resources to decision-
makers and local partners.
Offering Partners Scientific Information
and Receiving Support in Return
CBBEP played and continues to play an important
role as scientific experts on coastal habitats and
wildlife, providing crucial resources and data to
decision-makers and local partners throughout the
Hurricane Harvey recovery process.
One of the first actions that CBBEP took after
Hurricane Harvey hit the region was to get out on
the ground— once it was safe to do so— and take
photographs of the hurricane's impacts on the
study area's habitat. This action, while simple, was
extremely important for CBBEP, as these photos
were some of the first to be released of the
hurricane's impacts on the region's natural
resources. As such, the Program was not only able
to immediately begin conducting assessments of
the natural resources of the bay, but also got
noticed by a local outdoor journalist. This journalist
wrote a story about the environmental impacts of
the storm (Sikes, 2017). Readers responded quickly
by seeking CBBEP out to donate to the Program to
assist with recovery activities. CBBEP responded to
this by providing a website to accept donations
from concerned citizens. CBBEP also worked with
private foundations and corporations that provided
funding for immediate and long-term restoration
efforts.
In addition to the photos, CBBEP had several on-
going monitoring, multi-year efforts of the seagrass
beds as well as the coastal rookery islands (popular
nesting islands for various species of birds), prior to
the hurricane (Palmer, 2017; Coastal Bend Bays and
Estuaries Program, 2017). As a post-disaster
monitoring action, the program conducted follow-
up analyses on these programs to assess Hurricane
Harvey's impacts on these crucial habitats. The
greatest impact was on the rookery islands-
vegetation had been fully removed, educational
signage had been knocked over and destroyed, and
some islands were completely swept away by the
force of the waves. Due to these impacts,
approximately 10 years of restoration activities and
management progress were reversed. As a post-
disaster recovery activity, CBBEP put together an
impact survey about these devastated natural
resources and shared it with state and federal
partners. These partners were able to seek
immediate funding to start the restoration process,
which was and continues to be a very successful
endeavor (Tunnell, 2018). Throughout these
recovery initiatives, CBBEP worked closely with
Texas Parks & Wildlife Dept., Texas Commission on
Environmental Quality, and the Texas General Land
Office.
CBBEP's Lessons Learned
CBBEP faced several challenges throughout recovery
activities and as the region continues to recover
from Hurricane Harvey's drastic impacts. From these
challenges, CBBEP has learned important lessons
that will continue to inform the Program well into
the future.
It has been approximately one year since Hurricane
Harvey made landfall on U.S. soil. Communities are
still very much engaged with the long-term recovery
process post-hurricane. As a Program invested in
the community and the local coastal environments,
CBBEP is continually learning from Hurricane Harvey
and from the recovery activities the Program has
been engaged in.
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PREPARING FOR DISASTER:
The National Estuary Program's Role in Pre-Disaster Planning, Post-Disaster Recovery, and Hazard Mitigation
Lesson #1: The Importance of Monitoring
and Tracking
CBBEP learned the importance of conducting
assessments of the study area as soon as possible
post-disaster. However, questions about the
frequency of on-going monitoring remain.
Due to the Program's fundraising successes from
photographing the destruction of the study area's
natural resources, the benefits of quickly and
accurately tracking and sharing the impacts on the
environment after a disaster event were clearly
demonstrated to CBBEP. However, during these
monitoring and tracking efforts, CBBEP staff noted
the importance, and the Program's lack of, of
consistent and recent data and maps to compare
post-disaster monitoring and tracking data to. While
the Program realizes that mapping all existing
habitats annually may not be necessary, comparing
post-disaster data to 10-year-old maps does not
accurately portray the effects of a disaster event as
destructive as Hurricane Harvey.
To address this challenge, CBBEP is strategizing to
find a balance between establishing routine tracking
and monitoring efforts and the frequency of these
tasks. In the coming years, it is likely that the
Program will have a greater understanding about
implementing such a balance.
Lesson #2: The Challenge and Importance
of Communicating with Local, State, and
Federal Partners
Since natural resource recovery is a relatively low
priority during disaster recovery, CBBEP learned the
best way to ensure that its needs are properly
communicated through the most effective channels.
CBBEP encountered several communication
challenges throughout the recovery process. While
state government partners were well-prepared to
act after Hurricane Harvey, local government
entities were not as well-versed in this type of
disaster response and recovery scenario. Coupled
with the fact that repairing and recovering natural
resources is relatively low on the disaster recovery
priorities list, CBBEP had to learn the most effective
way to communicate with these decision-makers
and to highlight the importance of protecting and
restoring the important natural resources in the
Program's study area.
To address this communication challenge, CBBEP
learned that the Program's positive impacts during
recovery efforts and identified recovery needs must
be documented and, more importantly, shared with
FEMA through local government partners to secure
crucial FEMA funding for recovery projects.
Communicating these impacts and needs with local
government groups is essential for CBBEP to ensure
that both the Program itself and local government
entities do not miss opportunities to receive and
implement funding for recovery activities.
Discussion
Disaster recovery activities post-Hurricane Harvey
will continue for years to come. Coastal Bend Bays
and Estuaries Program played an important role as
scientific experts and stewards of the study area's
natural resources and learned several lessons about
the challenges of disaster recovery along the way.
The Program provided crucial tracking and
monitoring data about important resources like
seagrass and the rookery islands, vital habitats for
wildlife and nesting sites for a variety of migratory
and local birds. CBBEP highlighted the importance
of these resources and tracked the impacts of
Hurricane Harvey on these areas and continues to
do this important work.
Throughout these initiatives, CBBEP faced
challenges regarding monitoring and
communicating with disaster recovery decision-
makers. However, these challenges have turned
into lessons learned and the Program is working to
use these experiences to continue to be an
important voice and steward of the natural
resources of the area.
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PREPARING FOR DISASTER:
The National Estuary Program's Role in Pre-Disaster Planning, Post-Disaster Recovery, and Hazard Mitigation
A Case Study of San Francisco
Estuary Partnership:
Experiences and Lessons Learned from
Hazard Mitigation and Resiliency
Initiatives
Introduction and Background
This case study explores San Francisco Estuary
Partnership's (referred to as SFEP or "the
Partnership") role in implementing nature-based
resiliency and hazard mitigation initiatives and the
lessons learned from implementing these activities.
SFEP, one of 28 National Estuary Programs, was
established by the State of California and the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency in 1988 when the
San Francisco Bay and Sacramento and San Joaquin
River Delta (referred to as the San Francisco Bay-
Delta Estuary) was identified as an estuary of
national significance.
The San Francisco Bay-Delta Estuary is one of the
largest in North America, encompassing almost
60,000 square miles and close to 40 percent of the
state of California (San Francisco Estuary
Partnership, 2016). The program's study area
includes nine counties, 101 cities, and millions of
people. The waters and wetlands within the study
area provide vital habitat to a wide variety of plants
and animals. Additionally, much of the fresh water
from the program's study area is diverted to supply
population and agricultural centers in California.
The San Francisco Bay-Delta Estuary is vulnerable to
various climate-related challenges, including:
changes in precipitation and weather patterns,
increasing water temperature, sea-level rise,
changes in water availability, and changes in
sedimentation and erosion patterns (U.S. EPA,
2012). Given these threats to the estuary, SFEP has
responded by prioritizing nature-based resiliency
initiatives and hazard mitigation activities to
SFEP Highlights Importance of Regional
Approach to Hazard Mitigation and
Resiliency Planning
•	Enabling innovative action through a
well-informed CCMP
•	Acting as a community conduit for
resiliency work
SFEP Learned Valuable Lessons from
Resiliency Work
•	Innovative projects, outdated approval
processes
•	Working regionally while balancing local
needs
improve the estuary and support the region's
climate preparedness.
SFEP's Role in Hazard Mitigation and
Resiliency Planning
SFEP plays a dynamic role to support resiliency and
hazard mitigation planning within the region.
Housed within a region with a long-standing
emphasis on climate-related issues, SFEP's locally-
driven priorities have accentuated climate
adaptation actions from early on. Continuing this
commitment to support climate adaptation, SFEP's
updated 2016 CCMP, called the Estuary Blueprint.
demonstrates the Partnership's current and future
role in innovative climate adaptation projects that
are geared towards long-term resiliency and hazard
mitigation (San Francisco Estuary Partnership,
2016). Through these projects, SFEP supports
regional resiliency by acting as a community
convener of experts in the field, as well as providing
resources and support to smaller organizations.
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PREPARING FOR DISASTER:
The National Estuary Program's Role in Pre-Disaster Planning, Post-Disaster Recovery, and Hazard Mitigation
Enabling Innovative Action through a Well-
informed CCMP
With a well-informed CCMP, SFEP is equipped to
address and assist hazard mitigation and climate
adaptation initiatives within the region, enhancing
the long-term preparedness of the communities
and natural resources in the study area.
Integrating Resilience throughout the
CCMP to Demonstrate a Multi-Benefit
Approach
By naming "Resilience" as one of four key goals and
integrating this goal throughout the 32 actions
detailed in the 2016 Estuary Blueprint, SFEP
develops and tracks its role in resiliency work to
better serve the surrounding communities and
habitats.
While resiliency and climate adaptation are
highlighted in 15 of the 32 actions, four actions
(Action 14 through Action 17) specifically address
hazard mitigation initiatives, recovery planning,
climate adaptation projects, and resiliency projects.
Throughout these four actions, SFEP emphasizes
the importance of nature-based infrastructure,
natural resource protection, and multi-benefit
climate adaptation projects in order to promote
initiatives that not only increase the region's
resilience to current and future hazards, but also
provide positive environmental and economic
benefits (San Francisco Estuary Partnership). One
example of a multi-benefit climate adaptation
project is SFEP's collaboration on a horizontal levee
project in the Oro Loma and Castro Valley Sanitary
Districts (Oro Loma and Castro Valley Sanitary
Districts to Test Experimental Levee, 2015). This
innovative project not only creates abundant
wildlife habitat, but it also slows storm surges,
buffers rising sea levels, and removes nutrients that
jeopardize water quality—qualities that benefit the
surrounding communities' health and well-being. By
having this type of language embedded into the
CCMP, SFEP is able to commit resources to these
multi-benefit hazard mitigation and resiliency
projects.
CCMP Actions Informed by Influential
Partnerships and Relevant Documents
SFEP's active commitment in the CCMP to engage
with decision-makers at the regional and federal
level improves the Partnership's position as a key
provider of technical support and resources to
protect the study area's habitat and surrounding
communities.
In addition to resilience goals interspersed among
SFEP's CCMP's actions, the Partnership's actions are
responsive to recommendations found in
informative climate-related documents including,
Bavlands and Climate Change: What We Can Do and
Safeguarding California: Reducing Climate Risk (San
Francisco Estuary Institute, 2015; Natural Resources
Agency, 2014). Furthermore, the 2016 Estuary
Blueprint actions refer to important pre-disaster
recovery planning resources, such as the National
Disaster Recovery Framework (NDRF) and the
creation of state and local hazard mitigation plans.
SFEP has built up key relationships with some
agencies active in resiliency planning through
strategic investments and leveraging assistance in
priority areas. SFEP's CCMP actions are well-
informed by these partnerships within the disaster
preparedness and recovery arenas. SFEP works with
regional partners, including Association of Bay Area
Governments (ABAG) and the San Francisco Bay
Conservation and Development Commission (BCDC)
to integrate FEMA's Recovery Support Function
(RSF) core recovery capability for natural and
cultural resources into local and regional resilience
plans, hazard mitigation plans, and climate
adaptation plans. SFEP also contributes to planning
and guidance efforts such as Adapting to Rising
Tides and the Delta Stewardship Council's Delta
Levee Investment strategy (San Francisco Bay
Conservation and Development Commission, 2018;
Delta Stewardship Council, n.d.).
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By actively engaging in these planning processes,
SFEP is positioned to be a provider of technical
support and resources to potentially protect natural
resources and communities in the case of a hazard
event. Overall, These CCMP actions guide SFEP to
address hazard mitigation and resiliency, better
preparing the Partnership for current and potential
hazard events such as floods, sea level rise, and the
water quality impacts from fires.
SFEP Acting as a Community Conduit for
Resiliency Work
As a partnership-oriented program, SFEP naturally
brings groups together and provides vital resources
to various stakeholders to tackle regional resiliency
and hazard mitigation challenges.
SFEP acts as a convener to unite different
organizations and entities and initiate necessary
conversations or projects about resiliency,
preparedness, and hazard mitigation. With many
local organizations and stakeholders focused on
different aspects of the same topic of resiliency and
natural resource protection, it is beneficial for SFEP
to actively engage with these partners. As a
partnership and place-based program, SFEP
naturally plays an important role in bringing people
together, either as a project implementer or a
project facilitator. In this way, the Partnership
assists with administrative and financial capacity, as
well as creating better regional communication
between local, regional, and federal agencies,
businesses, and other environmental organizations.
With SFEP's 38+ partners, the Partnership brings
together big cities and smaller towns with different
organizations, often with a focus on environmental
justice, who typically do not have the resources to
initiate such projects.
As an example of the Partnership's convening
power, SFEP is working with the San Francisco
Estuary Institute (SFEI) and The Watershed Project
on a community-driven project to create a North
Richmond Shoreline Vision (McGlynn, 2018). The
North Richmond area has a higher-than-average
poverty rate and houses a disproportionate amount
of chemicals and toxins compared to other
communities. Through a collaborative approach,
SFEP, SFEI and The Watershed Approach engaged
with local stakeholders through an inclusive polling
process to determine local watershed priorities and
what locals would like to see happen within the
watershed. One major goal of the project was to
determine how to marry environmental resource
protection with addressing equity issues.
Through projects like the North Richmond Shoreline
Vision initiative, SFEP engages with their local
stakeholders and other groups to provide support,
technical expertise, fiscal support, and
communication support to further promote their
resilience goals to protect the local communities
and natural resources.
Lessons Learned
Throughout SFEP's innovative approaches to
address current and potential hazards, the
Partnership has faced substantial challenges. From
these challenges, SFEP has learned valuable lessons
that the Partnership working to utilize in its current
and future planning process.
Lesson #1: Innovative Infrastructure,
Outdated Processes
Permitting Difficulties
Nature-based infrastructure projects such as
horizontal levees and other multi-benefit climate
adaptation projects often face slow-downs due to
outdated permitting processes.
With innovations such as horizontal levees and
other types of natural resource infrastructure
projects, SFEP and others have faced policy conflicts
in the Bay area between agencies with permitting
and approval processes, often slowing down the
permitting process. One example of a policy conflict
is the issue of bay fill. The creation of Habitat
Transition Zones in projects like ecotones or
horizontal levees requires the import of fill material.
Various agencies in the Bay area have different
minimum fill requirements to achieve project goals.
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Additionally, some permitting agencies penalize the
restoration community for fill as if they were grey
infrastructure developers. While these
considerations are technically equitable, restoration
groups like SFEP have significantly different end
goals for projects like a horizontal levee (e.g.
creation of habitat and water quality improvement)
than grey infrastructure developers (e.g. creation of
an apartment building). This lack of consideration
regarding the purpose of the bay fill causes
significant amount of frustration and slowdowns
throughout the permitting process. However, SFEP
is working with local governments to work with
lawmakers and partners to issue permits for these
types of innovations. In Action 17 in the Estuary
Blueprint, SFEP lays out an in-depth plan to address
this permitting issue.
Investment Difficulties
Nature-based infrastructure projects are very new
innovations and are considered to be experimental
due to this newness. As such, government agency
funders view these projects as an investment risk.
As a partnership that heavily relies on partner
support and financial contributions, experimental
projects such as horizontal levees are difficult to
fund. Despite the multitude of benefits that a
nature-based infrastructure project may provide,
government agency funders are risk-averse and shy
away from these types of initiatives. Furthermore,
given these projects' experimental nature, it is a
challenge to demonstrate to funders that an
expensive long-term investment will, in fact, pay
itself off or be useful to the environment and the
surrounding communities. As a new arena for
planners and investors alike, it will be years until
concrete data is available to quantify the benefits of
nature-based infrastructure projects.
Lesson #2: Working Regionally while
Balancing Local Needs
Communities working in silos unintentionally
exacerbate negative environmental impacts in other
areas. SFEP is working towards implementing
regional approaches to bring the necessary
stakeholders together.
As is common among local governments,
organizations, and stakeholder groups across the
country, groups tend to work within their individual
silos, rarely interacting or interacting on a limited
level. However, environmental issues are not bound
by jurisdictional boundaries— hazards like flooding
and sea level rise affect large swathes of land
regionally. As a partnership focused on bringing
different groups together to protect and restore the
San Francisco Bay-Delta Estuary, it can be
challenging for SFEP to pull these siloed groups
together to work regionally rather than locally. For
example, as cities within the SFEP study area build
infrastructure to protect their community members
from sea level rise, having this infrastructure in one
area is likely to exacerbate changes on nearby
shorelines. For example, sea walls tend to increase
erosion dramatically in the adjacent parcels of land
by amplifying the force of the waves. These results
demonstrate that sea walls are often
counterproductive to the goal of protecting the land
from rising sea levels. Therefore, continuing to
conduct these types of isolated projects does more
harm than good for the region.
To combat this problem, SFEP promotes regional
partnerships to address complex environmental
issues. Collaborating with SFEI, the Partnership is
advocates for methods like the Operational
Landscape Units concept, in which projects are
mapped out as regional bubbles, and the watershed
approach, in which projects are targeted based on
watershed boundaries (San Francisco Estuary
Institute, 2018). SFEP hopes to include the various
stakeholders within a given region to bring
important players together and invest in
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sustainable, beneficial environmental initiatives
that enhance the entire region's resilience.
Discussion
SFEP is a leader of hazard mitigation initiatives and
resiliency activities within the NEP community,
enabling effective engagement through action-
oriented documents and communicating with a
variety of stakeholders within the Partnership's
study area. Additionally, thorough engagement in
these types of activities lays the groundwork for
participation in recovery activities in case of a
hazard or disaster event.
However, hazard mitigation and resiliency planning
activities bring challenges— such as finding financial
support for experimental infrastructure projects,
balancing the needs of the region with the needs of
the locals, and navigating outdated permitting
processes. Despite these challenges, the
Partnership is working to continually address these
roadblocks and will adapt as new challenges arise.
A SFEP project site. Photo by SFEP.
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Conclusion
The 28 National Estuary Programs experience different strengths and challenges depending on the program's
locally-driven priorities and planning documents, like the CCMP. However, the 28 NEPs are unified in that they
all thrive on diverse partnerships, science, and the goal to protect and restore the natural resources within their
study areas. These similarities between the NEPs create a strong foundation for the NEPs' involvement in
complex issues such as pre-disaster planning activities, post-disaster recovery activities, and hazard mitigation
initiatives.
These four case studies on Barnegat Bay Partnership, Barataria-Terrebonne National Estuary Program, Coastal
Bend Bays and Estuaries Program, and San Francisco Estuary Partnership illustrate the important role the NEPs
may adopt to effectively address to pre-disaster planning, post-disaster recovery, and hazard mitigation
initiatives. Over half of the 28 NEPs have come face-to-face with a disaster event, and these four case studies
demonstrate that NEPs are crucial stakeholders during the various aspects of disaster planning, recovery, and
hazard mitigation— acting as community conveners, non-biased communicators, scientific experts on natural
resources, and educators. The NEPs are built on partnerships with many groups such as local / regional / state /
federal government, the private sector, academic groups, and non-profits. This wide variety of partnerships
allows the NEPs to be nimble in their actions, bringing together different stakeholders and providing resources
and expertise when needed.
These case studies also demonstrate the difficulties and lessons learned that are often encountered during this
type of work. While the NEPs are built on partnerships, effective communication with important decision-
makers can be a significant challenge if appropriate planning has not taken prior to a disaster or hazard event.
Without proper planning, the NEPs analyzed in this white paper frequently faced issues such as: communicating
with decision-makers and disaster recovery personnel, securing funding for post-disaster or hazard mitigation
projects, prioritizing activities like post-disaster monitoring, and determining the most appropriate role for the
NEP's activities during disaster recovery or hazard mitigation. In addition, the case studies demonstrate the
challenges with outdated permitting processes and working regionally while balancing local needs.
In consideration of these challenges, there are a number of steps NEPs may adopt to improve overall readiness
and effectiveness. Additionally, it is vital for the partners of NEPs to provide support to the NEPs to enhance this
important work in pre-disaster planning, disaster recovery, hazard mitigation, and overall resiliency. Working to
update CCMPs to include initiatives regarding hazard mitigation, using the National Disaster Recovery
Framework as a guide, is an important first step to ensure proper communication post-disaster event (U.S.
Homeland Security, 2016). In addition, NEP engagement with local and state partners during current and future
creation of Multi-Jurisdictional All Hazard Mitigation Plans will better-connect NEPs to funding opportunities for
recovery and hazard mitigation projects (FEMA, 2018; FEMA, 2018). NEPs may also consider joining the state-
level Silver Jackets Team to support local and state flood risk management efforts (Silver Jackets, n.d.).
Furthermore, NEPs may be able to support local government partners in obtaining a higher rating in the
Community Rating System (CRS) to improve flood risk management codes, including stormwater, watershed,
and nature-based mitigation (Association of State Floodplain Managers, 2018). Solidifying these connections
with will ensure that the NEP is properly prepared for a hazard event or disaster event. Given the power of the
National Estuary Programs to support hazard mitigation, pre-disaster planning initiatives, and post-disaster
recovery activities, equipping the NEPs with the proper tools and support will only bolster the country's overall
resilience as the coasts are faced with future hazard and disaster events.
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Appendices
Appendix 1
	2015
	2012
	 2008
	2016
	2011
	2017
	Average
1980-2017 Year-to-Date United States Billion-Dollar Disaster Event Frequency (CPI-
Adj usted)
20
0
Jari Feb Mar Apr May Juri Jul
Event statistics are added according to the date on which they ended.
"1980-2017 Year-to-Date United States Billion-Dollar
Disaster Event Frequency (CPI-Adjusted)." Billion-Dollar
Weather arid Climate Disasters: Overview, NOAA National
Centers for Environmental Information, 9 July 2018,
www.ncdc.noaa.gov/billions/.
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PREPARING FOR DISASTER:
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Appendix 2
Number of billion-dollar weather and climate disasters by type, 1980-2016
Droughts and heat waves
Winter storms
15 0
13 0
Rood in g
Wildfires
7 0	12 0
Total disasters of all types = 203
Tropical cyclones
• •'

17
Severe local storms
43
NOAA Climate, go*
Data: NCEl
Locations of the WEPs superimposed onto a map that shows
frequency of billion-dollar weather and climate disasters by type in
the U.S.
Smith, Adam B. "Number of Billion-Dollar Weather and Climate
Disasters by Type, 1980-2016." 2016: A Historic Year for Billion-Dollar
Weather and Climate Disasters in U.S., NQAA National Centers for
Environmental Information, 9 Jan. 2017, www.climate.gov/news-
f eatures/blogs/beyond-data/2.016-historic-yea r-bi 11 ion-do I la r-
weather-and-cli mate-disasters-us.
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