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Home | Interested Public | Assessing Environmental Harm

Evaluating oil and chemical behavior and assessing effects and damage from spills.

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Publications

Web Portals

Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Overview of the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill in Prince William Sound, Alaska. Includes links to many related resources, including photo galleries.

Investigating the Top of the Water Column Take a look at the creatures living at the top of the water column, which could be affected by an oil spill. For high school students or older people.

Mearns Rock Time Series How does marine life recover from a major, one-time stress, such as an oil spill? As you will learn here, the answer is not simple.

Oil Spills at the Water's Edges When oil spills into the ocean, it's especially likely to harm animals and plants at two interfaces: near the surface of the water and along the shore.

Prince William Sound: An Ecosystem in Transition How did the Exxon Valdez oil spill, and the response to the spill, affect living organisms and their habitats? Here are some 1997 results and assessments from NOAA biologists conducting long-term monitoring.

Prince William Sound: Our Changing Perspective on Recovery A 1999 update from NOAA biologists studying the effects of the Exxon Valdez oil spill on the biological communities of Prince William Sound.

Summary Points: 10 Years of Intertidal Monitoring After the Exxon Valdez Spill A short summary of the main findings of NOAA biologists studying the effects of the Exxon Valdez oil spill on intertidal shorelines in Prince William Sound.

Publications for Interested Public about Assessing Environmental Harm Pages on our site that provide access to publications containing scientific information, field guides, and other material.

Oil Spills in Mangroves: Planning and Response Considerations
A 2002 report summarizing current research on mangrove ecosystems for spill response decisionmakers.

The head of a green turtle photographed underwater.

Oil and Sea Turtles: Biology, Planning, and Response
A basic overview of sea turtle biology, summarizes what is known about the effects of oil on sea turtles.

Characteristics of Response Strategies: A Guide for Spill Response Planning in Marine Environments
A job aid designed to help spill responders select appropriate response options to minimize environmental impacts when oil spills in coastal habitats.

Characteristic Coastal Habitats: Choosing Spill Response Alternatives
A job aid illustrating typical attributes of North American coastal habitats at risk from oil spills. The text describes each habitat and discusses how oil is likely to behave there, and considerations for treating oil.

A NOAA seafood tester examines seafood as part of a sensory test.

Seafood Safety after an Oil Spill
Publications that describe how to monitor seafood for exposure and contamination after an oil spill.

Shoreline Assessment Job Aid
A supplement to the Shoreline Assessment Manual, containing visual examples of many of the terms you would use during shoreline assessments after an oil spill.

Sediment Quality Guidelines (ERL/ERM)
The guidelines were initially intended for use by NOAA in ranking areas that warranted further detailed study, and for use in ranking chemicals that might be of potential concern.

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Web Portals for Interested Public to sites about Assessing Environmental Harm Pages on our site that provide information about and access to Web sites of closely-related agencies and programs.

Damage Assessment, Remediation, and Restoration Program
NOAA's Damage Assessment, Remediation, and Restoration Program (DARRP) is responsible for assessing and restoring coastal and marine resources injured by oil spills, hazardous substance releases, and vessel groundings.

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Current News: Interested Public

Web Site Survey Take a voluntary Web site survey to indicate your level of satisfaction with OR&R's Web offerings. (updated: April 2, 2009)

NOAA Commemorates the 20th Anniversary of the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill On Friday, March 13, 2009 the Office of Response and Restoration held an event to commemorate the 20th Anniversary of the Exxon Valdez oil spill. This NOAA Hill event focused on the progress our Nation has made in oil spill preparedness, response and restoration. (posted: March 24, 2009)

Suisun Bay Reserve Fleet Assessment Project Learn about NOAA's special Suisun Bay project investigating potential impacts from the mothball, Reserve Fleet in Suisun Bay, CA. (updated: March 12, 2009)

Of Special Note: Interested Public

Damage Assessment, Remediation, and Restoration Program NOAA's Damage Assessment, Remediation, and Restoration Program (DARRP) is responsible for assessing and restoring coastal and marine resources injured by oil spills, hazardous substance releases, and vessel groundings.

Environmental Sensitivity Index (ESI) Maps ESI maps help oil spill responders and planners to identify vulnerable coastal locations, establish protection priorities, and identify cleanup strategies.

Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Overview of the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill in Prince William Sound, Alaska. Includes links to many related resources, including photo galleries.

NOAA Restoration Portal Web Site Provides centralized access to information about NOAA restoration resources, including restoration techniques and NOAA restoration references, through a single point-of-entry.

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