Posts tagged with

Assessment and Restoration Division

Floating Bioassays: New Tool Helps Track and Assess Toxicity in Oil Spills

Posted Tue, 09/27/2022 - 15:31
By Megan Ewald and Sarah Allan, Office of Response and Restoration

At first glance, the blue surface of the open ocean seems like an empty place. But if you look closely, life teems just beneath the surface. Tiny, transparent fish eggs, larval invertebrates, and other planktonic organisms float and drift at the mercy of wind and ocean currents. 

Q&A: NOAA Intern Interviews NOAA Regional Resource Coordinator Reyhan Mehran on Career in Restoration of Hazardous Waste Sites

Posted Fri, 05/20/2022 - 00:42
By Abisola Ajayi, OR&R intern

In this Q&A series, NOAA intern Abisola Ajayi interviews three scientists in NOAA’s Office of Response and Restoration. In this first interview, she talks with OR&R Regional Resource Coordinator Reyhan Mehran about the restoration of industrial waste sites, and how NOAA handles the waste with lingering complications that continue to affect natural resources. Check out the full interview to learn more!

How California Oil Spill Responders Use NOAA's Mapping Tools to Track Resources at Risk

Posted Thu, 05/12/2022 - 17:25
By Shane O'Neal, Office of Response and Restoration, and Greg McGowan, California Department of Fish and Wildlife’s Office of Spill Prevention and Response

When you think of California, some of the first things that come to mind might be sandy beaches, surfing, or sea otters floating in the kelp beds off the coast. It makes sense—the state has 3,427 miles of tidal shoreline! Along with these wild and wonderful natural resources, many important human resources line the coasts of the Golden State as well. Protecting these resources over thousands of miles is a tough job, but the first step is knowing what is there to protect. 

Over $130 Million to Restore 10 Polluted Waterways Across the Country

Posted Mon, 12/13/2021 - 13:42
By Megan Ewald, Office of Response and Restoration

When pollution harms American waterways, it’s not enough to simply clean up the contamination. Restoring the environment means implementing projects that help habitats, wildlife, and coastal communities recover quickly and completely. In fiscal year 2021, NOAA helped to recover over $130 million to restore 10 polluted waterways after oil spills and industrial pollution. NOAA and partners worked to evaluate the impacts of pollution and reach legal agreements with those responsible for pollution to fund restoration.

The Anacostia River: Challenges and Opportunities for Outdoor Recreation in the Heart of Washington, DC

Posted Wed, 07/28/2021 - 14:34
By Erin Garnass-Holmes, ambassador to the Anacostia Watershed Urban Waters Partnership, and Megan Ewald, Office of Response and Restoration

The Anacostia River in Washington, D.C., was a poster child for America’s degraded urban waterways. Years of industrial land use on the waterfront and floating trash scared many people away from recreating on or by the river. However, in recent years local advocates, government agencies, and water utilities have made great strides in restoring this urban river

The Value of Urban Waterways
By Megan Ewald, Office of Response and Restoration
alyssa.gray Wed, 07/28/2021 - 13:27

You might be surprised to learn what swims through America’s cities. Even waterways with a history of pollution are full of life and are vital parts of local communities. Coastal Superfund sites, where hazardous waste contaminates the environment, are one of the key sources of pollution for many urban waterways. Many American cities sprang up around waterways because they provide opportunities for transportation, trade, and industry. Unfortunately, many of these industries also release contaminants into the environment—where they can linger for decades.

8 Projects to Make Gulf Recreation Better Since Deepwater Horizon

Posted Thu, 07/22/2021 - 15:06
By Megan Ewald, Office of Response and Restoration

Imagine the perfect day at the beach, lying in the sand, fishing from the pier, maybe taking a boat out on the water. Then an oil spill occurs, and the beach is no longer a fun place to be. When an oil spill or other pollutant keeps people from enjoying a natural area, it’s up to agencies like NOAA, acting as public trustees of affected areas, to determine the impact of pollution on public recreation. 

Advances in Assessing Sea Turtles and Marine Mammals During Oil Spills

Posted Tue, 06/01/2021 - 12:58
By Megan Ewald, Office of Response and Restoration

2021 marks 30 years of NOAA’s Damage Assessment, Remediation, and Restoration Program (DARRP) working to hold polluters accountable for the impacts of oil spills, hazardous waste, and ship groundings in waterways. When oil spills and hazardous waste pollution impact protected species like sea turtles, whales, and dolphins, NOAA experts use leading science to assess the impacts and hold polluters accountable. 

Minds Behind OR&R: Meet Regional Resource Coordinator Ken Finkelstein

Posted Tue, 03/09/2021 - 14:50
By Megan Ewald, Office of Response and Restoration

This feature is part of a monthly series profiling scientists and technicians who provide exemplary contributions to the mission of NOAA’s Office of Response and Restoration (OR&R). In our latest "Minds Behind OR&R," we feature Regional Resource Coordinator Ken Finkelstein.

An Innovative Approach to Evaluate the Impact of Contaminated Sediments on Marine Life

Posted Wed, 02/17/2021 - 22:28
By Ken Finkelstein, Office of Response and Restoration

Measuring the sediment concentration of toxic polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) at hazardous waste sites, and its impact on aquatic life, is an important way for scientists to determine how much damage pollution has caused to the environment. These data are critical to analyze injury to biota, make decisions about cleanup, and hold polluters accountable through Natural Resource Damage Assessments.