2019 State-of-the-Science of Dispersants and Dispersed Oil (DDO) in U.S. Arctic Waters: Public Health and Food Safety

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

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

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

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: 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

Strategic Assessment of Near Coastal Waters: Northeast Case Study

The Northeast Case Study has been undertaken to illustrate how data being developed in NOAA\u27s program of strategic assessments can be used for resource assessments of estuaries and near coastal waters throughout the contiguous USA. It was designed as a pilot project to assist the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in developing its Strategic Initiative for the Management of Near Coastal Waters. As part of this initiative, the coastal states and EPA are to identify estuarine and coastal waters that require management action. The project began in June 1987 as a cooperative effort by NOAA\u27s Office of Oceanography and Marine Assessment and EPA\u27s Office of Policy, Planning, and Evaluation and Office of Marine and Estuarine Protection. The Northeast was selected because NOAA\u27s data bases were more complete for the estuaries of this region at the time. Offshore areas are not included since information to characterize them has not been organized for a consistently defined set of spatial units. Preliminary and interim case study reports were completed in September and November 1987. In these reports, information was compiled by estuary for seven themes: (1) physical and hydrologic characteristics; (2) land use and population; (3) nutrient discharges; (4) classified shellfish waters; (5) toxic discharges and hazardous waste disposal sites; (6) coastal wetlands; and (7) public outdoor recreation facilities. Most of the information was compiled from NOAA\u27s National Coastal Pollutant Discharge Inventory, National Estuarine Inventory (Volumes 1 and 2), National Coastal Wetlands Inventory, and Public Outdoor Recreational Facilities Inventory. However, with the exception of the toxic discharges chapter in the interim report, only cursory explanations of the data and no data analyses were provided in the previous reports. Two chapters, nutrient and toxic discharges to estuaries, will be completed to illustrate fully the extent of available data, the methods used to develop the data, and the types of analyses that are possible. The data bases used to compile the information in the report are constantly being updated and improved. For example, during the course of the project, NOAA analyzed the susceptibility and status of all estuaries identified in its National Estuarine Inventory to nutrient and toxic discharges. This information, not in the preliminary and interim drafts of the case study, is emphasized in the chapters on nutrient and toxic discharges with special attention given to the estuaries in the Northeast. Case studies for other regions may be completed in the future depending on interest and available resources

On Campus, October 5, 1992

A Newsletter for Faculty and Staff of Coastal Carolina College. Volume 1, Number 15https://digitalcommons.coastal.edu/on-campus/1014/thumbnail.jp

Is faunal diversity on Maltese sandy beaches related to intensity of human use?

Sandy beaches are rare in the Maltese Islands where only some 2.4% of the ca 271km coastline is sedimentary; yet such beaches are much sought after for their amenity value by tourists and locals alike. Carrying capacity studies conducted by the Malta tourism authorities have shown that most beaches are under very heavy use while a study by Deidun et al. (2003) has indicated that the fauna of Maltese sandy beaches tends to be impoverished compared to other Mediterranean beaches and has hinted that this may be a result of lack of recruitment due to the relative isolation of these beaches. Therefore human use of Maltese sandy beaches may potentially be a key factor affecting faunal diversity of these beaches. We explored this hypothesis by sampling the faunal assemblages of four Maltese beaches (Gnejna and White Tower Bay on Malta, and Xatt l-Ahmar and Ramla l-Hamra on Gozo) using pitfall traps set up in the wet and dry zones of each beach during the summer, when human use is expected to be highest. Human use of these beaches was assessed by estimating human occupancy of the beaches from standardised photographs. Beach occupancy values of 2400, 5700, 6700, and 12300 persons per square km were estimated for Ramla, White Tower Bay, Xatt l-Ahmar and Gnejna, respectively, establishing a gradient of anthropogenic impact with Gnejna as the most impacted beach and Ramla the least. Three components of faunal diversity were considered: population size (number of individuals), species richness, and taxonomic composition. Faunal population size ranged from 7 individuals/trap/hour for Xatt l-Ahmar to 199 individuals/trap/hour for Ramla in the wet zone, and from 22 individuals/trap/hour for White Tower Bay to 87.33 individuals/trap/hour for Gnejna in the dry zone. The species richness ranged from 7 species (Xatt l-Ahmar) to 17 species (White Tower Bay). Between them, Amphipoda, Isopoda, Coleoptera Dermaptera and Hymenoptera accounted for the bulk of both species and individuals collected. There were no statistically significant correlations between population size, species richness and taxonomic composition. The species collected from the four beaches was categorized into psammophiles, coastal species (occurring in coastal habitats but not restricted to sandy beaches) and euryoecious (ubiquitous) species. Ramla exhibited the highest proportion of psammophiles (98.4% of all species collected at Ramla) and the lowest proportion of ubiquitous ones (1.5% of all species), whilst for Xatt L-Ahmar the equivalent figures were 31.8% and 61.8% for ubiquitous and psammophilic species respectively From the present study it results that there is no trend between any of the three components of faunal diversity analysed and the degree of human occupancy of the beaches, and the only tangible human impact was related to faunal habitat–use specificity. This suggests that human use of the beaches has no direct impact on the faunal assemblages of the mediolittoral and supralittoral zone of the beaches studied but that high levels of human disturbance result in generalists displacing specialist psammophilic species. In spite of these results, intense human use of Maltese sandy beaches is of conservation concern since previous work has indicated a high degree of ‘compartmentalisation’ with different beaches harbouring distinct faunal assemblages either due to natural inter-beach barriers to dispersal, or due to unique environmental conditions present on the different beaches, including the nature and intensity of anthropogenic pressures. In addition, the present study addresses only the direct effect of trampling by beach visitors; indirect negative impacts, such as those of beach cleaning, have been well documented in other studies.peer-reviewe