Environmental Sensitivity Index - Cook Inlet and Kenai Peninsula, Alaska

This data set is available from the Alaska Department of Natural Resources and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and contains vector lines and polygons representing the shoreline and coastal habitats of Cook Inlet and Kenai Peninsula, Alaska, classified according to the Environmental Sensitivity Index (ESI) classification system. This data set comprises a portion of the ESI for Cook Inlet and Kenai Peninsula. ESI data identify the marine and coastal environments and wildlife by their sensitivity to spilled oil. The ESI data include information for three main components: shoreline habitats, sensitive biological resources, and human-use resources.

The ESI data were collected, mapped, and digitized to provide environmental data for oil spill planning and response. The Clean Water Act with amendments by the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 requires response plans for immediate and effective protection of sensitive resources.