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T
- tank barge
- Any tank vessel not equipped with means of self-propulsion, generally used for transporting petroleum products.
- tank vessel
- Any vessel specially constructed or converted to carry liquid bulk cargo in tanks.
- tarballs
- Weathered oil that has formed pliable balls or patches that float on the water. Tarballs can range in diameter from 1/4 inch (a few millimeters) to a foot (0.3 meters). Tarballs can be very persistent and travel long distances on the sea surface. A tarball may eventually biodegrade on the water's surface or accumulate in a coastal area.
- TBA
- To be announced.
- TEELS
- Temporary Emergency Exposure Limit, a level of concern representing the adverse health effects of a hazardous substance on members of the general public. The TEELS are defined by the U.S. Department of Energy for use when ERPGs aren't available (see www.eh.doe.gov/web/Chem_Safety/teel.html).
- threatened species
- A plant or animal species that is not currently endangered, but may become so if its population continues to decrease. Compare with endangered species.
- Threshold Limit Value (TLV)
- A level of concern representing the adverse health effects of a hazardous substance on healthy adult workers.
- tidal flats
- Marshy or muddy areas of the seabed, which are covered and uncovered by the rise and fall of tidal water.
- tide pools
- Permanent depressions in the substrate of intertidal zones, which always contain water but are periodically flushed with successive incoming tides. Tide pools are more frequently located near the high tide mark and often contain abundant flora and fauna that can be adversely affected when spilled oil becomes stranded in these areas.
- TLV
- See Threshold Limit Value.
- toxic
- Poisonous; can injure or kill people or other organisms.
- toxicity
- The degree to which a particular substance is deemed to be harmful or deadly. May be acute (sudden) or chronic (long-term).
- trajectory
- The direction and pattern of movement of spilled oil over time.
- trajectory forecast
- A prediction of the speed and direction of the movement of spilled oil or chemical on the water or in the atmosphere. Forecasts are generally produced by computer trajectory models using forecasts and/or observations of local currents and weather. An important role of NOAA's Scientific Support Team is to produce trajectory forecasts during an incident response.
- trustee (for natural resources)
- Government officials who act on behalf of the public when there is injury to, destruction of, loss of, or threat to natural resources as a result of a release of a hazardous substance or a discharge of oil. Trustees include the U.S. Departments of Commerce, Interior, Defense, Agriculture, and Energy; state agencies; and Native American tribes. NOAA is the lead federal trustee for coastal and marine resources.
- turbidity
- The loss of water clarity or transparency owing to the presence of suspended material.
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