Anyone who operates a chemical, petrochemical or bulk petroleum terminal facility has likely encountered a natural resource damages (NRD) claim. But since NRD claims have historically only been assessed after a catastrophic environmental contamination event, such as the 1989 Exxon Valdez disaster, many risk professionals may not have had any experience with them at all. This may be about to change, however, with many now referring to natural damages as a "sleeping giant" due to the potential lor vast recoveries under a host of federal and state laws. Before moving onto a more detailed discussion of this type of claim, first, it is is important to ensure we understand the necessary language.