The dynamic nature of the Deepwater Horizon BP oil spill has been a
challenge
for a range of communities--from hotel operators to fishermen to local
community leaders. And the American people have questions about the
response to
this crisis.
Today, Commerce's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
(NOAA) launches a new federal Web
site meant
to answer those questions with clarity and transparency--a one-stop shop
for
detailed near-real-time information about the response to the Deepwater
Horizon
BP oil spill. The Web site incorporates data from the various agencies
that are
working together to tackle the spill.
Originally designed for responders, who make operational decisions,
to the
oil spill disaster, http://www.GeoPlatform.gov/gulfresponse
integrates the latest
data on the oil spill’s trajectory, fishery closed areas, wildlife and
place-based Gulf Coast resources--such as pinpointed locations of oiled
shoreline and daily position of research ships--into one customizable
interactive map.
The launch of the public site is designed to facilitate communication
and
coordination among a variety of users--from federal, state and local
responders to local community leaders and the public--the site is
designed to
be fast, user-friendly and constantly updated.
Beyond NOAA data, the site includes data from Homeland Security, the
Coast
Guard, the Fish and Wildlife Service, EPA, NASA , U.S. Geological Survey
and the
Gulf states . Agencies contribute data through the response data sharing
mechanism within the command posts. This includes posting geospatial
data on a
common server, allowing access and use for multiple spatial platforms.
“This Web site provides users with an expansive, yet detailed
geographic
picture of what’s going on with the spill; Gulf Coast fisherman,
recreational
boaters, beach users and birders will be able to become more informed,”
said
Jane Lubchenco, Ph.D., Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and
Atmosphere and
NOAA Administrator. “It’s a common operational picture that allows the
American
people to see how their government is responding to the crisis.”
Developed through a joint partnership between NOAA and the University
of New
Hampshire’s Coastal Response Research Center, the site is a Web-based
GIS
platform designed specifically for response activities where it is
necessary to
coordinate with various federal, state and local agencies. The site will
serve
as the official federal source for map-based data. Interactive Map Deepwater Horizon update
http://gomex.erma.noaa.gov/