| (a) The state trustees shall conduct a preliminary field investigation to determine whether a natural resource damage assessment is necessary and, if so, the scope of the natural resource damage assessment. The state trustees shall determine the appropriate methods to be used in conducting the preliminary field investigation. (b) A preliminary field investigation may include, but is not limited to: (1) sampling of surface waters for reference information, such as temperature, pH, total suspended solids, salinity, dispersion and other parameters relevant to the fate and effects of oil and its degradation constituents; (2) sampling of sediments and shoreline materials for reference and for oil and its degradation constituents; (3) identification of the properties of the discharged oil; (4) identification of special protection or management areas, state and federal wildlife
refuges, parks, habitats of threatened and endangered species, and other relevant natural areas; (5) an evaluation of the observable mortality and the potential for acute and chronic effects; (6) photography, ground truthing, and other appropriate methods to delineate the extent of exposure in the assessment area; and (7) identification of potentially reduced services provided by natural resources.
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