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When the University of Florida’s Operation TRAP, in partnership with Florida Sea Grant, and St. Andrew and St. Joseph Bays Estuary Program hosted by Florida State University, each independently received NOAA Marine Debris Program funding to remove marine debris (in 2023 and 2024, respectively), the question became not who would win—but how they would work together. To address the threat of urban trash clogging their waterways, both programs are implementing proven interception technologies in their respective communities.
Supporting Clean, Healthy Coasts and Economies
Prepare • Respond • Restore • Recover
OR&R Services
Disaster and Pollution
OR&R delivers critical services to address increasing impacts from disasters and from pollution due to oil, chemicals, and marine debris. Our pollution and disaster mandates provide the backbone for our mission to the changing nature of coastal threats and hazards, which impact our coastal communities and the economies on which they rely.
Oil and Chemical Spill Response
OR&R provides scientific support to over 150 oil and chemical spills in U.S. waters annually. Spills impact lives, property, and public natural resources, as well as disrupt marine transportation with widespread economic impacts.
Oil and Chemical Natural Resource Restoration
OR&R and partners assess the impacts of oil spill and industrial pollution incidents and reach legal settlements with those responsible to fund restoration. Over the past 30+ years, NOAA and co-trustees have helped recover $10.8 billion for restoration of injured resources across the country.
Marine Debris Prevention and Removal
OR&R investigates and prevents the adverse impacts of marine debris. Since 2006, we have supported over 260 marine debris removal projects and removed more than 38,000 metric tons of marine debris from our coasts and ocean.
Emergency and Disaster Preparedness
Through planning, training, exercises, disaster coordination, and continuous improvement, OR&R ensures the National Ocean Service and its partners have the tools and information necessary to plan for and respond to disasters so commerce, communities, and natural resources can recover as quickly as possible.
Featured News
Using genetic sequencing, a team of scientists investigated impacts to molecular pathways responsible for impaired sensory systems in zebrafish (Danio rerio). These findings aid in the understanding of how environmental contaminants negatively affect organisms.
In 2025, NOAA’s Office of Response and Restoration (OR&R) continued its critical mission of protecting the nation's coasts from pollution. From January to December 2025, OR&R supported 167 incidents, providing scientific support for oil spills, chemical releases, and unique environmental marine emergencies. Of the new incidents OR&R supported in 2025, 132 were oil spills and 13 involved chemical releases.
In 2025, NOAA’s Damage Assessment, Remediation, and Restoration Program (DARRP) supported coastal recovery across the country from the West Coast and Hawaiʻi to the Southeast and Northeast. Their 2025 highlights showcase the power of settlements in action through funding innovative coral restoration, habitat restoration projects, and the protection of vital fisheries across the nation. See how these investments are strengthening the ocean economy, recreational opportunities, and restoring your local waterways.