Page 7: of Marine Technology Magazine (November 2006)

The NOAA Office of Response and

Restoration and the U.S. Navy have part- nered to produce one of the first surveys of potential threats to coastal shorelines from a hazardous material spill or leak. The pur- pose of the survey is to document shoreline types and conditions in advance of a spill incident, enabling officials to develop spill response plans for areas at high risk for such incidents.

NOAA and the Navy surveyed the shore- lines of Pearl Harbor, focusing on shoreline types, natural resources and historic struc- tures most at risk for a hazardous spill.

Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, is one of the most likely locations for oil spills in Oahu. In addition to a large naval fleet, bulk fuel storage, pipelines and a commercial power plant, the harbor is at particular risk of oil releases from sunken vessels including the battleship U.S.S. Arizona, which still holds several million gallons of fuel oil. "This proactive survey is among the first to be conducted anywhere in the country and may serve as a prototype for other regions," said Ruth Yender, scientific sup- port coordinator for the NOAA Northwest and Oceania regional response districts. "The survey establishes baseline conditions to aid in developing response strategies for shorelines at risk in the event of a release of oil or other hazardous materials."

The survey data will be processed into a user-friendly format for use by the Navy and other responders in Honolulu. The information also will assist the NOAA

Office of Response and Restoration in efforts to help the Navy develop response plans and implement them in the event of a spill in Pearl Harbor. "Developing new approaches to how one manages risk is an important part of

NOAA's responsibilities as a federal trustee," said Capt. Ken Barton, acting director of the NOAA Office of Response and Restoration. "Being prepared to respond to threats to coastal resources is a critical part of the NOAA mission.

Development of this prototype survey is a significant step in doing so." www.seadiscovery.com Marine Technology Reporter 7 news

NOAA and U.S. Navy Develop

First Pre-incident Survey

Oil spill in Breton

Sound, La., following hurricane Katrina in 2005. (Photo Credit: NOAA)

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