November 2012 - The Deepwater Horizon natural resource trustees, including NOAA, are seeking your public comment on $9 million in draft early restoration plans aimed at restoring injured bird and sea turtle nesting habitats across the Gulf of Mexico. In the wake of the 2010 well blowout, the pollution response operations disturbed these sensitive habitats. These early restoration projects are timed to enhance these important habitats for the spring 2013 nesting season. This is the second round of draft early restoration plans outlining projects agreed to by the trustees and BP and presented for public input. These draft plans will be finalized to ultimately form a Final Early Restoration Plan.

Comments on these draft early restoration plans will be accepted until December 10, 2012. To find out more about the projects and how to submit your comments, visit NOAA's Gulf Spill Restoration website.

November 2012 - NOAA, along with other agencies and several tribes (Trustees), released a Draft Injury Assessment Plan for public comment for the Hanford nuclear site in Washington State. Since 1943, activities on the Hanford Site have resulted in the widespread release of a large volume of radiological and other hazardous contaminants into the environment. While cleanup efforts continue, the Hanford Natural Resource Trustees have initiated a natural resource damage assessment in order to one day restore natural resources injured during nuclear operations, and for those injuries occurring while the site awaits full cleanup. The Trustees are seeking public comment on this Injury Assessment Plan and are asking for your feedback on the proposed approach and studies in the Assessment Plan. The Trustees will also hold a public meeting at the Richland Public Library at 6:30pm, Wednesday, December 12th. The deadline to submit comments has been extended to January 4, 2013. Learn More.

November 2012 - NOAA, the US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) released the Preassessment Screen for the Newtown Creek Superfund Site.  This Preassessment Screen (PAS) is the first step in the Natural Resource Damage Assessment process.  It provides a review of information on releases of hazardous substances and potential impacts of those releases on natural resources.  As documented in the PAS, NOAA, the USFWS, and the NYSDEC determined that an assessment of Newtown Creek natural resource damages is warranted.  The extent of site-related contamination and its effect on natural resources and their services will determine the amount and type of restoration needed to address any injuries associated with the Newtown Creek Superfund Site.

November 2012 - Restoration is underway in the Beaver Creek watershed on the Warm Springs Reservation in Central Oregon. During summer 2012, four salmon habitat restoration projects were implemented using settlement funds from the Beaver Creek Gasoline Spill. In 1999, the Beaver Creek Gasoline Spill resulted in 5,388 gallons of gasoline being discharged, the majority of which went directly into Beaver Creek. This spill had direct impacts on Chinook salmon, endangered steelhead trout, and their habitat. It was determined that restoration should focus on improving habitat for salmon and steelhead through a series of projects that address excess sediment and high water temperatures throughout the Beaver Creek watershed. Two of the projects that were implemented with settlement funds this year were constructed entirely by Tribal members through existing restoration, construction, and maintenance programs managed by the Tribe. These projects employed 15 workers, including staff from their Summer Youth Program, Habitat Program, and Tribal Restoration Crew.

November 2012 - A recently released study, funded in part by NOAA, estimated a minimum of 17,000 people living near the Anacostia River could be eating polluted fish. The Anacostia River, less than a mile from our nation’s capital, faces the same issues as other urban rivers across the nation. Decades of pollution from run-off and hazardous waste sites resulted in toxic chemicals such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) accumulating in the sediments and up the food chain into fish. The consumption of contaminated fish poses a serious public health concern. Health problems associated with exposure to PCBs include cancer and immune, reproductive, endocrine, and neurological effects.

According to the report, many local fishermen — who were disproportionately African American, Latino, or Asian — were catching, eating, and sharing these potentially contaminated fish with family, friends, and others in need, greatly expanding the possible long-term health risks to the public. The report highlights the need to improve outreach efforts on potential health risks to anglers and the broader community beyond traditional public advisories, as well as the issues of food security and environmental cleanup and restoration.

Visit the NOAA Office of Response and Restoration blog for more information and download the report. Learn more about DARRP efforts to clean up and restore the Anacostia through its Partnership to Restore the Anacostia River.

One of the many impacts from Hurricane Sandy's extreme weather conditions has been the spread of oil, hazardous materials, and debris across waterways and industrial port areas along the Mid Atlantic coast. This includes a significant spill at the Motiva Refinery in Sewarren, N.J., as well as several small spills of diesel fuel, biodiesel, and various other petroleum products scattered throughout northern New Jersey's refinery areas. NOAA is working on-scene with the U.S. Coast Guard and affected facilities to contain, cleanup and reduce the impacts of this pollution in New Jersey and New York. NOAA is also working with co-trustee agencies to assess potential injuries from these releases to natural resources such as fish and wetlands. For more information on these spills, see the NOAA Office of Response and Restoration and Incident News.

September 2012 - Coastal habitats injured by a waste disposal site in Texas City, Texas are one step closer to being restored. The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas has approved a settlement between more than three dozen companies and government agencies, including NOAA. The settlement includes cleanup of the Malone Services Company site and payment of $3,109,000 in natural resource damages under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA) for injuries resulting from the release of hazardous substances from the site. The Malone Service Co. site, located along the shores of Galveston Bay in Texas City, is a former 150-acre waste oil and chemicals disposal facility. Settlement monies will be used to restore the same types of natural resources as those that were injured by contamination at the site, including upland-woodlands, freshwater marsh, and saltwater marsh.

Restoration projects create jobs for construction workers, landscapers, heavy equipment operators, and technical experts such as engineers and wildlife biologists. Restoration projects also create demand for local businesses, such as plant nurseries, quarries, and others. A wetland restoration project in New Jersey partially supported by funds recovered by DARRP has supported roughly 100 direct jobs so far. Learn more about the economic benefits of restoration from a new NOAA tool which allows you to find out about habitat restoration across the nation, from Oregon to New Jersey.

September, 2012 – NOAA, along with other state and federal environmental agencies, are implementing 11 projects benefitting the wildlife, people, and landscape of the Sudbury River Watershed in Massachusetts. These projects will be funded by a $3.7 million settlement reached in 1998 to address impacts to natural resources harmed by mercury and other contaminants from the Nyanza Chemical Superfund site. The projects will:

• Restore migratory and coldwater fish habitat
• Protect land to conserve wildlife habitat
• Create public access to the river in Ashland and Sudbury
• Create a nature preserve in Framingham and Ashland
• Control invasive aquatic weeds to improve recreation and wildlife habitats and diversity

The Nyanza Natural Resource Damages Trustee Council worked with citizens, community and environmental groups, local and regional officials, and state and federal agencies to identify restoration project ideas. Learn more.

July, 2012 - With their eyes on the ocean, a team of 17 NOAA scientists recently removed nearly 50 metric tons of marine debris—mostly abandoned fishing nets and plastics—from the turquoise waters of the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument. Part of an annual cleanup effort since 1996 to restore the area's coral ecosystems, this latest sweep of marine debris also scanned for items which might have been carried there from the 2011 Japan tsunami. However, nothing could be linked directly to the tragedy.

NOAA's Damage Assessment, Restoration, and Remediation Program is helping restore coral reefs here after the M/V Casitas grounded on Pearl and Hermes Atoll in the monument in July 2005. Part of the funding for the marine debris removal survey comes from the legal settlement for the Casitas ship grounding case. For more information please read the press release.

July, 2012 - This month NOAA and other members of the Portland Harbor Natural Resource Trustee Council released a draft Restoration Plan and Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement for the Portland Harbor Superfund site. The plan's release marked a major milestone in the Natural Resource Damage Assessment process for the Portland Harbor Superfund site. The plan outlines restoration options and explains how specific restoration projects will be chosen to compensate the public for losses caused by releases of hazardous substances or discharges of oil from the Portland Harbor Superfund site. Notably, the plan prioritizes restoration in the Superfund site study area. The plan includes a portfolio of ecological restoration concepts for 44 potential sites in the lower Willamette River ecosystem. Two public meetings are being held during summer 2012 to present and gather input on the plan. Public comment will be accepted through October 8, 2012.

July, 2012 - Restoration is now complete for natural resources injured by an oil spill in 2006 in the Cascade Mountains of Washington state. The accidental spill at a Puget Sound Energy facility released approximately 18,000 gallons of diesel fuel into the White River Watershed below the Crystal Mountain Ski Area. NOAA along with co-trustees identified and determined the extent of the injuries, recovered damages from those responsible, and carried out restoration activities to compensate the public for the injury.

The now completed restoration projects focused on riverine habitat and Chinook salmon. The Greenwater River floodplain restoration project restored river and floodplain processes to increase the range and distribution of salmon in the White River Watershed. It was a partnership effort with the South Puget Sound Salmon Enhancement Group and the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest.

Urban Waterfront Restoration Celebration Held in Philadelphia

A ribbon-cutting event for the opening of Lardners Point Park was held on May 14, 2012 in Philadelphia, PA. This new 4.5-acre riverfront park includes a river overlook, fishing pier, connections to a trail system, and riverbank forest. NOAA and co-trustees from USFWS, PA, NJ and DE partnered with the Delaware River City Corp., Pennsylvania Environmental Council and several other agencies and community groups to provide funds from the Athos Oil Spill settlement to add a living shoreline with tidal wetlands. The event was well attended, with dignitaries including Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter, Rep. Allyson Schwartz, former Rep. Robert Borski, and other state and local officials and groups. Enthusiasm was expressed for coordination and partnership on future projects along the Delaware Riverfront Greenway in Philadelphia. NOAA is also coordinating with other federal agencies, the city, and community groups in preparing an application for Philadelphia to become a Federal Urban Water Partnership site, an initiative under America's Great Outdoors.

Final Restoration Plan and Environmental Assessment Issued for the M/V Everreach Oil Spill in Charleston, SC

May 15, 2012 - Federal and state trustee agencies have released the Final Restoration Plan and Environmental Assessment for the M/V Everreach Oil Spill. The plan summarizes the injuries to natural resources that occurred as a result of the 2002 discharge of fuel oil into the waters of Charleston Harbor in South Carolina. The plan also provides details of the approximately 12 acre saltmarsh and upland habitat restoration project selected to compensate for those injuries. The project is located within the recently established Noisette Creek Preserve in North Charleston, SC and will involve the reintroduction of tidal flow into a formerly impounded area. On the ground restoration of the site is expected to commence in the fall of 2012.

Deepwater Horizon Natural Resource Trustees Announce Major Progress in Gulf Restoration Effort

April 18, 2012 - An estimated $60 million in early restoration projects soon will begin along the Gulf Coast following the nation's largest oil spill, the Deepwater Horizon Natural Resource Damage Assessment (NRDA) Trustee Council announced.

With finalization of the "Deepwater Horizon Phase I Early Restoration Plan & Environmental Assessment" (ERP/EA), eight restoration projects will be implemented. The projects provide for marsh creation, coastal dune habitat improvements, nearshore artificial reef creation, and oyster cultch restoration, as well as the construction and enhancement of boat ramps to compensate for lost human use of resources.

The ERP/EA is the first early restoration plan under the unprecedented April 2011 agreement with BP to fund $1 billion in early restoration projects. The funding enables the trustees to begin restoration before the completion of damage assessment activities.

Restoration to Begin after 2007 Oil Spill in San Francisco Bay

In September 2011, NOAA and our partners reached a settlement for the 2007 M/V Cosco Busan oil spill, which dumped 53,000 gallons of oil into San Francisco Bay. Now, we are ready to start restoring the habitat and other natural resources that were affected by the spill.

After the settlement was reached, we asked for public comment on our restoration plan. We—along with our federal and state partners—revised the plan based on those comments. Now, we have a final restoration plan in hand and we are ready to get to work.

The oil killed thousands of birds, impacted the bay's 2008 herring spawn, oiled thousands of acres of shoreline habitat, and closed the bay and area beaches to recreation and fishing. More than $32 million of the settlement funds will go toward restoration projects to address these impacts.

Read the press release about this announcement or listen to NOAA experts in a recent podcast about the effort to restore the environment in the aftermath of this spill.

Public Comments Requested on Kalamazoo River Restoration

The week of April 2nd, a plan was released to provide restoration to offset a portion of the environmental injuries caused by the Kalamazoo River Superfund Site in Michigan. This Draft Restoration Plan/Environmental Assessment (Draft RP/EA) presents proposed restoration actions to address public natural resource losses caused by the release of hazardous substances from the Allied Paper Property. It was released by Michigan Department of Natural Resources, Michigan Department of Environmental Quality, Michigan Attorney General, USFWS, and NOAA. This Draft RP/EA provides information regarding the affected environment, the natural resource injuries caused by releases of hazardous substances from property, the restoration actions proposed to compensate for these injuries, and the anticipated impacts of the restoration actions. This RP/EA does not address restoration projects to compensate for injuries resulting from releases from the rest of the Kalamazoo River Superfund Site; such efforts will be conducted in the future. The purpose of this Draft RP/EA is to inform and solicit comments from members of the public, which are due by June 1, 2012. Learn more about how to submit comments and public meeting information.

Restoration Planning to Begin for 2010 Kalamazoo River Oil Spill

March 1, 2012 -- NOAA and other agencies will start planning restoration efforts to address the impacts from a 2010 oil spill into Talmadge Creek and the Kalamazoo River. After a 30-inch diameter pipeline owned by Enbridge Energy failed, approximately 819,000 gallons of crude oil were released into a tributary creek of the Kalamazoo River in southern Michigan. Oil traveled approximately 40 miles downstream in the Kalamazoo River.

The discharged oil injured aquatic organisms, birds, wildlife, and habitat, while also impacting recreational use of the river. NOAA along with other agencies will evaluate these environmental injuries to determine the amount of restoration needed as a part of the Natural Resource Damage Assessment process. During this process, there will be multiple opportunities for the public to comment on proposed restoration activities.

For a closer look at how NOAA scientists are investigating the environmental impacts of this spill, read a post on our Response and Restoration Blog.

New Podcast: Restoring San Francisco Bay

Listen to NOAA experts in a new podcast about a multi-year effort to restore the environment in the aftermath of a spill that dumped 53,000 gallons of oil into San Francisco Bay. While we're focusing on this one spill, you'll get a good idea of how we deal as a nation with big spills wherever and whenever they occur along our coasts. Guests for this episode include Greg Baker, regional resource coordinator with NOAA's Office of Response and Restoration, and Natalie Cosentino-Manning, restoration program manager for the Southwest region of the U.S. with NOAA's Fisheries Restoration Center.

Listen to podcast.

Are you a financial whiz or a federal grants guru? If so, we need your help!

When a disaster occurs--like an oil spill or ship grounding on a coral reef--NOAA works to restore the injured natural resources. We work with remedial agencies, responsible parties, and teams of state, tribal, and federal agencies to conduct Natural Resource Damage Assessments (NRDAs) to determine the impact of the disaster. We then cooperate with the public to identify restoration projects, and partner with non-profit groups, local governments, and other organizations to carry out the restoration.

That's where you come in. We are currently soliciting applications for organizations that can implement trustee-selected NRDA restoration projects, or competitively solicit projects to meet specific restoration goals (determined by trustee councils). Funding is expected to be provided on an as-available basis for up to 7 years. We anticipate that typical awards will range from $350,000 to $2,000,000 within the first year and that approximately $750,000 to $15,000,000 may be available over the life of the selected awards.

The deadline to apply is February 23, 2012. Learn more about this funding opportunity.

Deepwater Horizon Natural Resource Trustees Call for Public Input on Early Restoration of the Gulf

On December 14, 2011, the Deepwater Horizon Natural Resource Damage Assessment Trustees released the Deepwater Horizon Draft Phase 1 Early Restoration Plan & Environmental Assessment (DERP/EA) for public input and suggestions. It is the first in an anticipated series of plans to begin restoration of the Gulf of Mexico to compensate for the natural resource injuries, including loss of human use of Gulf resources impacted by the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill.

The DERP/EA describes the initial projects proposed to receive funding from the $1 billion Early Restoration agreement announced by the Trustees and BP on April 21, 2011. The Trustees will hold 12 public meetings in January and February 2012 throughout Gulf Coast communities and in Washington, D.C. to solicit public input on the DERP/EA. Please visit the Gulf Spill Restoration website for more information.

How does NOAA protect and restore natural resources injured by oil spills and hazardous waste sites? Check out the latest Diving Deeper podcast to learn more.

On February 19th NOAA and other federal and state agencies announced that they are initiating a restoration scoping process for the Deepwater BP oil spill. This is a key step in the ongoing Natural Resource Damage Assessment for the spill. The restoration scoping process will allow NOAA and other federal and state agencies to take a comprehensive look at the types of restoration that may be required to offset potential impacts from the spill on habitat, fish, wildlife, and human use of those resources.

Through the process, the public will have the chance to give us ideas on what types of projects are important to restore the affected resources after the spill. You can make your voice heard by attending public meetings, or by submitting a comment or project idea. Comments can be submitted in person at a meeting, online, or by mail. All of your comments will be reviewed by NOAA and the other agencies as we develop a restoration plan for the Gulf.

The week of April 11th a marine debris removal project will begin in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands to restore natural resources injured by a ship grounding in 2005. This project is the result of a natural resource damage assessment which determined the injury and amount of restoration needed to restore natural resources from the July 2, 2005 M/V Casitas, a 145 ft vessel, coral grounding in what is now the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument. Derelict nets and debris cause injury to the near shore coral reef environment by smothering, breaking, and abrading benthic flora and fauna. Nets also cause mortality to fishes, sea turtles, marine mammals, and birds as they continue to "fish" and organisms get entangled even though the nets are abandoned.

On May 17, a Federal district court judge signed a decree requiring Bouchard Transportation Co. Inc. and its affiliates to pay more than $6 million to settle a portion of the federal and state natural resource damage claims for the April 2003 spill of at least 98,000 gallons of oil into Buzzards Bay in Massachusetts. NOAA serves as a natural resource trustee for this case alongside of the US Fish and Wildlife Service, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the State of Rhode Island. The money will be used to compensate the public for injuries to shoreline and aquatic resources, piping plovers, coastal recreational uses, and Ram Island - a vital nesting habitat for roseate terns and other migrating seabirds. NOAA will also pursue claims against the responsible parties for the recovery of additional damage assessment costs. The trustees continue to work cooperatively with Bouchard Transportation Co. Inc. to assess the damages associated with other bird species.

On May 23, Commencement Bay Trustees finalized a settlement with a group of parties along the Middle Waterway in Commencement Bay, WA, worth approximately $8 Million. This settlement will help restore habitat in an urban waterway that has been damaged from the release of chemicals from nearby factory and industry operations. This settlement covers costs of a restoration project constructed near the mouth of the Hylebos Creek that creates nearly seven acres of fish and wildlife friendly habitat of marshes, mudflat and riparian vegetation. Additionally, a conservation easement protects an area of nearshore aquatic habitat at the mouth of the Middle Waterway on the site of a former pier. Commencement Bay is the harbor for Tacoma, WA, located at the southern end of Puget Sound.

NOAA is seeking public review of and comment on the Draft Restoration Plan/Environmental Assessment (RP/EA) for the former Superfund landfill Site which injured anadromous fishery resources of the Saugatucket River. The two preferred alternatives are to reconstruct and improve two poorly functioning structural fishways on the Saugatucket River in South Kingstown, RI. Review the RP/EA by clicking on: Draft Rose Hill Landfill Restoration Plan/Environmental Assessment. Public comments are being accepted through December 5, 2011.

NOAA's Office of Response and Restoration is officially on scene at the Yellowstone River spill, in Billings, Mont., where an ExxonMobil pipeline ruptured on July 1, 2011, releasing an estimated 31,500 to 42,000 gallons of oil into the iconic river during its flood-stage flow.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service asked NOAA to start the initial stages of a Natural Resource Damage Assessment on their behalf for the Yellowstone spill. This process, which usually kicks off at the same time as cleanup, studies the overall effects of a spill on fish, wildlife, surrounding habitat, and public use of those resources (i.e. fishing or boating). Scientists identify the extent of damage, figure out how to rehabilitate those natural resources, and specify the type and amount of restoration needed. NOAA's OR&R staff is expert in this damage assessment process as required by the Oil Pollution Act of 1990.

A settlement announced on Sept. 19, 2011, will restore natural resources injured by the Nov. 7, 2007, M/V Cosco Busan oil spill in the San Francisco Bay. State and federal trustee agencies will use the majority of funds from this $36.8 million settlement to implement a variety of restoration projects. The trustees also released a Draft Damage Assessment and Restoration Plan, which proposes specific projects to address specific injuries. Public comments are being requested on this plan until Oct. 31, 2011. For additional information, please see the Cosco Busan settlement press release, restoration plan press release, and newsletter.

We want to hear from you! The Montrose Settlements Restoration Program has released a draft Phase 2 Restoration Plan, and we are asking for public comment. The draft plan summarizes restoration work that has been completed from the Phase 1 Restoration Plan and proposes projects for the next phase. The plan focuses on restoring natural resources that were affected by DDT and PCB contamination, including Channel Island Bald Eagles, Peregrine Falcons, and seabirds, as well as fish habitat. In most cases, the Phase 2 Plan continues or expands on projects from Phase 1. View the draft restoration plan now and send your comments to msrp@noaa.gov. Comments are due by December 19, 2011.

NOAA is seeking public review of and comment on the Draft Restoration Plan/Environmental Assessment (RP/EA) for the Holyoke Coal Tar deposit and former Holyoke Gas Works, which injured aquatic habitat for benthic organisms as well as fish and freshwater mussels of the Connecticut River. The preferred alternatives are to remove the Bartlett Rod Shop Company Dam, Pelham, MA to restore anadromous fish passage, restoration of fish passage and fishway installation at the Manhan River Dam, Easthampton, MA, and conduct endangered mussel surveys along portions of the CT River mainstem. Public comments are being accepted through January 31, 2012.

A new peer-reviewed study, commissioned by NOAA, reveals the estimated total economic value the American people hold for the coral reefs of the main Hawaiian Islands is $33.57 billion. Economists from the Damage Assessment, Remediation, and Restoration Program played a key role in the development and implementation of this study. The study employed a scientifically developed national Internet survey of more than 3,200 households – a representative sample of all U.S. residents, not just Hawaiians or coastal dwellers. From June through October 2009, the survey allowed the public to express its preferences and values for protection and restoration of the coral reef ecosystems around the main Hawaiian Islands. In this study, total economic value includes passive use values, such as the willingness to pay to protect the coral reef ecosystem for future generations, and direct use values-- snorkeling over a coral reef or consuming fish supported by coral reef ecosystems. Learn more about this study.

NOAA is a proud sponsor of the 2011 Brownfields Conference being held in Philadelphia, PA April 3-5. Now in its fourteenth year, the National Brownfields Conference is the largest event if its kind, devoted exclusively to the remediation, redevelopment, and reuse of environmentally impaired properties. Featuring educational sessions, plenary events, film screenings, mobile workshops, exhibit hall and trade show programming, and much more, the conference convenes key stakeholders from the private sector, public agencies, nonprofit organizations, and academia. For more information visit the website: www.brownfields2011.org.

On Monday November 15, the Department of Justice lodged a proposed Consent Decree in federal district court that would require Bouchard Transportation Co. Inc. and its affiliates to pay more than $6 million to settle a portion of the federal and state natural resource damage claims for the April 2003 spill of up to 98,000 gallons of oil into Buzzards Bay. NOAA is a natural resource trustee for this case alongside of the US Fish and Wildlife Service, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the State of Rhode Island.

The settlement will, once approved by the court, compensate the public for injuries to shoreline and aquatic resources, piping plovers and coastal recreational uses, such as beach-related activities and recreational shellfishing and boating that depend on the natural resources affected by the spill. NOAA looks forward to continuing to fully participate with our co-trustees and the public to identify and implement successful restoration projects benefiting fishery resources and their habitats, as well as other restoration activities along the Massachusetts and Rhode Island coast. NOAA will also pursue claims against the responsible parties for the recovery of additional damage assessment costs.

Press Release

Federal and state agencies received $27.5 million to restore conditions for fish, birds, sensitive habitats, wildlife and recreational use of the Delaware River affected in 2004 by an oil spill from the vessel Athos I. NOAA, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, as well as the states of Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware, collectively received the funds from the U.S. Coast Guard Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund for nine restoration projects. These projects will benefit coastal communities and economies by improving habitat, providing green jobs during construction, and creating new opportunities to enjoy the river and its wildlife.

On Nov. 26, 2004, the Athos I, struck three submerged objects, including a large anchor while preparing to dock in Paulsboro, N.J. The anchor punctured the hull, spilling nearly 265,000 gallons of crude oil into the Delaware River, which resulted in impacts to more than 280 miles of shoreline, affecting habitats, aquatic organisms, birds and other wildlife, as well as hindering recreational use of the river.

NOAA Press Release

The Draft Damage Assessment and Restoration Plan/Environmental Assessment (DARP/EA) for the M/V CASITAS grounding at Pearl and Hermes Atoll, Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument, has been released for public review by NOAA and its natural resource co-Trustees (the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Hawaii Division of Aquatic Resources). The Draft DARP/EA summarizes natural resource injuries that resulted from the vessel grounding on a coral reef at Pearl and Hermes Atoll on July 2, 2005. The Draft DARP/EA presents restoration actions that the Trustees are proposing for implementation to compensate for ecological injuries caused by the grounding. Specifically, the plan describes a proposed project to remove marine debris in the vicinity of the grounding. This draft DARP/EA is made available to the public for a 30-day comment period (through February 14th). Written comments received during this public comment period will be considered when preparing the Final DARP/EA. Please send comments to Matthew Parry via email Matthew.Parry@noaa.gov or via mail C/O Matthew Parry, 1601 Kapiolani Blvd, Suite 1110, Honolulu HI 96814.

On the morning of July 26, 2010, a failure occurred in a 30-inch diameter pipeline releasing approximately 19,500 barrels (819,000 gallons) of crude oil into a tributary creek of the Kalamazoo River in Marshall, MI. Oil traveled approximately 30 miles downstream in the Kalamazoo River. Containment and absorbent booms have been placed and the oil has not passed Morrow Lake, located about 10 miles east of Kalamazoo, MI. NOAA's Damage Assessment Remediation and Restoration Program (DARRP) is working with natural resource co-trustees (US Fish and Wildlife Service and the state of Michigan) and with Enbridge (the Responsible Party) to collect information on exposure and potential impacts of the oil spill on fish, mussels, and turtles as well as their habitats, including wetlands, floodplains, bottom sediments, and the water column. Field teams are currently conducting surveys and collecting samples and the trustees are also working to identify resources at risk and develop protocols for future surveys. Highlights of some of these activities include:

• Several rounds of water sampling have been conducted throughout locations in the affected area and upstream.
• Rapid boat-based riverbank surveying was conducted to characterize the extent of oiling on riverbanks.
• Study plans for mussel assessments are being finalized.
• Field teams have begun collecting smallmouth bass and redhorse suckers to assess their exposure to oil.
• Trustees are observing and documenting any impacts that result from cleanup work, such as habitat loss when oiled overhanging tree branches must be removed.

Learn more about the response to this spill.

Restoration planning to address the impacts from the Deepwater BP oil spill is under way. On September 29, the state and federal agencies responsible for assessing and restoring public natural resources impacted by the spill released the Notice of Intent to Conduct Restoration Planning. This notice signals that the process has begun to identify and document impacts to the Gulf's natural resources and the public's lost use of these resources.

• Press Release
• For more information please see a new video describing the Natural Resource Damage Assessment process.

NOAA Assessment Activities NOAA is coordinating data collection efforts with partners in five states (Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, and Texas), and the Department of the Interior. BP is also participating in many of the data collection efforts. Information continues to be collected on potential impacts to fish, shellfish, marine mammals, turtles, birds, and other sensitive resources as well as their habitats, including wetlands, beaches, mudflats, bottom sediments, corals, and the water column. We are also assessing any lost human uses of these resources, such as fishing, hunting, and beach closures. Dozens of teams have been in the field conducting daily surveys and collecting samples.

• Response and assessment teams have surveyed over 1,800 miles of shoreline and over 19,500 water, sediment, tissue and other samples have been collected to date.
• More than 70 offshore research cruises have been characterizing environmental conditions, oil on and below the water surface and the exposure to biological communities.
• Natural Resource Damage Assessment (NRDA) teams are documenting the presence of oil and collecting oil samples for fingerprinting—to confirm the origin of the oil. Teams have been conducting initial injury assessment studies at more than 50 shoreline sites a day to collect data on the degree and extent of habitat oiling.
• Flyovers monitor populations of marine mammals and turtles, document their presence in impacted areas, and locate stranded animals.
• Teams are assessing the loss of human uses, such as recreational beach days, boat and fishing trips, due to the spill.

Restoration in the Gulf of Mexico.

NOAA's Damage Assessment Remediation and Restoration Program (DARRP) is coordinating data collection efforts with partners in five states (Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, and Texas), and the Department of the Interior (including the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Park Service, and Bureau of Land Management). BP is also participating in many of the data collection efforts.

Together, we are collecting information on potential impacts to fish, shellfish, marine mammals, turtles, birds, and other sensitive resources as well as their habitats, including wetlands, beaches, mudflats, bottom sediments, corals, and the water column. We are also assessing any lost human uses of these resources, such as fishing, hunting, and beach closures. Dozens of teams are in the field conducting daily surveys and collecting samples.

NOAA Assessment Activities

• Response and assessment teams have surveyed 1,800 miles of shoreline and over 11,000 samples have been collected to date.
• More than 40 offshore research cruises are characterizing oil on and below the water surface and the impact to biological communities.
• Natural Resource Damage Assessment (NRDA) teams are documenting the presence of oil and collecting oil samples for fingerprinting—to confirm the origin of the oil. Teams are conducting initial injury assessment studies at more than 50 shoreline sites a day to collect data on the degree and extent of habitat oiling.
• Flyovers monitor populations of marine mammals and turtles, document their presence in impacted areas, and locate stranded animals.
• Teams are assessing the loss of human uses, such as recreational beach days, boat and fishing trips, due to the spill.

While it is still too early in the process to know what the scope of the Natural Resource Damage Assessment (NRDA) will be, from past experience, NOAA is concerned about impacts to fish, shellfish, marine mammals, turtles, birds and other sensitive resources as well as their habitats, including wetlands, beaches, mudflats, bottom sediments, corals and the water column. The trustees will also assess any lost human uses of these resources, for example, fishing, hunting, and beach recreational closures. The trustees are also assessing the efficacy of evaluating impacts from the response, including burning, and dispersant use at the surface and at depth.

NOAA's Damage Assessment Remediation and Restoration Program (DARRP) is coordinating this effort with natural resource trustees in four states (LA, MS, AL, FL), DOI (USFWS and NPS) and with BP (the Responsible Party or RP). Multiple agencies from each state are engaged. The Texas Trustees may become involved in the future.

The work that is being conducted under the Preliminary Assessment Phase of the NRDA is being done cooperatively with BP. This means that the Trustees are jointly meeting with BP to discuss NRDA actions and that BP is integrated into several NRDA Technical Working Groups (TWGs) that have been formed.

The focus of these TWGs currently is to assemble a variety of existing data on resources, their habitats and their human uses, and to collect baseline (pre-spill impact) data wherever possible. Information on impacts currently occurring to these resources and their uses is also being assembled. Currently, NOAA is coordinating stakeholder participation in most of these TWGs and is providing scientific and technical expertise and information management to many parts of the overall NRDA effort. Additional information may be available at Incident News and NOAA's Office of Response and Restoration. Also see NOAA's role and tools used during an oil spill.

Boeing and the Elliott Bay Trustee Council (comprised of NOAA, US Department of Interior, State of Washington, the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe and the Suquamish Tribe) have reached an agreement that will result in the restoration of significant fish and bird habitat in the Lower Duwamish River. The Duwamish River runs through downtown Seattle, WA and contains three Superfund sites related to historical contamination from shipping, manufacturing and other heavy industries. This cooperative negotiated settlement agreement was filed on May 4, 2010 with the court to resolve liability of the Boeing Corporation for injury to natural resources from releases of hazardous substances from Boeing properties along the Lower Duwamish River. The agreement includes two restoration projects (comprising 4.8 acres) creating habitat for out-migrating juvenile salmon, flatfish, crabs and shorebirds. Boeing also agreed to contribute to a long term stewardship fund and repay almost $2 million of the natural resource trustee's costs. Per USDOJ's press release , the consent decree is subject to a 30-day public comment period. For additional information about settlements and restoration at this site see the Duwamish case page.

NOAA is responding to an explosion and fire on a deepwater semisubmersible drilling platform some 50 miles SE of the Mississippi Delta. The incident on the DEEPWATER HORIZON occurred at approximately 11:00 PM on 20 April with more than 120 crew reported aboard. The rig caught fire and has been evacuated. USCG Search and Rescue operations have been initiated. A secondary concern is the estimated 27,800 bbls (over a million gallons) of #2 Fuel Oil or Marine Diesel Fuel reported onboard. The USCG has requested scientific support from NOAA's Office of Response and Restoration. NOAA is running oil spill trajectory models of potential spilled oil. A NOAA Scientific Support Coordinator is on-scene in Morgan City, LA. The NOAA Weather Service is providing forecasting support. Additional information may be available at Incident News and NOAA's Office of Response and Restoration. Also see NOAA's role and tools used during an oil spill.

NOAA and co-trustees released a plan today to enhance 247 acres of critical coastal wetlands and create an additional 14.7 acres in western Louisiana. The Final Damage Assessment and Restoration Plan and Environmental Assessment (Final DARP) for Bayou Verdine, Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana has been approved by NOAA, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and Louisiana's Department of Environmental Quality and Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (the Trustees)and is now available to the public. The Final DARP selects a restoration project - the Sabine Unit 1999 Project - for use to compensate for natural resource injuries and service losses in the upper Calcasieu Estuary caused by past releases of hazardous substances from two facilities presently owned and operated by ConocoPhillips Company and Sasol North America Inc., situated along Bayou Verdine. The Trustees' assessment of these injuries and losses is presented in the Final DARP as well.

Climate change will increase threats to NOAA trust resources. These threats include impacts from flooding or sea-level rise on coastal contaminated waste sites and chemical and oil storage facilities. In response, DARRP developed the Climate Assessment and Proactive Response Initiative (CAPRI) to provide a screening level vulnerability analysis of contaminant impacts in the coastal zone related to climate change. Through the improved understanding of these contaminant impacts to coastal resources, NOAA and other local, state, regional, and federal decision makers will be better able to prepare for and then adapt to climate change. A pilot is underway in the Puget Sound estuary in Washington State to test the methodology, which can be applied to coastal areas around the country. Analytical results will be displayed in the Environmental Response Management Application (ERMA), a user friendly, web based mapping application. To learn more, please visit the CAPRI page on the DARRP Northwest website.

From March 24-25, 2010, NOAA participated in the Spill of National Significance (SONS) oil spill exercise. SONS is held every three years to sharpen the nation's ability to respond to major oil spills at all levels of government. Led by the US Coast Guard, this year's exercise included more than five hundred people from twenty state and federal agencies as well as industry. This year's exercise centered on a simulated tanker collision off the coast of Portland, ME resulting in a major oil spill causing environmental and economic impacts from Maine to Massachusetts.

NOAA's Office of Response and Restoration (OR&R) provided scientific expertise to determine where the spilled oil was going, what sensitive habitats to protect, evaluated the impact to natural resources, and recommended cleanup actions. This was the first SONS exercise that incorporated natural resource damage assessment. In addition OR&R tested the Environmental Response Management Application (ERMA), which is an OR&R-developed web-based spatial data information system that improves response decision making.

The Draft Restoration Plan/Environmental Assessment (RP/EA) for the Dalco Passage Tanker Spill in Washington State has been released for public review by NOAA and its natural resource co-Trustees. The Draft RP/EA summarizes natural resource injuries known or likely to have occurred as a result of the discharge of an estimated 7,200 gallons of oil from the tank vessel Polar Texas as the vessel was transiting north from Tacoma, WA in 2004. The Draft RP/EA presents restoration actions that the Trustees are proposing for implementation to compensate for ecological injuries caused by the spill. This draft RP/EA is made available to the public for a 30-day comment period (through April 22, 2010). Written comments received during this public comment period will be considered when preparing the Final RP/EA. Please send comments to Jason Lehto via email Jason.A.Lehto@noaa.gov or via mail 7600 Sand Point Way NE, Seattle, WA 98115.

On February 5, 2010 the 734-foot Voge Trader bulk carrier vessel ran aground off Oahu's Barbers Point. NOAA, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Hawaii State Department of Aquatic Resources are working with the vessel owner to document impacts to the surrounding area. They are also considering removing loose sediments and other debris produced by the grounding, which would further reduce ongoing harm to the reef ecosystem. The U.S. Coast Guard has also asked NOAA to help identify shallow water in the area that may be hazardous to navigation.

Coral reefs are some of the most valuable ecosystems on earth, providing important economic and environmental services such as food, protection for coasts, and tourism. Recovery of slow growing corals from vessel groundings can take many, many years. In response to another grounding in this vicinity in 2007, NOAA and the responsible party conducted emergency restoration to reattach thousands of corals and coral fragments to the reef and cemented tons of dislodged coral rock. For additional information, contact John.Cubit@noaa.gov

This project combines database and mapping capabilities that integrate contaminant information and watershed characteristics throughout the 200 miles of the Hudson River Superfund site. The database includes contaminants in river sediments, floodplain soils, fish, and other biota. This project promotes better decision-making by providing one-stop access to data from multiple sources and a rapid way to display analyzed, sorted, and summarized data.

The database contains over 1 million sediment chemistry and 700,000 tissue chemistry records in a common, easily accessible format that can be accessed through Query Manager® (QM) software. Users can choose from pre-programmed queries that evaluate individual contaminants, contaminant groups, comparisons to common toxicological benchmarks, user-defined ranges, or many other options. Output from these queries can immediately be displayed in the integrated mapping program, MARPLOT®, or it can be exported in a variety of formats for use with geographical information system (GIS) mapping software or other applications.

To download the data and Query Manager® and MARPLOT® software, and for information about watershed projects in other areas of the country, see: http://response.restoration.noaa.gov/querymanager. For additional information, contact Jay.Field@noaa.gov.

In an effort to increase public awareness of the socioeconomic and ecosystem services components of Natural Resource Damage Assessment (NRDA), DARRP recently expanded its Web site to include an area dedicated to the topic of environmental economics. This new section (available from the left menu) provides an overview of the use of economics and ecosystem services analysis in NRDA, a discussion of restoration scaling techniques such as Habitat Equivalency Analysis, literature and references supporting the economic and restoration scaling work done by DARRP and its partners, and links to related sites. With planned quarterly updates to the reference list and literature, this site will raise awareness of the developed and emerging techniques for assessing the value of NOAA's trust resources. For further information, please contact Anthony Dvarskas.

NOAA staff are on-scene to respond to a major oil spill near Port Arthur, Texas. Approximately 424,000 gallons of crude oil spilled on Saturday, Jan. 23 when a crude oil tanker (T/V Eagle Otome) and a barge collided in the Sabine-Neches Ship Channel, about 90 miles east of Houston. The ship channel and Intracoastal Waterway have been closed. NOAA has been providing scientific support to the U.S. Coast Guard's response efforts, including predicting where the oil is going and its effects, identifying resources at risk, providing weather forecasts, planning for shoreline cleanup and oil delineation, and participating in overflights. NOAA scientists are also coordinating with other state and federal trustees to begin to assess injuries to natural resources and lost human uses and ultimately plan for restoration. Additional information regarding this spill can be found at NOAA's Incident News. Additional information is also available on how NOAA responds to oil spills.

Building on previous socio-economic efforts, NOAA's Estuary Restoration Act (ERA) Program funded an external Blue Ribbon Panel to help delineate methods to determine the value and impact of coastal habitat restoration. NOAA worked with Restore America's Estuaries to convene a seven-member panel of noted academic and governmental environmental economics experts who met on December 16 and 17, 2009 in Arlington, VA. Participants exchanged ideas and debated potential research approaches for monitoring restoration activities for their short- and long-term economic effects. Drawing from the options discussed at this meeting, the panel will create a report providing suggestions for a future research agenda focusing on the economic impacts and values of restoration activities. A final report of the panel will be available in spring of 2010. For further information, contact Tony Penn or Peter Edwards.

NOAA Responds to Ship Grounding on Coral Reef in Puerto Rico

On Tuesday December 15th, 2009 at approximately 6am EST, NOAA's Damage Assessment, Remediation, and Restoration Program was notified by the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) that the 920' Liquid Natural Gas Carrier Matthew had grounded on a coral reef while inbound to Guayanilla, Puerto Rico. Responding to the threat of an oil release under the Oil Pollution Act, USCG requested NOAA's assistance to develop a salvage strategy that would prevent additional coral impacts during extraction of the vessel from the reef. NOAA provided information about sensitive corals in the area and offered recommendations to minimize additional impacts. The vessel was removed from the reef by 8:45 EST. NOAA tracked the vessel and tug movements remotely using NOAA's newly developed Environmental Response Management Application. NOAA contractors are working on-scene in coordination with the Puerto Rico Department of Natural and Environmental Resources to assess impacts to the corals and salvage damaged ones, hundreds of which have already been righted.

Coral reefs are some of the most valuable ecosystems on earth, providing important economic and environmental services such as food, protection for coasts, and tourism. Recovery of slow growing corals from vessel groundings can take many, many years. In response to another grounding in this vicinity in 2006, NOAA conducted emergency restoration to reattach dislodged corals. To date in 2009, NOAA has been notified of 53 groundings in the Caribbean. For the T/V Port Stewart grounding in Puerto Rico on October 27, 2009, which impacted thousands of corals, coral salvage and preliminary assessments have been completed and reattachment work is scheduled to begin in January 2010. For additional information, contact Lisa.Dipinto@noaa.gov.

NOAA and Co-Trustees will assess injured Natural Resources at Portland Harbor Superfund Site

The Portland Harbor Natural Resource Trustee Council (comprised of NOAA and seven additional agencies and tribes) developed and released a draft plan to assess natural resources injured by contaminants at the Portland Harbor Superfund site. The Trustees are seeking public comments on the Draft Plan. The Draft Assessment Plan for Portland Harbor provides background about the Superfund site, documents the contaminants released and the natural resources exposed —including fish, wildlife, surface water, and sediment—and the lost services provided by those resources (e.g., ecological, recreational, tribal). Public comments are due January 15, 2010. For more information, contact Robert.Neely@noaa.gov

Field Assessment and Support Techniques workshop held in CA

NOAA's Office of Response and Restoration hosted a Field Assessment and Support Techniques (FAST) workshop at the Bodega Bay Marine Lab in Bodega Bay, CA in early December. The goal of the workshop was to improve natural resource damage assessment skills in West Coast rocky shoreline habitats. The workshop focused on a variety of methods related to assessment, including: study design, injury end points, field sampling, photography, data processing and data evaluation. The workshop was led by experts from NOAA and the University of California (Davis and Santa Cruz). NOAA plans to conduct future training annually around the country with resource experts and local partners. For more information contact Ian Zelo or Troy Baker

Athos Oil Spill Final Restoration Plan Released

NOAA and co-trustees have submitted a settlement claim to the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund (the Fund) administered by the U.S. Coast Guard for the Athos I oil spill that occurred on the Delaware River on 26 November, 2004, discharging over 263,000 gallons of crude oil. Since the Responsible Party exceeded their limit of liability under the Oil Pollution Act, the Trustees are seeking recovery of their past assessment costs and funding to implement the nine projects described in the final Restoration Plan from the Fund. The co-trustees involved in the case are the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the states of Delaware and New Jersey, and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

Massapequa Creek Fish Passage Installed

On September 28, 2009, construction of a fish ladder at the Massapequa Lake dam located on the south shore of Long Island NY was completed. The restoration of fish passage on Massapequa Creek is part of a settlement agreement between the Potentially Responsible Parties for the Liberty Industrial Finishing Superfund Site in Farmingdale, NY, and the Natural Resource Trustees for the site (NOAA, USFWS, and NYSDEC). The fish ladder is designed to provide passage for anadromous fish such as alewife and blueback herring over the spillway located between the Massapequa Tidal Channel and Massapequa Lake allowing them to reach historic spawning grounds upstream. For more information, contact Reyhan.Mehran@noaa.gov.

Palmerton Zinc Superfund Site Natural Resource Damages Settlement

NOAA and co-Trustees (the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the National Park Service and the State of Pennsylvania) concluded an agreement in early August to settle natural resource injury claims for the Palmerton Zinc Pile Superfund Site in Carbon County, Pennsylvania. Resource injuries resulted from heavy metals contamination associated with long-term zinc smelting operations at the Palmerton Site.

The settlement includes a required payment of approximately $9.9 million to Trustees to be used for restoration and the transfer of a 1,200 acre parcel (valued at approximately $8.7 million) to the State of Pennsylvania, for natural resource conservation. A portion of the settlement funds is expected to be used to address aquatic resource injuries. The consent decree has been lodged in federal district court and is subject to a 60-day public comment period and court approval. For more information, contact Peter.Knight@noaa.gov.

Hudson River Trustees Begin Sturgeon Toxicity Study for the Hudson River

The Hudson River Natural Resource Trustees have released a fact sheet for a fish toxicity pilot study being conducted as part of the Hudson River Natural Resource Damage Assessment (NRDA). The Hudson River Natural Resource Trustees - NOAA, New York State, and the U.S. Department of the Interior - are working cooperatively to conduct the NRDA.

The fact sheet provides information on a pilot study examining the effects of PCBs on early life stages of two fish species - Atlantic sturgeon and Federally endangered shortnose sturgeon. The objective of the pilot study is to determine if early life-stages of these two fish species are sensitive to the toxic effects of PCBs. Depending on the results of this pilot study, the Trustees may conduct additional field investigations and/or laboratory studies to further evaluate the effects of PCBs on Hudson River fish.

On Monday September 21, a ceremony will be held to celebrate the cleanup and restoration of Bar Beach Lagoon in North Hempstead, NY. Please join the Town of North Hempstead, NOAA, North Shore Audubon Society, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for brief comments by officials, an awards ceremony and a boat tour of the site. For more please contact Lisa.Rosman@noaa.gov.

When: September 21, 2009 at 10:30 a.m.

Where: New North Hempstead Beach Park (Formerly Bar Beach Park), 175 West Shore Road, Port Washington, NY

The Draft Restoration Plan and Environmental Assessment (Draft RP/EA) for the 2002 M/V EVERREACH Oil Spill in Charleston, South Carolina was released for public review on July 24, 2009 by NOAA and its natural resource co-Trustees: the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control, and the United States Fish and Wildlife Service.

The Draft RP/EA summarizes natural resource injuries known or likely to have occurred as a result of the discharge of an estimated 12,500 gallons of oil from the M/V EVERREACH into the Cooper River and Charleston Harbor on or about September 30, 2002. The Draft RP/EA presents restoration actions that the Trustees are proposing for implementation to compensate for ecological injuries caused by the spill. Comments on the proposed restoration plan will be accepted through August 24, 2009.

For more information, contact Howard Schnabolk at Everreach.Comments@noaa.gov or 843-740-1328.

On May 29th, NOAA, along with natural resource co-trustees the U.S. Department of the Interior, Washington State Department of Ecology, Suquamish Tribe, and Muckleshoot Indian Tribe, released the Draft Restoration Plan and Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (RP/PEIS) for the Lower Duwamish River. The public is invited to comment for 60 days. Large quantities of hazardous substances have contaminated extensive areas of the Lower Duwamish River, a mixed industrial and residential area of Seattle, Washington that includes three Superfund sites. The Draft RP/PEIS presents the types of restoration projects desired and outlines priority areas for restoration in order to recover natural resources lost or injured by the contaminants. Comments on the Draft RP/PEIS will be accepted until July 28, 2009.

For more information, contact Rebecca Hoff at DuwamishPEIS.DARRP@noaa.gov or 206.526.6276.

On June 10th a ceremony was held in Bellingham, Washington to mark the ten year anniversary of the Whatcom Creek tragedy. On June 10, 1999, a gasoline pipeline in Bellingham, Washington ruptured and discharged approximately 236,000 gallons of gasoline into Whatcom Creek. As the gasoline was carried down the creek, the fumes ignited, causing three human deaths and devastating the biota in the creek and a variety of natural resources along the creek's banks. Since the tragedy, three habitat restoration projects were completed to restore the injured resources.

On April 8th, NOAA published in the Federal Register a Notice of Intent to Conduct Restoration Planning resulting from the DBL 152 oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. NOAA seeks public involvement in restoration planning. Opportunities include public review and commenting on documents in the Administrative Record, as well as on the Draft and Final Restoration Plans when they are released.

On November 11, 2005, while enroute from Houston, Texas to Tampa, Florida, the integrated tug barge unit comprised of the tugboat "Rebel" and the double-hull Tank Barge DBL 152 allided with the submerged remains of a pipeline service platform that collapsed during Hurricane Rita. An estimated 1,925,532 gallons were discharged into federal waters of the Gulf of Mexico. Preassessment activities are complete and restoration planning is the next step.

For more information contact Troy.Baker@noaa.gov

Our home page has a new look and style, in addition to some major enhancements:

• We have introduced RSS feeds. RSS stands for Really Simple Syndication and is for sharing information. It is replacing our What's New section and it will allow users to select how they would like to automatically be notified of notices, press releases, document additions, and so on. See more…
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Stay tuned as more updates continue on the site, including a new Economics section and new maps. Please let us know what you think! Follow the Contact Us link at the bottom of the screen.

The Draft Damage Assessment and Restoration Plan and Environmental Assessment (DARP/EA) for Bayou Verdine, Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana was released for public review on March 27, 2009 by NOAA, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Louisiana Departments of Environmental Quality and Wildlife and Fisheries. This Draft DARP/EA presents the Trustees' proposed assessment of natural resource injuries and service losses in the upper Calcasieu Estuary due to hazardous substances released from two facilities that are presently owned and operated by ConocoPhillips Company and Sasol North America Inc. This Draft DARP/EA also presents the restoration plan that the Trustees are proposing for use to compensate for these losses. Comments on the proposed plan will be accepted for a period of 60-days (through May 26, 2009). Comments received during the public comment period will be considered before adopting a Final DARP/EA.

For more information, contact John Rapp at Verdine.Comments@noaa.gov or 301.713.0174 x174.

The draft Damage Assessment and Restoration Plan and Environmental Assessment (DARP/EA) for the M/T Athos I oil spill was released for public comment on January 6, 2009 by NOAA, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the states of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware. This comment period is the last Step before seection of the final restoration projectsd and submittal of the damage claim to the U.S. Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund.

On November 26, 2004, the Athos struck a submerged anchor which punctured the vessel, spilling nearly 265,000 gallons of crude oil into the Delaware River. This resulted in injuries to over 280 miles of shoreline, affecting habitats, aquatic organisms, birds and other wildlife, as well as recreational trips.

Nine preferred restoration projects, expecting to total over $20 million, are intended to address inuries in Delaware, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. The projects include restoring approximately 300 acres of oyster, marsh, shoreline, wet meadow, grassland, and stream habitat; three recreation projects; and four projects to remove stream obstructions restricting the migration of anadromous fish.

These projects will benefit coastal communities and economies by improving fishing, boating, hunting and wildlife viewing, provide green jobs during construction, and address educational, public access, and environmental justice needs. For more information, contact Mary.Andrews@noaa.gov or Kristin.Rusello@noaa.gov .

In the wake of Hurricanes Ike and Gustav, scientists and coastal restoration biologists have just begun to assess the storm's impacts on the Gulf Coast.

How did the projects survive on the beaches, wetlands and barrier islands? Were they damaged beyond repair? Or, did they actually serve their intended purpose?

Under natural conditions, coastal ecosystems rebound quickly after hurricanes and even help flush marshes and estuaries of pollutants and stagnant water.Coastal habitats also absorb storms' energy, a scenario made very real each time a hurricane makes landfall unimpeded by the former marsh and barrier islands that had once protected the coast.

In Texas, where Ike made landfall, early reports on a number of projects aimed at protecting shorelines nearby Galveston Island held their structural integrity and projected adjacent marshes and surrounding areas. Unfortunately, aerial photography of the Galveston area also shows numerous oil releases affecting coastal salt marshes, as well as near and offshore waters. As these spills are identified and characterized, NOAA's DARRP Program, in conjunction with state partners, are attempting to reach high priority spill areas by boat and to begin assessment of natural resources.

As the results of Hurricane Gustav and Ike continue to unfold, state and federal agencies are working to determine the best way to fully analyze the impacts of these storms.

On October 2, NOAA and its partners- the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Delaware's Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers-will celebrate the completion of a restoration project in Milford, Delaware. This project restored more than 2,200 feet of shoreline and protected 56 acres of neighboring land.

The site is located on the banks of the Mispillion River, an important tributary of the Delaware River. Its significance is its role in providing habitat for migratory fish.

Using settlement funds, NOAA and its partners and trustees began working cooperatively to complete the restoration. Natural-fiber logs were placed at the water's edge, reducing shoreline erosion and stabilizing shoreline. In tidal marsh areas, a channel was cut to allow fish to swim through and reach their spawning and rearing habitat. Shallow pools were also created, which improved tidal flushing and created additional spawning areas. These pools will increase salinity in the marsh, which will help to control the growth of an invasive grass species called Phragmites .

The site is one of the restoration projects funded by DuPont as compensation for injuries to natural resources from contamination from the DuPont Newport Superfund Site, 55 miles upstream in the Christina River watershed.

For more information about this project, see the DuPont Newport case or contact Carl Alderson at Carl.Alderson@noaa.gov.

On July 23, a 600-foot chemical tanker and 200-foot fuel barge collided on the Mississippi River. The barge was torn in half, spilling several hundred thousand gallons of fuel oil into tthe river near the French Quarter in downtown New Orleans. The released oil spread 100 miles down the Mississippi River, resulting in injury to roughly 200 miles of shoreline.

After more than five weeks, NOAA staff are still working with other federal and state agencies (collectively known as the "Trustees") on pre-assessment activities at the spill site. Recent field activities have been focused on shoreline cleanup and the evaluation of bottom sediments in the Mississippi River where oil from the barge may have been deposited. Of the 198 miles of shoreline that have been assessed for oiling and cleanup by response personnel, 84% is considered clean. The remaining shoreline under active cleanup is primarily rip-rap habitat in highly visible area. The Trustees will use information from the cleanup in combination of aerial and ground habitat oiling surveys, as well as other information, to determine whether injuries to natural resources and services occurred from the incident. The assessment activities occurring in the New Orleans area also will inform approriate restoration activities to compensate the public for any loss of natural resources resulting from the spill.

Any eventual restoration project resulting from this spill will contribute to addressing the larger challenge of protecting and restoring Louisiana's coastal ecosystem, which is losing an estimated 24 square miles of coastal wetlands a year.

According to the U.S. Coast Guard, there were an average 1,500 reported oil spills a year in Louisiana between 1991 through 2004, or about four reported spills a day. This is in part due to the large volume of oil and gas which pass through Louisiana's coastal zone: a network of nearly 9,300 miles of oil and gas pipelines and associated energy facilities are located there. Another major factor that contributes to the large number of spills is Louisiana's receding wetlands, which increase exposure of this aging infrastructure to natural and man-made threats (e.g., tropical storms and vessel collision).

For more information about the Louisiana oil spill, please contact Rachel Brittin at Rachel.Brittin@noaa.gov or Michael Jarvis at Michael.Jarvis@noaa.gov.

Congress requested NOAA to evaluate the potential environmental impact of the federally owned vessels in Suisun Bay, California. These vessels are maintained by the United States Maritime Administration and include more than 70 obsolete or decommissioned ships, sometimes referred to as the "Reserve" or "Mothball Fleet."

The State of California and several bay area environmental groups have raised concerns about the environmental impacts, and plans to move the vessels through San Francisco Bay for eventual scrapping and disposal. Issues range from the potential presence of heavy metals in paint that is peeling and falling off, to antifouling agents used in bottom paint on the hulls, to PCBs and other hazardous materials that may have been released from the ships.

NOAA will be conducting a field investigation and preparing documents to help address these concerns.

Read more about the Suisun Special Project for more information, or view the latest, October 2008 Status Report

Alcoa creates marsh that will be donated to Aransas refuge March 29, 2007

By Louise Popplewell - Victoria Advocate
Reprinted by permission.

PORT LAVACA - In giving back what it took away so many years ago, Alcoa on Wednesday showed off its latest project to restore Lavaca Bay, and federal, state, county and local officials were on hand to celebrate with Calhoun County residents.

The culmination of 15 years of work by so many drew to a close with completion of Alcoa's creation of a 70-acre inter-tidal marsh on 730 acres near Indianola the industrial giant acquired and will transfer to the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge.

The addition to the 3,400-acre Myrtle Foester Whitmire Unit of the refuge consists of marsh habitats and Powderhorn Lake that are viewed from a 30-foot man-made elevation.

The improvements were made as part of the terms of a settlement to resolve the company's liability for damages stemming from releases of mercury and hydrocarbons into the bay in the late 1960s.

read more

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is pleased to announce the publication of two Louisiana Regional Restoration Planning Program (RRP Program) documents. NOAA and its natural resource co- trustees have developed the innovative statewide comprehensive RRP Program to respond to oil discharges.

The framework and the major provisions of the RRP Program are outlined in a Final Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (FPEIS) . The FPEIS divides the State of Louisiana into nine regions and a Regional Restoration Plan for each will identify trust resources and services that are likely to be injured by an oil spill, suitable restoration for those injuries, and available projects that can be implemented at the local level to affect restoration. The first of these plans, the Final Regional Restoration Plan for Region 2, is available for the delta region of southeast Louisiana.

The NOAA Restoration Portal has been updated to provide you with more information about NOAA's vital restoration projects. The enhanced site now provides comprehensive information about restoration techniques, NOAA restoration programs, projects, and activities, and access to the other NOAA restoration resources. The site also provides educational resources, a publication library, and a list of funding sources.

Workers with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration are leading a federally mandated assessment of areas possibly harmed by the June 18, 2006 Citgo oil spill. That process, called a national resource damage assessment, is a long-term effort involving several government agencies and led by NOAA.

Its goal is to quantify the damage to sensitive areas of the environment, such as river bottoms and wetlands. State environmental and health regulators have begun testing tissue samples from fish, shrimp, crabs, and oysters for any effects from the spill.
*Reprinted with permission from the American Press.

Captain Scott Wyatt of Pathmaker Airboats from Cecilia arrives at Calcasieu Point along with crews from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and other agencies. The group was bringing in sediment samples from Big Lake. Testing is being conducted as a result of the recent Citgo oil spill. Crews with NOAA will be collecting samples throughout the affected areas for two weeks.	Lisa Dipinto of NOAA checks for phone calls at Calcasieu Point after she collected sediment samples from Big Lake.

After weeks of practice, the first bald eagle to hatch on the northern Channel Islands in over 50 years took to the air in its first flight July 14, 2006. This bald eagle reintroduction study is part of the Montrose Settlements Restoration Program , a multiagency effort to address natural resource injuries from DDT and PCB releases into the environment by Montrose Chemical Corporation and other industrial sources in Southern California in the mid 20th century. Closeup views from a publicly broadcast web camera and play-by-play posts from an associated discussion board allowed hundreds of people to join biologists as they watched the chick show typical preflight behaviors over two weeks. There were at least 32 news sources that had reported it; 200 registered users were documented on the webcam; and at least 450,000 hits were sited on the website.

Learn about the Berman Barge Restoration