Oil Spill Response
Photo by USFWS. |
The goal of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Oil Spill Program is
to emphasize early (contingency) planning and cooperation at the local,
regional, and national level in an effort to minimize the injury to fish,
wildlife, and sensitive environments from oil spills. |
| In response to a hazardous material incident, we assist State and other
Federal officials in local and regional chemical and oil spill response.
Service personnel participate as members of an integrated response team,
responding to chemical and oil spills in New York and other northeastern
states. We monitor spill recovery efforts to ensure that trust resources
are protected following an incident and during response and cleanup activities.
Shoreline surveys are also conducted during our response to assess other
ecological impacts resulting from the spill and to recover injured wildlife. |
Photo by USFWS. |
Please see our Oil Spill
Fact Sheet (PDF, 1.4MB) for more information. |
Photo by USFWS. |
The challenge of managing oil spills in the United States
is increasing in complexity and magnitude. Oil spills threaten millions
of miles of coastline, river systems, lakes, and terrestrial habitat daily,
particularly where there is extensive oil drilling, refining, and transport.
Serious, and potentially permanent, ecological damage is possible where
chronic spills or spills of national significance occur. |
The Departments of the Interior, Commerce, and Agriculture, together with Tribal
governments, States, and other jurisdictions, are responsible for protecting
natural resources. Because oil spills respect no boundaries, uniform Federal
policies and programs are essential. In addition, since the resources necessary
to respond to oil spills are limited and vary among the response agencies, it
is more important than ever to establish and strengthen cooperative relationships.
Oil and Nature:
| Oil: When it heats our homes and powers our vehicles, it is a necessity. When
it spills into our waters and coats our shores, it becomes a big problem. |
Photo by USFWS. |
 |
Reporting
an Oil Spill: The National Response Center (1-800-424-8802) is
the sole Federal point of contact for reporting oil and chemical spills.
If you have a spill to report, contact them via their toll-free number or
check out our Web Site for additional information on reporting requirements
and procedures. |
Other Oil Spill Links:
FWS
Oil Spill Response
EPA Oil Spill Program
NOAA's Office
of Response and Restoration
Students
and Teachers
FWS Contaminants Home Page • FWS Contaminants Northeast Region
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