Emergency Response Division

What We Do

Scientist wearing a mask and protective gloves kneels on a rocky beach to collect an oil sample and place it in a small container.
An OR&R scientist collects an oil sample from an international spill incident on a boulder shoreline. Samples help identify the chemical composition of spilled oil to help identify the spill source, assess potential environmental impact, and determine best cleanup methods. Image credit: NOAA.

Thousands of incidents occur each year in which oil or chemicals are released into the environment as a result of accidents or natural disasters. Spills into our coastal waters and inland waterways—whether accidental or intentional—can harm people, the environment and the economies on which we rely. Potential economic impacts of these incidents include substantial disruption of marine transportation, widespread fisheries closures, and lost opportunities for recreation or tourism.

OR&R’s Emergency Response Division (ERD) provides scientific expertise and coordination to support decision-making during a response to oil and hazardous substances pollution. Under the National Contingency Plan, NOAA is responsible for providing scientific support to the federal on-scene coordinator for oil and hazardous material spills. The division provides 24/7 response support to spill events, responding to approximately 175 incidents each year. ERD also supports preparedness activities for government agencies and industry, such as spill exercises, contingency planning, development of planning tools, and training.

Individuals wearing personal floatation devices stand together in the foreground in a harbor-like setting; a U.S. Coast Guard vessel is seen behind them.
Scientific Support Coordinators work with the U.S. Coast Guard, state and local response agencies, and the responsible party to assess and clean up after oil spills, chemical spills, vessel groundings, hurricane destruction, and other environmental emergencies. Image credit: U.S. Coast Guard.

Scientific Support for Emergency Response

When spills occur, NOAA Scientific Support Coordinators (SSCs) coordinate and provide critical scientific information to the federal on-scene coordinator. A multidisciplinary team of scientists—including oceanographers, modelers, biologists, chemists, and geologists—support the SSCs during spill events and for drills, exercises, and contingency planning. SSCs are strategically located around the country, often within U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) offices, to provide local services to a range of users in public and private sectors.

ERD facilitates spill prevention, preparedness, and response at national and local levels, providing expertise on issues such as dispersant use, response countermeasures, and alternative response technologies. While oil and chemical spills are the division’s major focus, ERD also provides support for incidents such as downed aircraft, search and rescue, and tracking floating objects. ERD's scope encompasses the entire U.S. coastline, including the Great Lakes, Alaska, Hawaii, and U.S. territories. The division’s expertise is frequently sought internationally, responding when requested through the National Response Team.

An instructor stands in front of a group on a coastline to deliver a lesson.
OR&R’s training classes for spill responders and planners are in high demand, with more than 1,000 new and mid-level spill responders trained per year. Image credit: NOAA.

Preparing Response Communities

ERD develops tools, guidelines, and field-oriented job aids to assist preparedness for federal, state, and local spill response professionals. The division also provides standard techniques for observing oil, assessing shoreline impact, and evaluating and selecting cleanup technologies.

To help government and industry spill planners develop contingency plans, the division provides scientific expertise, modeling tools, and planning and response guidance through published guidelines and job aids. In addition, ERD supports the planning and execution of 30-40 government- and industry-led exercises per year for simulated oil and chemical spills and other disasters.

A scientist sits on a vessel documenting data on a clipboard in the foreground; a sunken vessel is observed in the background.
After Category 5 Hurricane Maria in 2017, ERD response scientists were on-scene in Puerto Rico to conduct environmental assessments of impacted vessels. Environmental assessments are done in advance of boat removal operations in order to minimize damage to natural resources, like habitats and wildlife. Image credit: U.S. Coast Guard.

Training Spill Planners and Responders

Each year, the division, in coordination with OR&R’s Disaster Preparedness Program, trains approximately 1,000 individuals in industry and government on the scientific aspects of oil and chemical spill response. Training promotes more efficient planning and spill response, and it transfers scientific expertise and experience to the broadest possible audience.

Last updated Friday, June 13, 2025 1:34pm PDT