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Identifying evaluation considerations for the recovery and restoration from the 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill: An initial appraisal of stakeholder concerns and values
Citation:
Carriger, J., Steve Jordan, Jan Kurtz, AND W. Benson. Identifying evaluation considerations for the recovery and restoration from the 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill: An initial appraisal of stakeholder concerns and values. Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management. Allen Press, Inc., Lawrence, KS, 11(3):502-513, (2015).
Impact/Purpose:
Demonstrate the benefits of organizing concerns and values into objectives.
Description:
Understanding what can be achieved and what should be avoided by environmental management decisions requires an understanding of values or what is cared about in a decision. Decision analysis provides tools and processes for constructing objectives that transparently reflect the values being considered in environmental management decisions. This article demonstrates parts of the initial decision analysis steps of identifying a decision context and constructing objectives for the recovery and long-term restoration of the Gulf of Mexico following the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill. From a review of multiple reports, including those developed by policy makers and non-governmental organizations, a preliminary structuring of concerns and considerations into objectives to highlight features of importance in the recovery from the spill and long-term restoration. The fundamental objectives constructed for the long-term restoration context reflect broader concerns regarding well-being and quality of life. When developed through stakeholder engagement processes, clarifying objectives can potentially (1) lend insight into the values that can be affected (2) meaningfully include stakeholders in the decision making process (3) enhance transparency and communication and (4) develop high impact management strategies reflecting broad public interests.
