In FY21, OR&R made significant updates to its environmental sensitivity index maps for two critical links in the Great Lakes region—the St. Marys and St. Lawrence rivers.

To answer the question “How does pollution impact the ocean and what can we do about it?” NOAA experts often need to conduct research that advances our knowledge of marine pollution science. This blog highlights 12 scientific articles about research advancing pollution response and assessment published in Fiscal Year 2021.

Every month our Emergency Response Division provides scientific expertise and services to the U.S. Coast Guard on everything from running oil spill trajectories to model where the spill may spread, to possible effects on wildlife and fisheries and estimates on how long the oil may stay in the environment. This month OR&R responded to 12 incidents in November, including oil discharges, grounded vessels, and other pollution-related incidents.

Imagine this: you are sitting on a beautiful beach enjoying a lovely day, when out of the blue an alarm blasts from your phone and reads “Tsunami warning.” Do you know where you would go and what to do? What if you aren’t in the U.S. and there are no alarms, would you know the signs of an approaching tsunami?

This feature is part of a series profiling scientists and technicians who provide exemplary contributions to the mission of NOAA’s Office of Response and Restoration. This month we’re excited to feature the scientific support coordinator for California, Jordan Stout. We think you’ll enjoy meeting him!

When oil spills in the ocean, NOAA uses cutting-edge mapping and spatial data tools to help respond to, clean up, and assess the impacts of pollution. These tools are utilized by the U.S. Coast Guard and other state and federal agencies to help mitigate the damage of pollution, and to guide post-spill restoration. A new ArcGIS Story Map about the Refugio Beach oil spill puts real data from the spill response at your fingertips

Every month our Emergency Response Division provides scientific expertise and services to the U.S. Coast Guard on everything from running oil spill trajectories to model where the spill may spread, to possible effects on wildlife and fisheries and estimates on how long the oil may stay in the environment.

This month OR&R responded to 16 incidents in October, including oil discharges, grounded vessels, and other pollution-related incidents.  

At the very bottom of the Gulf of Mexico live deep-sea corals—soft, alien versions of their more familiar shallow water cousins. For eons, deep-sea corals thrived in the depths, providing shelter for smaller denizens like brittlestars, sponges, and crabs. Until one day, dirty snow from the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill descended upon them.