Mantz, Erika

English

UNH Scholars' Repository

University of New HampshireUniversity of New Hampshire Scholars' RepositoryMedia Relations Administrative Offices5-28-2010UNH Coastal Response Research Center, NOAA,EPA and Coast Guard Convene Science Meetingto Study Dispersant Use and Ecosystem Impacts ofDispersed Oil in the Gulf of MexicoErika MantzUNH Media RelationsFollow this and additional works at: https://scholars.unh.edu/newsThis News Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Administrative Offices at University of New Hampshire Scholars' Repository. It hasbeen accepted for inclusion in Media Relations by an authorized administrator of University of New Hampshire Scholars' Repository. For moreinformation, please contact nicole.hentz@unh.edu.Recommended CitationMantz, Erika, "UNH Coastal Response Research Center, NOAA, EPA and Coast Guard Convene Science Meeting to StudyDispersant Use and Ecosystem Impacts of Dispersed Oil in the Gulf of Mexico" (2010). UNH Today. 3372.https://scholars.unh.edu/news/3372Media Relations Home | Calendar | UNH HomeMedia RelationsUNH Coastal Response Research Center, NOAA, EPA And Coast Guard Convene Science Meeting To Study Dispersant Use And Ecosystem Impacts Of Dispersed Oil In The Gulf Of MexicoMay 28, 2010 DURHAM, N.H. – More than 50 experts and practitioners from government, academia and industry finished a two-day meeting Thursday, May 27, 2010, looking at the potential long-term impacts of the prolonged use of large volumes of dispersants in the Deepwater Horizon oil spill response efforts in the Gulf of Mexico. This is the third time NOAA and EPA have gathered top scientists to discuss dispersant use since the spill began. EPA and NOAA scientists are conducting rigorous ongoing monitoring and analysis of the effectiveness and toxicity of the dispersants used.Should data indicate that the dispersants are causing significant environmental damage that outweighs the benefits of their use, EPA and the Coast Guard reserve the right to discontinue use.Although the crude oil is more toxic than the authorized dispersants, much is unknown about the long-term environmental impacts of dispersants when used in these unprecedented volumes on the surface and in the subsea. Because of this and due to the effectiveness of subsea applications, EPA and the U.S. Coast Guard directed BP to significantly ramp down their use of dispersants. BP has complied and has significantly reduced dispersant use.The purpose of the two-day meeting was to provide input to the Gulf of Mexico Regional Response Teams (4 and 6) on the use of dispersants and the effects of dispersed oil going forward in the Deepwater Horizon incident. The meeting also identified possible monitoring protocols to be used in the event of continued aerial applications to surface water and subsea use.  “This conference provided us with additional scientific information about potential impacts of prolonged dispersant use that can help guide decision making as we continue to support the U.S. Coast Guard's response to and clean up of this spill,” said Craig Carroll, EPA co-chair of the Region 6 Regional Response Team. “It is the consensus of the group that up to this point, use of dispersants and the effects of dispersing oil into the water column has generally been less environmentally harmful than allowing the oil to migrate on the surface into the sensitive wetlands and near shore coastal habitats,” said Nancy Kinner, University of New Hampshire co-director of the Coastal Response Research Center.“The meeting is adding to our knowledge, both in terms of helping identify key questions that should  be asked and helping identifying new, quality sources of information and relevant expertise to draw on as we make these difficult decisions,” said Charlie Henry, NOAA’s scientific support coordinator for the Unified Command Center in Roberts, La.“The thoughtful scientific input from this meeting will prove valuable to responders as we continue to do everything possible to minimize damages caused by this unprecedented spill,” said Robert Pond of the U.S. Coast Guard.This was the third science summit in three weeks that builds on the unprecedented mobilization of science the federal government has brought to this incident. The administration has engaged some of the world’s brightest scientific minds from the public and private sectors to mitigate the oil’s impact and ensure an effective response. The results of the meeting will be presented in a report to the Regional Response Teams within the next week. The report will be available on the CRRC website at www.crrc.unh.edu.SHAREPrintEmailSubscribeTweet FacebookPage 1 of 2UNH Coastal Response Research Center, NOAA, EPA and Coast Guard Convene Scienc...1/10/2018http://www.unh.edu/delete/news/cj_nr/2010/may/em28gulf.cfm.html-30-Media Contact: Erika Mantz | 603-862-1567 | UNH Media Relations T-hallCopyright © 2012 UNH Media Relations, 15 Strafford Ave, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH 03824.UNH is part of the University System of New Hampshire.ADA Acknowledgement | Privacy Policy | UNH Home | E-mail WebmasterPage 2 of 2UNH Coastal Response Research Center, NOAA, EPA and Coast Guard Convene Scienc...1/10/2018http://www.unh.edu/delete/news/cj_nr/2010/may/em28gulf.cfm.html

UNH Coastal Response Research Center, NOAA, EPA and Coast Guard Convene Science Meeting to Study Dispersant Use and Ecosystem Impacts of Dispersed Oil in the Gulf of Mexico

University of New Hampshire

University of New Hampshire
University of New Hampshire Scholars' Repository
Media Relations Administrative Offices
5-28-2010
UNH Coastal Response Research Center, NOAA,
EPA and Coast Guard Convene Science Meeting
to Study Dispersant Use and Ecosystem Impacts of
Dispersed Oil in the Gulf of Mexico
Erika Mantz
UNH Media Relations
Follow this and additional works at: https://scholars.unh.edu/news
This News Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Administrative Offices at University of New Hampshire Scholars' Repository. It has
been accepted for inclusion in Media Relations by an authorized administrator of University of New Hampshire Scholars' Repository. For more
information, please contact nicole.hentz@unh.edu.
Recommended Citation
Mantz, Erika, "UNH Coastal Response Research Center, NOAA, EPA and Coast Guard Convene Science Meeting to Study
Dispersant Use and Ecosystem Impacts of Dispersed Oil in the Gulf of Mexico" (2010). UNH Today. 3372.
https://scholars.unh.edu/news/3372
Media Relations Home | Calendar | UNH Home
Media Relations
UNH Coastal Response Research Center, NOAA, EPA And Coast 
Guard Convene Science Meeting To Study Dispersant Use And 
Ecosystem Impacts Of Dispersed Oil In The Gulf Of Mexico
May 28, 2010 
DURHAM, N.H. – More than 50 experts and practitioners from government, academia and 
industry finished a two-day meeting Thursday, May 27, 2010, looking at the potential 
long-term impacts of the prolonged use of large volumes of dispersants in the Deepwater 
Horizon oil spill response efforts in the Gulf of Mexico. This is the third time NOAA and EPA 
have gathered top scientists to discuss dispersant use since the spill began. EPA and NOAA 
scientists are conducting rigorous ongoing monitoring and analysis of the effectiveness 
and toxicity of the dispersants used.
Should data indicate that the dispersants are causing significant environmental damage 
that outweighs the benefits of their use, EPA and the Coast Guard reserve the right to 
discontinue use.
Although the crude oil is more toxic than the authorized dispersants, much is unknown about the long-
term environmental impacts of dispersants when used in these unprecedented volumes on the surface and 
in the subsea. Because of this and due to the effectiveness of subsea applications, EPA and the U.S. Coast 
Guard directed BP to significantly ramp down their use of dispersants. BP has complied and has 
significantly reduced dispersant use.
The purpose of the two-day meeting was to provide input to the Gulf of Mexico Regional Response Teams 
(4 and 6) on the use of dispersants and the effects of dispersed oil going forward in the Deepwater Horizon 
incident. The meeting also identified possible monitoring protocols to be used in the event of continued 
aerial applications to surface water and subsea use.  
“This conference provided us with additional scientific information about potential impacts of prolonged 
dispersant use that can help guide decision making as we continue to support the U.S. Coast Guard's 
response to and clean up of this spill,” said Craig Carroll, EPA co-chair of the Region 6 Regional Response 
Team. 
“It is the consensus of the group that up to this point, use of dispersants and the effects of dispersing oil 
into the water column has generally been less environmentally harmful than allowing the oil to migrate on 
the surface into the sensitive wetlands and near shore coastal habitats,” said Nancy Kinner, University of 
New Hampshire co-director of the Coastal Response Research Center.
“The meeting is adding to our knowledge, both in terms of helping identify key questions that should  be 
asked and helping identifying new, quality sources of information and relevant expertise to draw on as we 
make these difficult decisions,” said Charlie Henry, NOAA’s scientific support coordinator for the Unified 
Command Center in Roberts, La.
“The thoughtful scientific input from this meeting will prove valuable to responders as we continue to do 
everything possible to minimize damages caused by this unprecedented spill,” said Robert Pond of the U.S. 
Coast Guard.
This was the third science summit in three weeks that builds on the unprecedented mobilization of science 
the federal government has brought to this incident. The administration has engaged some of the world’s 
brightest scientific minds from the public and private sectors to mitigate the oil’s impact and ensure an 
effective response. 
The results of the meeting will be presented in a report to the Regional Response Teams within the next 
week. The report will be available on the CRRC website at www.crrc.unh.edu.
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1/10/2018http://www.unh.edu/delete/news/cj_nr/2010/may/em28gulf.cfm.html
-30-
Media Contact: Erika Mantz | 603-862-1567 | UNH Media Relations 
T-hall
Copyright © 2012 UNH Media Relations, 15 Strafford Ave, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH 03824.
UNH is part of the University System of New Hampshire.
ADA Acknowledgement | Privacy Policy | UNH Home | E-mail Webmaster
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1/10/2018http://www.unh.edu/delete/news/cj_nr/2010/may/em28gulf.cfm.html


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UNH Coastal Response Research Center, NOAA, EPA and Coast Guard Convene Science Meeting to Study Dispersant Use and Ecosystem Impacts of Dispersed Oil in the Gulf of Mexico

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