MassDEP/LSP Association Continuing Education Seminar

Online Course: Updates on BWSC's Natural Resource Damages Program 

Registration: Registration must take place during business hours (8 am to 6 pm Mon. - Fri.). Within 24 hours of registration, the LSPA will provide your registration information via email.  
Availability: Once you have your login information, the course may be accessed at any time for 30 days through a web browser. At the end of 30 days, your access is terminated. No extensions will be offered. 
Technology: The course may be accessed using a computer, tablet or mobile device. All you need is a web browser and access to the Internet. Preferred browsers include: Google Chrome, Safari, Edge and Firefox. Please note: Internet Explorer 11 (IE11) is not a supported browser. 
Pricing: $80 for each course attendee. 
Course Authors: 

  • Karen Pelto, Natural Resource Damages (NRD) Program Coordinator, Bureau of Waste Site Cleanup, MassDEP
  • Elizabeth Callahan, Acting Division Director, Policy and Program Development, MassDEP BWSC Boston 

This course has been approved for 1.5 DEP Regulatory continuing education credit (#1683A). This presentation was originally offered in-person in November 2019 as course #1683. Depending on your LSP renewal date, if you received credit then, you may be unable to receive credit for taking this course. Refer to 309 CMR 3.09(2)(c).

Course Description: 
This online course will provide LSPs with the most up-to-date information on the status of MassDEP’s Bureau of Waste Site Cleanup’s Natural Resource Damages (NRD) Program and will cover the NRD standard method for assessing damages from small to medium oil spills to surface waters. The standard method has been used on a case-specific basis for settlements for surface water releases of oil in the Mystic River watershed. MassDEP is developing draft regulations to implement the method routinely in the event of a qualifying spill.    

The presentation will cover a range of topics including --

  • Objectives and general approach of the NRD Program: Assessment, Settlement, Restoration Planning, Implementation and Monitoring
  • NRD restoration highlights
  • Components of and regulatory considerations for NRD standard method for small to medium oil spills to surface waters, and how information from MCP notification and response action process is relevant to the NRD method and damage claim.

Registration Process:
Once you complete your registration form for the course, you will receive two emails from the LSPA:

  1. Your registration confirmation which also acts as a paid receipt.
  2. An email containing your log-in information and link to directly access the online course. Once this email is sent, you will have 30 days to complete the course. Access to the course and the quiz will automatically expire in 30 days. There will be no extensions or exceptions. 
  3. To receive your CEU, you must successfully complete the quiz and log out of the Learning Management System.

If you have any questions, please email Kristi Lefebvre.  

 Please click here to review the LSPA Course Cancellation Policy.