Posts tagged with

Superfund sites

The Value of Urban Waterways

Posted Wed, 07/28/2021 - 13:27
By Megan Ewald, Office of Response and Restoration

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.

Oyster Reefs Breathe New Life into Virginia’s Elizabeth River

Posted Wed, 08/12/2020 - 13:08
By Megan Ewald and Simeon Hahn, Office of Response and Restoration Assessment and Restoration Division

If you ever wondered how oyster reefs are built, it involves a team of dedicated experts and a water cannon. Over the last month, barges have blasted 100,000 bushels of small fossilized oyster shells, called oyster hash, into the Eastern Branch of Virginia’s Elizabeth River. Oyster hash is normally shipped abroad for use as chicken feed, but now it’s laying the foundation for a restoration project that will help the river recover from pollution.

$25 Million to Restore Natural Resources Injured by Pollution in the Kalamazoo River, Michigan

Posted Thu, 12/12/2019 - 23:54
By Megan Ewald, Office of Response and Restoration

Canoeing down the Kalamazoo River under the shade of trees, watching small fish dart through the shallows, you wouldn’t guess you’re paddling through a hazardous waste site. Michigan, in many ways, is defined by freshwater. It borders four of the five Great Lakes, and Michigan’s interior boasts thousands of inland lakes and river systems.
 

Story Map Now Live: NOAA Intern Looks Back on Summer Spent Learning About the Lower Duwamish River

Posted Thu, 07/11/2019 - 12:25
By Kavya Varkey, OR&R 2018 Summer Intern

This blog was written by Kavya Varkey, a high school student from the Seattle area who interned with OR&R in the summer of 2018. Kavya was instrumental in developing the new story map on the Lower Duwamish River Superfund site. An urban river with a history of industrial pollution that began in the 1900s, the Lower Duwamish River continues to undergo both cleanup and restoration efforts. To learn more, view the new story map here

NOAA Summer Intern Produces Story Map on Hazardous Waste Site Near Seattle

Posted Wed, 09/12/2018 - 13:44
By Vicki Loe, NOAA’s Office of Response and Restoration

Washington resident Kavya Varkey joined NOAA’s Office of Response and Restoration for an internship this summer at the NOAA Western Regional Center in Seattle. A senior this year at Sammamish High School in Bellevue, Washington, Kavya says she’s always been drawn to science. Her interest has continued to develop and come into focus, and she plans to pursue an education that will lead to a career in environmental science.

Coordination is Key: Moving toward restoration at the St. Louis River Interlake/Duluth Tar site

Posted Thu, 03/15/2018 - 18:54
Annie Gibbs, NOAA Office of Response and Restoration

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 ...

Using a NOAA Tool to Evaluate Toxic Doses of Pollution at the Hanford Nuclear Reservation

Posted Wed, 04/13/2016 - 18:27
This is a post by Troy Baker, an environmental scientist in NOAA's Office of Response and Restoration.

Chromium, manganese, zinc.

Elements like these may show up in a daily multivitamin, but when found in a certain form and concentration in water and soil, these elements can cause serious problems for fish, birds, and wildlife. As assessors of environmental harm from pollution, we see this scenario being played out at hazardous waste sites around the country.