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Arctic Council’s Emergency, Prevention, Preparedness, and Response Working Group

JUNE 5, 2015--On May 1, 2015, Dr. Amy Merten assumed the Chair of the Arctic Council’s Emergency, Prevention, Preparedness, and Response (EPPR) Working Group from Norway (2011- 2015).

The working group addresses prevention, preparedness and response to environmental emergencies in the Arctic. She chaired her first EPPR meeting in Longyearbyen, Svalbard, Norway on May 26-28, 2015.

Dr. Merten’s tenure as EPPR Chair will include adding search and rescue to enhance existing capabilities, building on the Agreement on Cooperation on Marine Oil Pollution Preparedness and Response in the Arctic (MOSPA) through an international exercise which will be led by the U.S. Coast Guard. A database of Arctic response assets will be developed. The working group will increase emergency response capacity with people who live and work in the Arctic. Prevention and safety are also focus areas. Safety systems and guidelines for worker health and safety are planned.

For further information, contact Amy.Merten@noaa.gov.

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Group of people standing on a helicopter pad.
The EPPR working group in Longyearbyen, Svalbard, Norway, in May 2015. (NOAA)
Last updated Tuesday, November 8, 2022 1:53pm PST