marsh

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.

Over the next two weeks, we’re sharing some of the ways NOAA monitors and predicts, responds to, and prepares for the impacts of climate change. In this guest blog from Restore America's Estuaries President and CEO Daniel Hayden, learn more about how living shorelines can be used to help protect against the impacts of sea level rise and coastal erosion.

Phillips Creek Marsh lies on the eastern seaside stretch of the Delmarva Peninsula in Virginia. The marsh is a swath of wetland grasses with patches of reeds and warped remnants of a boardwalk. Pines fringe the marsh, and a flock of seabirds socialize on a distant mudflat to the southeast.

There is no one-size-fits-all approach to environmental assessments for oil spills or hazardous waste events. We must therefore custom-tailor our technical approach for each pollution incident.

We first determine whether impacts to natural resources have occurred and whether it is appropriate to proceed with a Natural Resource Damage Assessment (NRDA). We collect time-sensitive data, evaluate available research and information about the type of injury, and determine what species and habitats are likely to have been affected. If we determine that habitats, wildlife or human uses have been harmed or could experience significant impacts, we often proceed with a full damage assessment.