Posts tagged with

response

Looking Back to a Major Spill in Tampa Bay—30 Years Ago this Month

Posted Wed, 08/09/2023 - 13:51
By Doug Helton, Office of Response and Restoration

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.

Refugio Beach Oil Spill: Mapping NOAA's Work from Response to Restoration

Posted Wed, 11/17/2021 - 16:33
By Megan Ewald, Office of Response and Restoration

When oil spills in the ocean, NOAA uses cutting-edge mapping and spatial data tools to help respond to, clean up, and assess the impacts of pollution. These tools are utilized by the U.S. Coast Guard and other state and federal agencies to help mitigate the damage of pollution, and to guide post-spill restoration. A new ArcGIS Story Map about the Refugio Beach oil spill puts real data from the spill response at your fingertips

5 Key Questions NOAA Scientists Ask During Oil Spills

Posted Fri, 02/21/2020 - 13:15

During an emergency situation such as an oil spill or ship grounding, scientists in NOAA’s Office of Response and Restoration are guided by five central questions as they develop scientifically based recommendations for the U.S. Coast Guard. These recommendations help the Coast Guard respond to the incident while minimizing environmental impacts resulting from the spill and response.

Pollution Resolutions: NOAA’s Office of Response and Restoration Looks Ahead to the New Year

Posted Tue, 12/31/2019 - 17:44
By Megan Ewald, Office of Response and Restoration

For most of us, welcoming in the new year is a time of celebration, reflection, and making resolutions to eat healthier and finish forgotten projects! Here at NOAA’s Office of Response and Restoration, our New Year’s resolutions are a little different. As we enter into a new decade, we’ve prepared some resolutions specific to pollution and our commitment to keeping the coasts clean from threats of oil, chemicals, and marine debris. In 2020, we will ...

Putting the 'PREP' in Preparedness: An Exercise to Improve Oil Spill Response in Alaska

Posted Thu, 04/18/2019 - 15:07
By Catherine Berg, Office of Response and Restoration

Spill response exercises and frequent training opportunities are integral to the overall preparedness efforts for OR&R, NOAA, and our partners in both industry and the government. Some exercises are even required by law to ensure all parties are prepared for an oil spill. All vessels over 400 gross tons — which includes almost all ocean-going vessels and large fishing vessels — are required to have a vessel response plan. Per the Oil Pollution Act of 1990, vessels are also required to meet federal oil pollution response exercise requirements.

Happy National Siblings Day from NOAA’s Office of Response and Restoration

Posted Wed, 04/10/2019 - 12:27
By Megan Ewald, Office of Response and Restoration

It’s time to snuggle up with your littermate and let them know how much you love them - April 10 is National Siblings Day! It’s a time to celebrate those who have known you since before you were hatched. Nobody understands you better than your siblings.

Here at NOAA’s Office of Response and Restoration we’d like to celebrate two siblings in particular: Response and her sister Restoration. These siblings work together to respond to pollution disasters and guide clean up, and restore the environment after the event.

5 Ways OR&R Shows Our Love For the Ocean

Posted Wed, 02/13/2019 - 17:34
By Megan Ewald, Office of Response and Restoration

Valentine's Day is a time to express love of all kinds, and nobody deserves a Valentine more than our ocean.

From providing us with food, oxygen, industry, and recreational opportunities, to hosting a rich diversity of life, the oceans show their love for us every single day. The ocean is a real catch.

So let’s take a break from this love letter to talk about five ways we show our love for the ocean here at NOAA’s Office of Response and Restoration.

Department of Commerce Awards Highest Honor to OR&R for Leadership in the Aftermath of the 2017 Atlantic Hurricanes

Posted Fri, 09/28/2018 - 17:36

WASHINGTON — On Tuesday, Sept. 25, Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross presented NOAA’s Office of Response and Restoration with the Department of Commerce Gold Medal for leadership in the aftermath of the 2017 Atlantic hurricanes during a ceremony in the District of Columbia.

The Department of Commerce recognized OR&R for its ““innovative leadership in responding to coastal threats resulting from three Category 4 hurricanes in under 27 days during the 2017 hurricane season.”