oil spill

The Office of Response and Restoration (OR&R) provides critical scientific support to protect our coastal communities following natural disasters and other incidents that result in marine pollution. Within OR&R, the Emergency Response Division (ERD) provides scientific expertise and services to the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) on everything from running oil spill trajectories that model where the spill may spread, to identifying possible effects on wildlife and fisheries, and estimating how long the oil may impact coastal communities and ecology. Additionally, the Marine Debris Program (MDP) supports national and international partners to respond to large debris caused by major disasters within communities at risk of and responding to impacts from severe weather. At the end of each year, we reflect on the response events and activities that OR&R supported.

This March, the Office of Response and Restoration provided scientific support for 26 marine pollution and coastal emergencies—including twelve actual or potential oil spills, two chemical incidents, and five other incidents, including two involving dead whales.

Last month, OR&R provided scientific support for 26 marine pollution incidents—including 15 new incidents that included an abandoned mystery drum in Puerto Rico and an international incident in the Red Sea. In our latest blog, view the full list of our response efforts in February.

OR&R created the Trajactory Analysis Planner, or TAP, to help answer the question: Where will spilled oil likely go? Recent enhancements make the NOAA software tool more flexible and easier for planners and responders to use when preparing for and minimizing harm caused by oil spills.

So far this year, OR&R has provided support for 111 incidents. During August 2023, OR&R provided response support for 21 incidents, including 16 new incidents in nine different states and one U.S. Territory (a vessel grounded in Puerto Rico).

As new and more intense forms of marine pollution threaten coastal ecosystems, economies, and communities, scientists from NOAA OR&R collaborate with leading experts on topics like marine debris, environmental economics, endangered species, environmental chemistry, and many other subjects that intersect with pollution science. This blog highlights some recently published scientific advances supporting pollution response and assessment.

So far this year, OR&R has provided support for 96 incidents. During July 2023, OR&R provided response support for 21 incidents, including 17 new incidents in seven different states and one international incident (a fire at an offshore production well in Mexico).

Doug Helton, Regional Operations Supervisor in OR&R's Emergency Response Division, recalls a significant incident that happened 30 years ago in Tampa Bay, involving multiple vessels, a fire, and spilled heavy fuel oil, jet fuel, diesel, and gasoline. Despite decades passing by, he continues to use photos from that incident to illustrate the challenges and trade-offs of shoreline cleanup.

So far this year, OR&R has provided support for 77 incidents. During June 2023, OR&R provided response support for 17 incidents, including 12 new incidents in 10 different states.

So far this year, OR&R has provided support to 54 incidents. In April 2023, OR&R provided response support to 19 incidents, including seven new incidents in five different states.