Shoreline countermeasures are the treatments people apply to shorelines damaged by an oil spill, in order to reduce the ultimate environmental impact and cost of a spill. The Shoreline Countermeasures Manuals are tools for people who must plan and implement shoreline countermeasures, such as members of Regional Response Teams, Area Planning Committees, and state and local response agencies.

Each manual is a template you can tailor to particular regions. Each is a guide for:

• Identifying shorelines that need treatment.
• Establishing treatment priorities.
• Monitoring the effectiveness and impacts of treatments.
• Identifying and resolving problems that may arise as a treatment progresses.

We've developed manuals for temperate, tropical, and freshwater environments, and for Alaska. You can customize any of the manuals for your particular geographic area and circumstance. We designed the manuals so that you can adapt manual sections to address issues, priorities, and concerns specific to your particular planning area. As you customize a manual for your particular environment, you can identify, discuss, and resolve important shoreline treatment issues before an emergency happens.

Shoreline Countermeasures Manual for Alaska [PDF, 457 KB]

Shoreline Countermeasures Manual for Fresh Water [PDF, 3.3 MB]: Options for Minimizing Environmental Impacts of Freshwater Spill Response

Shoreline Countermeasures Manual for Temperate Coastal Environments [PDF, 272 KB]

Shoreline Countermeasures Manual for Tropical Coastal Environments [PDF, 1.8 MB]