(a) Requirement.

(1) The authorized official shall, in accordance with the procedures provided in the Injury Determination phase of this part, determine: whether an injury to one or more of the natural resources has occurred; and that the injury resulted from the discharge of oil or release of a hazardous substance based upon the exposure pathway and the nature of the injury.

(2) The Injury Determination phase consists of §11.61—general; §11.62—injury definition; §11.63—pathway determination; and §11.64—testing and sampling methods, of this part.

(b) Purpose. The purpose of the Injury Determination phase is to ensure that only assessments involving well documented injuries resulting from the discharge of oil or release of a hazardous substance proceed through the type B assessment.

(c) Injury Determination phase steps.

(1) The authorized official shall determine whether the potentially injured resource constitutes a surface water, ground water, air, geologic, or biological resource as defined in §11.14 of this part. The authorized official shall then proceed in accordance with the guidance provided in the injury definition section, §11.62 of this part, to determine if the resource is injured.

(2) The authorized official shall follow the guidance provided in the testing and sampling methods section, §11.64 of this part, in selecting the methodology for determining injury. The authorized official shall select from available testing and sampling procedures one or more procedures that meet the requirements of the selected methodologies.

(3) The authorized official shall follow the guidance provided in the pathway section, §11.63 of this part, to determine the route through which the oil or hazardous substance is or was transported from the source of the discharge or release to the injured resource.

(4) If more than one resource, as defined in §11.14(z) of this part, has potentially been injured, an injury determination for each resource shall be made in accordance with the guidance provided in each section of the Injury Determination phase.

(d) Selection of methodologies.

(1) One of the methodologies provided in §11.64 of this part for the potentially injured resource, or one that meets the acceptance criteria provided for that resource, shall be used to establish injury.

(2) Selection of the methodologies for the Injury Determination phase shall be based upon cost-effectiveness as that phrase is used in this part.

(e) Completion of Injury Determination phase.

(1) Upon completion of the Injury Determination phase, the Assessment Plan shall be reviewed in accordance with the requirements of §11.32(f) of this part.

(2) When the authorized official has determined that one or more of the natural resources has been injured as a result of the discharge or release, the authorized official may proceed to the Quantification and the Damage Determination phases.

(3) When the authorized official has determined that an injury has not occurred to at least one of the natural resources or that an injury has occurred but that the injury cannot be linked to the discharge or release, the authorized official shall not pursue further assessment under this part.