Every month, NOAA’s Office of Response and Restoration’s (OR&R) Emergency Response Division provides scientific expertise and services to the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG), ranging from producing oil spill trajectories that estimate where a spill may spread; to identifying possible effects on wildlife and fisheries; to estimating how long oil may stay in the environment. We also receive requests to track and model other floating objects, such as log booms or shipping containers that have broken free, whale carcasses, fish die-offs, and algal blooms.
So far this year, OR&R has responded to 151 incidents. During October, OR&R provided response support for 11 incidents, including eight new incidents in five states and one territory (Guam). Four of the new incidents were actual or potential oil spills, one involved threats of pollution from hurricanes, and three were chemical spills (or oil and chemicals mixed).
OR&R staff prepared 110 incident reports and documents, including two fate and trajectory analyses. Two of the incidents this month were unknown volumes, but six of the incidents had volume estimates. Cumulatively, these incidents posed an approximate risk of more than 1.3 million gallons of oil and chemicals.
(Note: All spill volumes are approximate and based on initial information that may be updated after further investigation.)
Here are some of the incidents we worked on during October:
Hurricane Milton
Before Hurricane Milton's arrival in Florida, NOAA Scientific Support Coordinators from OR&R deployed to the USCG Area Command in Miami, Florida and the State Emergency Operations Center in Tallahassee, Florida to coordinate with the USCG, affected states, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for NOAA-supported missions for oil and hazardous materials response.
Hurricane Milton made landfall near Siesta Key, Florida on the evening of October 9 as a Category 3 hurricane. The storm was an extremely powerful and destructive tropical cyclone that became the second-most intense Atlantic hurricane ever recorded over the Gulf of Mexico, behind only Hurricane Rita in 2005. Milton made landfall on the west coast of Florida, less than two weeks after Hurricane Helene devastated the state's Big Bend region.
Impacts to east central Florida were significant, including a tornado outbreak that produced at least 19 confirmed tornadoes and hurricane-force wind gusts that downed trees and power lines. Many homes and businesses were damaged. On the northern side of Milton, torrential rainfall produced total rainfall amounts of 10-15 inches, leading to localized flooding and rises on area rivers and creeks.
In preparation to respond to Milton, USCG District 7 initiated a Mission Assignment (MA) request with FEMA for identification of potentially polluting sources (e.g., sunken or damaged vessels, pipelines, containers) and NOAA Scientific Support Coordinator (SSC) support.
The USCG established an Incident Command Post in Orlando, a forward Command Post at Manatee, and Area Command at USCG Air Station Miami in Opa Locka. Two NOAA SSCs deployed, one to the Area Command and one to the State Emergency Operations Center (EOC) in Tallahassee, to coordinate with USCG, State, and FEMA for NOAA supported Emergency Support Function 10 (ESF 10) missions for oil and hazardous materials response.
Expectations for the storm were dangerous, significant, and catastrophic. Expected hazards included flooding caused by rainfall, high winds associated with a Category 3 or 4 hurricane, tornados, and most significant, 10-15 feet peak storm surge on Florida’s west coast and 3-5 feet on Florida’s east coast and extending north to South Carolina.
Following the priority system for responding to hurricanes, response agencies first responded to urgent search and rescue cases to assist those in distress, then assessed damage to seaports and expedited their safe reopening, and then responded to marine pollution incidents resulting from the storm.
OR&R identified priority oil and chemical hazard risks in the coastal areas of interest on Florida’s Gulf and Atlantic coasts, as well as a list of marinas and anchorages and priority environmentally-sensitive areas in order to evaluate potential ESF 10-related scope and priorities. OR&R imported potentially polluting sources, such as from displaced vessels, overflowing tanks, and oil and hazardous material facilities into the common operating picture, ERMA® (Environmental Response Management Application).The identification of potential pollution sources from aerial imagery, along with field assessments and data management, were critical for tracking progress through the response and recovery.
By the end of USCG operations with Hurricane Milton, OR&R had identified more than 650 potentially-polluting sources. Fortunately, reports of oil or chemical releases related to Hurricane Milton, received through the National Response Center, were minimal and minor in significance. All reporting power facilities reported no pollution or hazardous material releases.
Barge LaFarge Trader Adrift; Cape Flattery, WA
When a tug towing a concrete-carrying barge lost power and was adrift off Cape Flattery, Washington, OR&R supported the USCG by providing spot weather forecasts and trajectory analysis to help locate the unaccounted-for barge.
On October 18, the US-flagged tug Luther was towing the barge LaFarge Trader, laden with 10,000 tons of concrete mix, off the coast of La Push, Washington. The Luther experienced a loss of power and steering and began taking on water. Due to safety concerns and rough weather conditions, the tug detached from the barge and the USCG rescued the crew of five from the tug. In the heavy swells during the transfer, one crew member fell into the water and was retrieved by a lifeboat crew.
After the first attempt to tow the Luther was unsuccessful, the Canadian Coast Guard Ship Atlantic Raven, an ocean-going tug, arrived on scene along with Coast Guard Station Neah Bay and Air Station Port Angeles. Crews were able to establish a tow and prevent the Luther from running aground while only one mile from shore. The barge, however, remained adrift and unaccounted for. The USCG set up a Unified Command (UC) with the tug’s owner, Washington State Department of Ecology, and the local Makah Tribe to manage the risk of a spill—a potential discharge of 1,200 gallons of diesel. Heavy seas, high winds, and low visibility delayed reconnaissance missions by vessel, uncrewed aircraft system, and helicopter. Weather conditions also prevented the work of beach patrol teams.
The USCG notified the NOAA SSC for the Northwest and requested spot weather forecasts and trajectories to try to locate the barge. OR&R modelers provided trajectory analysis to the UC.
The USCG actively worked with partner agencies and the Canadian Coast Guard to find the missing barge. The barge was located on the evening of October 19 floating southwest of Cape Alava, where it was anchored and secured. The following day, the barge began drifting again, dragging its 2,600 feet of towing metal cable (hawser) along the seabed. The barge drifted southwest and ended up approximately nine miles off the Ozette area. The emergency response towing vessel Lauren Foss remained on site with the barge to track where it was drifting.
The UC approved a location where the tow cable was cut and will remain on the seafloor in approximately 5,000 feet of water. The location selected for the drop is outside of state waters, the Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary, and Tribal Usual and Accustomed fishing areas, and it avoids any charted subsea cables. NOAA’s Office of Coast Survey was notified of the drop location in order to chart the submerged “obstruction.”
The barge was safely towed to Port Angeles, Washington and the UC demobilized.
Here is the complete list of September’s incidents. Click on the links to find out more:
- Grounded Sailboat; Palm Coast, FL
- Allision between Barge and Naheola Bridge on Tombigbee River; Pennington, AL
- Diesel Exhaust Fluid Spill - Revolution Wind; Offshore Nantucket
- Grounded Vessels; Quilcene Bay, WA
- Barge LaFarge Trader Adrift; Cape Flattery, WA
- M/V Pan Viva; Dutch Harbor, Unalaska Bay, AK
- Hurricane Milton
- Discharge of Fire Suppressant Foam from US Navy Tanker; Guam