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Comite Resources provides litigation support to assess damages to coastal areas from various activities. In addition to providing expert testimony and preparing expert reports, Comite Resources often conducts field investigations and data review, providing the information necessary to make a winning argument, including those listed below. 

Impact Assessments

Ecological data are necessary to determine if an activity has negatively impacted soils, vegetation, or hydrology of an area. Appropriate study design is imperative to collecting data necessary to assigning impacts to a specific cause. Comite Resources has decades of experience in designing field studies to determine impacts to wetlands and other ecosystems from human activities.  

Historical Research

To establish the cause of impacts to a specific area, it is often necessary to determine historical changes to the landscape that may have contributed to impacts. Because of their extensive experience working in coastal Louisiana, Comite Resources scientists have in-depth knowledge of the unique characteristics and functions of the basins of the Louisiana coast. Some of the information we have gathered to establish historical and current conditions include:

  • Geologic setting
  • Hydrologic setting
  • Alterations in hydrology
  • Land use setting
  • Review of aerial photography
  • Precipitation data & Palmer Drought Severity Index
  • Changes to ecosystem functions

Data Review and Analysis and Preparation of Expert Reports

Current and historical data must be analyzed to determine if a specific activity has caused changes to an ecosystem. These data, when reviewed in a landscape setting, can provide information regarding how an activity has affected an area. Comite Resource scientists have decades of experience compiling and statistically analyzing data to determine ecosystem impacts. Dr. Day, along with Drs. Robert Lane and Rachael Hunter, have decades of experience compiling and analyzing data to prepare expert reports regarding ecosystem changes and impacts from different activities. 

Expert Testimony 

The president of Comite Resources, Dr. John W. Day, is a world-renowned wetland scientist who has been called as an expert witness for numerous court cases, including damages associated with the Mississippi River Gulf Outlet and oil & gas production. Please inquire if we can help you make a winning argument.