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Plastic debris washed up at Maumee Bay State Park on the shores of Lake Erie.

Is There a Garbage Patch in the Great Lakes?

While we know about the so-called "garbage patches" in the Pacific Ocean, recent research has people wondering if there could be a mass of floating plastic trash forming in the Great Lakes.

Learn more about plastic pollution in the world's largest source of fresh water.

Two boys take a break on the beach in Ocean City, Maryland.

Back to the Shore after Hurricane Sandy

This will be the first summer season since Hurricane Sandy hit the northeast late last fall, with devastating effects to beaches up and down the Atlantic Coast.

Learn how NOAA has worked since before the storm hit land till even now to keep your favorite beaches as enjoyable as ever.

Behind the Budget: A Look Ahead for NOAA's Office of Response and Restoration

The White House recently released the President's Budget for Fiscal Year 2014.

Here, we take a peek into the world of science policy (and the budgets that make it possible) as we hear from our director about several exciting opportunities for research, development, and growth in response and restoration activities at NOAA.

Palm trees and tropical beach in Puerto Rico.

Ready for a Vacation on the Coast? Thank NOAA for Helping Keep it Clean

When the coastal places Americans love to visit become polluted, the impacts can hit close to home.

But thanks to NOAA's Office of Response and Restoration, we help reverse these impacts by protecting and restoring some of America's favorite natural places.

Take a look at a few of these examples, from San Juan, Puerto Rico, to San Francisco, Calif.

People examining the barnacle-covered skiff from Japan.

Small Boat Confirmed as First Japan Tsunami Debris to Reach California

The Consulate General of Japan in San Francisco has confirmed to NOAA that a 20-foot-long skiff found near Crescent City, Calif., is the first verified piece of Japan tsunami debris to turn up in California.

They traced the skiff to Takata High School, located in Japan's Iwate Prefecture, an area devastated by the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami.

IncidentNews

Responder Tools

CAMEO Software Suite

These programs are designed to help prepare for and respond to chemical emergencies.

Environmental Sensitivity Index (ESI) Maps

ESI maps provide a concise summary of coastal resources that are at risk if an oil spill occurs nearby.

Arctic ERMA

Find out how NOAA is helping the Arctic region prepare for climate change and possible oil spills using ERMA.

ADIOS

ADIOS is an oil spill response tool that models how different types of oil weather in the marine environment.

GNOME

GNOME is a software modeling tool used to predict the possible route pollutants might follow in a body of water.

ERMA Deepwater Gulf Response

This online mapping tool for the Gulf of Mexico integrates static and real time response data from the Deepwater Horizon/BP oil spill.

IncidentNews

NOAA's Disaster Response Center

Responder Tools

OR&R Where You Live

Maps and Spatial Data

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