Sand Creek NRDA

Sand Creek
Photo Credit: Topher Lewis

Working in coordination with clients at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFW), IEc assessed the natural resource damages associated with the 2011 spill of petroleum products into Sand Creek from the Suncor Refinery, located in Commerce City, Colorado. The spill adversely affected groundwater, aquatic and riparian habitat, wetlands, and waterfowl dependent upon these resources. IEc staff developed habitat equivalency analyses to define mitigation measures that would compensate the public for avian wildlife killed as a result of the spill. This process included working closely with USFW personnel to develop life history parameters for affected avian species, and to identify and scale appropriate restoration options.  IEc also assisted in settlement negotiations for this case, which settled for approximately $1.9 million.

More Information Client U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service