From Paper to Pixels: How NOAA Maps Revolutionized Oil Spill Response

For over 40 years, NOAA’s Environmental Sensitivity Index (ESI) maps have guided emergency responders in protecting vulnerable shorelines. Discover how these critical maps evolved from heavy paper atlases into real-time, interactive digital geodatabases, pinpointing sensitive ecosystems before crisis hits to ensure rapid, targeted action.

Detailed section of an Environmental Sensitivity Index (ESI) map of Clinton Harbor and Long Island Sound, displaying color-coded shoreline sensitivity rankings and icons for coastal fish, birds, and marine mammals.
Last updated Wednesday, September 16, 2026 8:49am PDT
https://blog.response.restoration.noaa.gov/paper-pixels-how-noaa-maps-revolution…