2017 State-of the Science of Dispersants and Dispersed Oil (DDO) in U.S. Arctic Waters: Physical Transport and Chemical Behavior

Chemical dispersants were employed on an unprecedented scale during the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, and could be a response option should a large spill occur in Arctic waters. The use of dispersants in response to that spill raised concerns regarding the need for chemical dispersants, the fate of the oil and dispersants, and their potential impacts on human health and the environment. Concerns remain that would be more evident in the Arctic, where the remoteness and harsh environmental conditions would make a response to any oil spill very difficult. An outcome of a 2013 Arctic oil spill exercise for senior federal agency leadership identified the need for an evaluation of the state-of-the-science of dispersants and dispersed oil (DDO), and a clear delineation of the associated uncertainties that remain, particularly as they apply to Arctic waters. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), in partnership with the Coastal Response Research Center (CRRC), and in consultation with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) embarked on a project to seek expert review and evaluation of the state-of-the-science and the uncertainties involving DDO. The project focused on five areas and how they might be affected by Arctic conditions: dispersant effectiveness, distribution and fate, transport and chemical behavior, environmental impacts, and public health and safety. This publication (1 of 5) addresses efficacy and effectiveness

2017 State-of the Science of Dispersants and Dispersed Oil (DDO) in U.S. Arctic Waters: Degradation and Fate

Chemical dispersants were employed on an unprecedented scale during the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, and could be a response option should a large spill occur in Arctic waters. The use of dispersants in response to that spill raised concerns regarding the need for chemical dispersants, the fate of the oil and dispersants, and their potential impacts on human health and the environment. Concerns remain that would be more evident in the Arctic, where the remoteness and harsh environmental conditions would make a response to any oil spill very difficult. An outcome of a 2013 Arctic oil spill exercise for senior federal agency leadership identified the need for an evaluation of the state-of-the-science of dispersants and dispersed oil (DDO), and a clear delineation of the associated uncertainties that remain, particularly as they apply to Arctic waters. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), in partnership with the Coastal Response Research Center (CRRC), and in consultation with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) embarked on a project to seek expert review and evaluation of the state-of-the-science and the uncertainties involving DDO. The project focused on five areas and how they might be affected by Arctic conditions: dispersant effectiveness, distribution and fate, transport and chemical behavior, environmental impacts, and public health and safety. This publication (1 of 5) addresses efficacy and effectiveness

2018 State-of the Science of Dispersants and Dispersed Oil (DDO) in U.S. Arctic Waters: Eco-Toxicity and Sublethal Impacts

Chemical dispersants were employed on an unprecedented scale during the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, and could be a response option should a large spill occur in Arctic waters. The use of dispersants in response to that spill raised concerns regarding the need for chemical dispersants, the fate of the oil and dispersants, and their potential impacts on human health and the environment. Concerns remain that would be more evident in the Arctic, where the remoteness and harsh environmental conditions would make a response to any oil spill very difficult. An outcome of a 2013 Arctic oil spill exercise for senior federal agency leadership identified the need for an evaluation of the state-of-the-science of dispersants and dispersed oil (DDO), and a clear delineation of the associated uncertainties that remain, particularly as they apply to Arctic waters. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), in partnership with the Coastal Response Research Center (CRRC), and in consultation with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) embarked on a project to seek expert review and evaluation of the state-of-the-science and the uncertainties involving DDO. The project focused on five areas and how they might be affected by Arctic conditions: dispersant effectiveness, distribution and fate, transport and chemical behavior, environmental impacts, and public health and safety. This publication (1 of 5) addresses efficacy and effectiveness

CAMEO Stakeholders Report

Computer-Aided Management of Emergency Operations (CAMEO) is a suite of software applications used to plan for and respond to chemical emergencies. CAMEO was first released in 1986, and was jointly developed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to assist front-line chemical emergency planners and responders. It has since undergone numerous modification and upgrades, and is a critical tool used today for chemical spills, other hazards, and emergency management. The CAMEO system integrates a chemical database and a method to manage the data, an air dispersion model, and a mapping capability. All modules work interactively to share and display critical information in a timely fashion. As a result of fatal chemical accidents in recent years, Executive Order (EO) 13650 (Improving Chemical Facility Safety and Security) was signed on August 1, 2013 for: Improving Operational Coordination with State, Local and Tribal partners Enhancing Federal Coordination Enhancing Information Collection and Sharing Modernizing Regulations, Guidance, Policy and Standards Identifying Best Practices. The CAMEO team has been working to address these EO requirements and the areas of action in a manner that will best meet the needs of CAMEO users and stakeholders

2017 State-of-the-Science of Dispersants and Dispersed Oil (DDO) in U.S. Arctic Waters: Efficacy & Effectiveness

Chemical dispersants were employed on an unprecedented scale during the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, and could be a response option should a large spill occur in Arctic waters. The use of dispersants in response to that spill raised concerns regarding the need for chemical dispersants, the fate of the oil and dispersants, and their potential impacts on human health and the environment. Concerns remain that would be more evident in the Arctic, where the remoteness and harsh environmental conditions would make a response to any oil spill very difficult. An outcome of a 2013 Arctic oil spill exercise for senior federal agency leadership identified the need for an evaluation of the state-of-the-science of dispersants and dispersed oil (DDO), and a clear delineation of the associated uncertainties that remain, particularly as they apply to Arctic waters. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), in partnership with the Coastal Response Research Center (CRRC), and in consultation with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) embarked on a project to seek expert review and evaluation of the state-of-thescience and the uncertainties involving DDO. The project focused on five areas and how they might be affected by Arctic conditions: dispersant effectiveness, distribution and fate, transport and chemical behavior, environmental impacts, and public health and safety

NOAA Hurricane Preparedness Summit 2022

On April 20-21, 2022, NOAA’s Disaster Preparedness Program partnered with Coastal Response Research Center (CRRC) to facilitate three webinars focusing on NOAA’s hurricane preparedness and readiness for personnel (people), mission, and infrastructure (PMI). The virtual event entitled “NOAA Hurricane Preparedness Summit 2022,” helped put NOAA in a better posture for the 2022 hurricane season by identifying best practices and lessons learned from the 2021 season, recognizing challenges specific to the Pacific Islands, and socializing tools and resources available to support different stages of storm landfall. Specific objectives for this year’s Summit were to: 1. Understand best practices and lessons learned from the 2021 hurricane season;2. Become knowledgeable about PMI topics;3. Work towards improving consistency in response between federal and state partners;4. Recognize challenges for the next hurricane season;5. Introduce and familiarize tools and resources; and6. Understand gaps given the current limitations

Greater Houston Area Bottlenose Dolphin Data Gaps

On February 15 & 16, 2022, CRRC and NOAA ARD co-sponsored a virtual workshop entitled “Greater Houston Area Bottlenose Dolphin Data Gaps.” The workshop addressed data needs, distribution, health, and challenges of these dolphin stocks and how this information could support potential future Natural Resource Damage Assessments (NRDAs) in the region. The two-day workshop included plenary presentations in which federal, state, and local representatives outlined: dolphin distribution demographics, and fecundity; and health (live animal studies, strandings, unusual mortality events (UMEs)). Threats to the animals were also discussed, including contamination (mercury, land-based emerging contaminants of concern, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), persistent organic pollutants (POPs) including polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and dioxin), oil spills, superfund sites, water/sediment quality; human-caused impacts from shipping, fisheries, and engineering projects (storm surge protection, dredging, construction); and extreme weather, freshwater inundation, and harmful algal blooms (HABs). Presentation summaries can be found in the section entitled Plenary Presentations

5th Annual NOAA Hurricane Preparedness Summit Report

NOAA’s Disaster Preparedness Program partnered with Coastal Response Research Center (CRRC) to facilitate webinars on two consecutive days focusing on NOAA’s hurricane preparedness and readiness for personnel, mission, infrastructure (PMI). The virtual event entitled “NOAA Hurricane Preparedness Summit 2024,” helped put NOAA in a better posture for the 2024 hurricane season by identifying best practices and lessons learned from the 2023 season, recognizing and discussing challenges related to climate change and extreme weather events, and socializing tools and resources available to support different stages of response. The summit included plenary presentations from federal and state agency representatives outlining topics such as: interpreting and using NWS Products and Services, looking back at the 2023 hurricane season, preparedness at home, operational spotlights, and showcase technological innovations, tools, and resources. Objectives: NOAA and its partners must evolve and adapt to sufficiently prepare for and mitigate extreme weather events that now occur with increasing frequency and intensity. Identify innovative solutions and strategies for improvement, including those that address challenges identified in previous hurricane seasons

NOAA Great Lakes Harmful Algal Bloom Communication Preparedness Workshop Report

On January 17-18, 2023, the CRRC and NOAA’s DPP co-sponsored a virtual workshop titled “Great Lakes Harmful Algal Bloom (HAB) Communication Preparedness Workshop”. This workshop was a focused discussion on HAB preparedness and response capabilities across the federal government and state agencies. The specific objectives for this workshop were: 1) Ensure effective coordination and communication across local, state, and federal governments, and other relevant entities; 2) Compile and review existing plans, policies and procedures about effectively communicating HAB threats, including benthic and nuisance blooms, across relevant agencies; 3) Determine the points of contact (POC’s) responsible for HAB event preparedness and response; 4) Create a process(es) for sharing information among relevant entities that ultimately reaches stakeholders and the public in a unified message; and 5) Understand lessons learned from case studies (e.g., Lake Erie) and their relevance to emerging HAB locations (e.g., Lake Superior); and apply them to current and emerging threats. The two-day workshop included presentations from Federal, state, and non-governmental organization representatives discussing the following: participant demographics; lessons learned for past HABs events; risk and crisis communication strategies; social science communication research; surveys on preferred communication methods; existing HABs plans, policies, and procedures

NOAA Hurricane Preparedness Summit 2023 Report

The theme for the 4th annual summit was to advance NOAA’s ability to adapt and respond to the effects of a changing climate and extreme weather events. NOAA’s Disaster Preparedness Program partnered with CRRC to facilitate webinars on two consecutive days focusing on NOAA’s hurricane preparedness and readiness for personnel (people), mission, and infrastructure (PMI). The virtual event entitled “NOAA Hurricane Preparedness Summit 2023,” helped put NOAA in a better posture for the 2023 hurricane season by identifying best practices and lessons learned from the 2022 season, recognizing and discussing challenges related to climate change and extreme weather events, and socializing tools and resources available to support different stages of response. The summit included plenary presentations from federal and state agency representatives outlining topics such as: storm specific lessons learned, communication of severity of risk, working smarter and safer, maintaining wellness during response, contingency planning, and available tools and resources