The St. Louis River/Interlake/Duluth Tar site was used for a variety of industrial purposes — including coking plants, tar and chemical companies, the production of pig iron, meat-packing, and as a rail to truck transfer point for bulk commodities — starting near the turn of the 19th century. In 1983, the St. Louis River Superfund site was added to the National Priorities List.  

In November of last year, a settlement was reached between the trustees for the site and the parties responsible for the contamination. The settlement includes funds for the following restoration projects ...

The story behind the Sheboygan River and Harbor Superfund site began in the 1870s, when growing industrial activity along the river led to a release of contaminants, including polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), heavy metals, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs).

In 1979, the State of Wisconsin began advising the public against eating any resident species from the Sheboygan River, and only limited consumption of fish species from Lake Michigan, where the Sheboygan empties.

After nearly six months of ongoing efforts to remove vessels and mitigate pollution in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, the end is in site for the Hurricane Maria Emergency Support Function #10 (ESF-10) team.

Although this last hurricane season had only a fifth the loss of life of past seasons — attributed to improved forecasts and warnings — the physical damage was twice that of previous years.

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.

For millions of people, discrimination is a looming obstacle in their communities, their workplaces, and even their personal lives. It holds them back from their full potential and puts up roadblocks where there should be bridges. We at the Office of Response and Restoration think discrimination on any level is unacceptable, and that’s why we are taking steps to combat discrimination, ensure that our office is diverse and inclusive, and that we offer everyone an equal opportunity. On International Zero Discrimination Day, we share a bit about what our office is doing today and every day to fight discrimination.

Five NOAA scientists recently led a group of more than 40 trustees in a multi-day restoration planning exercise related to the Hanford Nuclear Site. The event took place in Richland, Washington, and increased scientific convergence about habitat recovery time after restoration actions are completed in an affected area.

From Feb. 5-8, NOAA staff from throughout the country attended the annual Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill and Ecosystem Science (GoMOSES) Conference in New Orleans. Now in its sixth year, GoMOSES was developed to bring together oil spill-related experts from academia, state and federal agencies, nongovernmental organizations, and industry to share the latest oil spill and ecosystem scientific discoveries, innovations, technologies, and policies. NOAA’s Office of Response and Restoration (OR&R) has been deeply involved with the conference for many years, from serving on the executive committee and moderating sessions to presenting on research and technology.

This is the fifth in a 12-part 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 profile is on Disaster Response Center (DRC) Exercise and Communication Coordinator Katie Krushinski.