We recently posted more work plans, bringing the total to nearly 65 work plans on the NRDA Workplans and Data page. Weâve also made them easier to access and search. These work plans are produced by the technical working groups, each of which are charged with assessing the impacts from the spill to a specific natural resource (including marine mammals and turtles, seagrass, and corals). These work plans are developed by the groups to plan what data they are going to collect and how they will collect it.
The process for development of each plan reflects input and advice from experienced trustee scientists and resource managers, as well as leading experts from the private sector, including scientists who specialize in studying oil spills and natural resources in the Gulf of Mexico.
These data are being made public once they have undergone a rigorous validation process to ensure their quality. The data will then be analyzed to determine what the impact to natural resources has been from the spill. If impacts are found, they will be addressed through the Natural Resource Damage Assessment (NRDA).