March 15, 2021 — Starting on March 1, OR&R’s Emergency Response Division participated virtually in six National Advisory Meetings on the current state of knowledge on dispersants in Canadian waters. Dispersant use in Canada is currently very restricted. The review sessions focused on the potential ecological impacts and trade-offs associated with chemical dispersants. 

Doug Helton shared information from the Alaska preauthorization process; the NOAA/Coastal Response Research Center (University of New Hampshire) series of reports on the State-of-the-Science of Dispersants and Dispersed Oil (DDO) in U.S. Arctic Waters; and lessons learned from the Deepwater Horizon spill, including findings from the Natural Resource Damage Assessment (NRDA). The peer-review included experts from Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Canadian Coast Guard, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Transport Canada, Natural Resources Canada, Academics, Industry, and consultants. U.S. participants included NOAA, EPA, the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement, and industry experts. A Science Advisory report supporting future decision-making for the use of dispersants in Canada is forthcoming. 

Please see the terms of reference for the meeting at the Fisheries and Oceans Canada web page.

For more information, contact Doug.Helton@noaa.gov.

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