Monthly Archives August 2018

Minds Behind OR&R: Meet Marine Debris Scientist Sarah Lowe
By Alexis Thorbecke, NOAA Marine Debris Program
alyssa.gray Fri, 08/24/2018 - 18:08

This is the 11th in a monthly series profiling scientists and technicians who provide exemplary contributions to the mission of NOAA’s Office of Response and Restoration (OR&R). This month’s featured scientist is Marine Debris Program Great Lakes Regional Coordinator Sarah Lowe.

Is Marine Debris Impacting Your Beach Day, and Your Wallet?

Posted Thu, 08/23/2018 - 13:37

Imagine you’ve planned a big day at the beach with your family and friends, loaded up the car with supplies, and traveled out to your favorite spot, only to find a beach littered with plastic beverage bottles, stray fishing line, chip bags, cigarette butts, and other debris. Would you stay and play, or be on your way? This is the choice that many face when heading to their local beaches.

Improving Regional Preparedness for Future Oil Spills
By Stephanie Smith, Gulf Research Program, National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
alyssa.gray Tue, 08/14/2018 - 16:56

Since the Deepwater Horizon disaster occurred in 2010, the Gulf of Mexico has received much of the attention focused on the impacts of oil spills. Researchers have meticulously studied how spills affect the region, from public health effects, to social disruption, to economic impacts. However, oil spills occur throughout the country, with different areas facing unique issues and concerns. To improve preparedness for oil spills in additional communities, the Gulf Research Program of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine is collaborating with the Sea Grant Oil Spill Science Outreach Program on a series of workshops in coastal regions across the country.

Incident Responses for July 2018

Posted Tue, 08/07/2018 - 16:53

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 20 incidents, including oil discharges, sunken vessels, and hazardous material releases ... 

Celebrating the Birth of a Long-Standing Partnership: Happy 228th to Our Friends at the Coast Guard! alyssa.gray Fri, 08/03/2018 - 14:14

As the U.S. Coast Guard prepares to celebrate its 228th birthday, we’d like to show our appreciation to them for all their hard work in helping us fight the threat of marine pollution.

The U.S. Coast Guard and NOAA have a long history of collaboration. While the U.S. Coast Guard continues ahead on a journey to keep our coastal waters clean of marine pollution, NOAA’s Office of Response and Restoration is right by their side to provide the scientific support to help them do it.