When an oil spill occurs, biological resources such as fish, birds and other wildlife may be harmed. Wildlife may be physically smothered by the oil before first responders can clean it up, and even the best efforts to remove the oil may leave some behind at levels that are still harmful to the environment, as oil constituents can be toxic to biota at trace levels. To quantify the injury (harm) caused to natural resources (fish, birds, other biota, surface water, sediments, etc.) and determine the amount of restoration needed to compensate for the injury, federal and state agencies and tribes can conduct NRDAs, as authorized by federal and state statutes.
But when a spill occurs, time is of the essence; contaminants can rapidly move through the environment and the ensuing harm can be done just as quickly. This means data must be collected as soon as possible after the initial incident occurs.
Advanced planning and familiarity with key protocols before a spill happens can ensure you and your teams are prepared to respond at speed. Learn how to ensure you capture the data you’ll need.
Download the complete Oil Spills: Are You Prepared? guide:
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