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Who We Are

The IncidentNews website provides publicly available information related to oil and hazardous material spills, both current and historical. It is developed and maintained by NOAA's Emergency Response Division (ERD), which is part of NOAA's Office of Response and Restoration (OR&R). ERD was formerly known as the Hazardous Materials Response Division, or HAZMAT.

ERD's job is to facilitate spill prevention, preparedness, response, and restoration at national and local levels. Over the last 25 years, ERD has responded to virtually every major marine spill in the U.S. ERD's expertise is frequently sought internationally as well. For example, ERD spill scientists were extensively involved in the response to the 1991 oil spills in the Persian/Arabian Gulf.

While oil and chemical spills are the major focus, ERD also provides scientific support and trajectory predictions for incidents ranging from downed aircraft to coastal storms. ERD provides expertise to both Federal and local planners on such issues as dispersant use, alternate response technologies, response countermeasures, assessment of natural resource injury, and emergency restoration actions. ERD's scope encompasses the entire U.S. coastline, including the Great Lakes, the Gulf of Mexico, Alaska, and Hawaii.

Under the National Contingency Plan, NOAA has responsibility for providing scientific support to the Federal On-Scene Commander (FOSC) for oil and hazardous material spills, and it is primarily ERD that provides that support. NOAA may also be activated under the National Response Plan Emergency Support Function 10 to support the coordinated federal response to incidents of national significance involving release of dangerous contaminants. To support these mandates, ERD provides 24-hour, seven-day-a-week response to spill events. NOAA Scientific Support Coordinators (SSCs), stationed in major port cities around the U.S., coordinate scientific information and provide critical information to FOSCs during emergencies. A multidisciplinary team of ERD scientists, including oceanographers, modelers, biologists, chemists, and geologists, is based in Seattle and supports the SSCs during spill events, as well as in drills, exercises, and contingency planning. ERD SSCs are strategically located around the country, often within U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) offices, providing local services to a range of users in public and private sectors.

You can find more information about ERD and services we provide at: http://response.restoration.noaa.gov/About_ERD

You can find out more about the National Contingency Plan at: http://www.epa.gov/oilspill/ncpover.htm