Federal

State

Local Contractors

Non-Governmental

Steve Jarvela, US EPA Region III On-Scene Coordinator and Inland Area Committee, Chairperson offered the following insight into the information and decision making needs of the government response teams before, during, and after an environmental emergency such as an oil spill. Primary needs for information management and decision tools are in the planning stage for a response and in the natural resource damage assessment process in the aftermath of a pollution incident.

An information management system can act as a critical tool in preparation and training for oil spill response. An effective information management system would organize the usually disparate information held by the federal, state, and local agencies, as well as that of their contractors in one central location. One of the most difficult tasks in oil spill preparedness is determining the location of response assets, such as boats, pumps, and sorbent materials. A frequently updated database containing centralized information about inventory and available personnel would significantly improve an On Scene Coordinator's ability to make timely and informed decisions.

Jarvela noted the difficulty of accessing and maintaining a useful digital information system during the initial chaos immediately following the spill. During this stage the response authorities are focused on mobilization of response assets and assessing the spread and movement of the plume. Jarvela also discussed potential uses of remotely sensed satellite data or images to determine plume movement and tendencies. While he did not see much potential in using  satellites to identify oil slicks, he said that satellite data describing the currents and eddies in the area of the spill would be useful in determining the direction of oil plume movement, since projections of oil movement are based on wind and current patterns. He noted that satellite imagery would also be useful to give a view of the landscape in which the response is taking place since such an image might, for example, provide information on the proximity of the oil to streams or pipeline outflow  affect the oil movement.

An information management system would be useful in the natural resource assessment process in which damage is evaluated and steps are taken to prevent further damage.

Lt. Jg. Lisa Knopf, US Coast Guard 5th District: Activities Baltimore identified a "wish list" of the Coast Guard’s critical data needs during an emergency response to an oil spill. The primary needs were to identify the location of the oil at any given time and to predict where it will be in the near and far future. While the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) employs oil plume migration models to assist in prediction, and the Coast Guard uses historical averages to determine current and eddy movement, continuous real-time satellite imagery depicting the ocean patterns would be very useful in response.

Knopf identified an updated inventory of all available response equipment as a critical need. Because respondents to the spill include the ship, nearby ports, and contractors, the response equipment is spread-out and may not be available at the time of an emergency, even though the Coast Guard conducts regular site inspections. A dynamic GIS map identifying the location of ports, nearby ships, and contractors and the availability of response equipment would improve efficiency in response command.

An information system might also serve to regulate the use and monitor the capacity of communications equipment, such as cell phones, in the response area. Knopf stated that the majority of personnel rely on cellular equipment for all their communication needs. Identifying which cellular service providers were overloaded and which were available would facilitate response.

Other  informational requirements for the emergency response information system included data on Submerged Aquatic Vegetation (SAV), a factor in determining the method of cleanup; maps of areas of primary importance to protect from oil such as fish hatcheries, historical areas, and areas of water uptake; ship routes; an address book function containing emergency response numbers; and training for Volunteer/Contractor crews.

Knopf also discussed problems an emergency response information system might face. Accessibility is the largest concern for such a system, like any technology system that has been used in the field. Workers in the field may find using a computer system more of a burden that a benefit when they are trying to work as fast as possible to contain an oil spill.

Predicting plume movement and dispersion

Minimizing damage to fishing resources and sensitive ecosystems

Protecting drinking water supplies

Disseminating information about the spill to local authorities

Assessing damage to natural resources from spill

Preparation for future spills

Chesapeake Bay Data Providers

Available Data

Oil Spill Cleanup And Response (OSCAR) Mapper

The Chesapeake Bay Program OSCAR Mapper generates maps of EPA-listed Sensitive Areas and other marine resources in the Chesapeake Bay Area. Not in real-time. Map of National Parks in the Piney Point, MD Area

Chesapeake Bay Observing System

Data: Provides real-time data for Wind Speed/Direction, Wind Gust, Air Temperature, Relative Humidity,   Current Speed/Direction, Conductivity, Water Temperature, Salinity, Dissolved Oxygen, Rainfall,   Photosynthetically Active Radiation (PAR), and Ocean Color. Coverage for entire Chesapeake Bay.

NOAA National Data Buoy Center (NDBC) Moored Buoys and C-MAN Stations

Data: Website provides real time and Historic (45-day) Data from Buoys (Moored Buoy: 44014 off the coast of Virginia) and C-Man Stations (Thomas Point, MD (TPLM2) and Chesapeake Light, VA (CHLV2)): Wind Direction, Wind Speed, Wind Gust, Wave Height, Dominant Wave Period, Atmospheric Pressure, Pressure Tendency, Air Temperature, Water Temperature, and Dew Point

Chesapeake Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve (NERR) - Maryland  

Data: Water temperature; Specific conductivity; Salinity; Water Depth; Dissolved Oxygen; pH; Turbidity; Wind Speed/Direction; Barometric Pressure; Air Temperature; Relative Humidity; Rainfall; Photosynthetically Active Radiation (PAR)  

NOAA's CoastWatch Program and CoastWatch Southeast Node

NOAA's CoastWatch Program makes satellite data products and in-situ data available to Federal, state, and local marine scientists and coastal resource managers.

Current Local Weather Data

Online weather reports , local news stations

Environmental Legal Information Systems (ELIS)

Legal requirements for coordinated oil spill response

Locations of Emergency Response Equipment

Area Contingency Plan, Oil Spill Removal Organizations (OSRO), US Coast Guard

Population Data

Socioeconomic Resource Data

Fishing Resources

Other Recreational Use Data

Sea Surface Temperature

Areas of High Oceanic Biological Activity

Marine Protected Areas

GNOME

This is a general oil spill modeling tool developed by NOAA

ADIOS

An oil weathering model that incorporates an extensive database of crude oils and petroleum products. Developed by NOAA

TAP

TAP is a trajectory analysis planner that shows how spilled oil might move and spread within a particular body of water, and how it might affect sensitive sites, such as seabird rookeries or marine mammal hauling grounds.

Spill Tools

NOAA has also developed a set of Spill Tools that can be used by Spill Tools oil spill planners and responders.

Weather Satellite Derived Products from GOES

Tide and Current Models

Predictions for currents can be made by using averages of historical tide and current data and by studing sea surface temperature charts