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Where can I find information on oil spills?

For information specifically about the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, see: http://publicaccess.supportportal.com/ics/support/default.asp?deptID=23012&task=knowledge&questionID=24310

For information on EPA's response to the Enbridge oil spill in Marshall, Michigan, see: 
http://publicaccess.supportportal.com/ics/support/default.asp?deptID=23012&task=knowledge&questionID=24314

According to EPA’s Oil Program home page:

"EPA seeks to prevent, prepare for, and respond to oil spills that occur in and around inland waters of the United States. EPA is the lead federal response agency for oil spills occurring in inland waters, and the U.S. Coast Guard is the lead response agency for spills in coastal waters and deepwater ports."

See: http://www.epa.gov/oilspill/

Information about the U.S. Coast Guard is available at http://www.uscg.mil/

EPA Document 540/K-99/007, “Understanding Oil Spills and Oil Spill Response” outlines what oil spills are, their potential effects on the environment, how they are cleaned up, and how various agencies prepare for spills before they happen. Details about several oil spills and the resulting cleanup operations are provided to offer examples of the complexities involved in oil spill cleanup activities.

Read this document at http://www.epa.gov/oem/content/learning/pdfbook.htm

For information on Spill Prevention, Control and Countermeasure (SPCC) plans, see the Oil Program's Spill Prevention, Control and Countermeasure home page:
http://www.epa.gov/emergencies/content/spcc/index.htm

Information on Facility Response Plans (FRPs) can be found at the Facility Response Plans (FRPs) Web site:
http://www.epa.gov/emergencies/content/frps/index.htm.

Oil spill statistics can be located through the National Response Center:
http://www.nrc.uscg.mil/insum.html

Another resource is the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) Damage Assessment and Restoration Program (DARP).  DARP was created after the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill. The program provides permanent expertise within NOAA to assess and restore natural resources injured by oil and hazardous substance releases as well as physical impacts, such as ship groundings.  

DARP
http://www.darp.noaa.gov/about/index.html

Additional information on the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill can be found at http://epa.gov/OEM/content/learning/exxon.htm.

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Topic Information
  • Topic #: 23002-24145
  • Date Created: 4/25/2005
  • Last Modified Since: 5/8/2013
  • Viewed: 277

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