BSEE and NOAA to Complete Arctic Oil Spill Response Mapping Tool
Environmental Response Management Application (ERMA?) The Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) announced they are partnering to enhance the Environmental Response Management Application (ERMA?) for the Arctic region by summer 2012. ERMA? is the same interactive online mapping tool used by federal responders during the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. This effort will help address numerous challenges in the Arctic where increasing ship traffic and proposed energy development are increasing the risk of oil spills and chemical releases."This emergency response tool was invaluable when managing the Deepwater Horizon response," said BSEE Director James A. Watson, who served as the federal on-scene coordinator for the U.S. Coast Guard during the disaster. "Adding this tool to the Arctic region would provide a tremendous boost to the current oil spill response capabilities there. We are very pleased to work with NOAA to provide this enhanced capability to those involved in planning and response activities.""Launching this tool for responders, media and the public during the Deepwater Horizon oil spill was a groundbreaking technical achievement and one of the most significant contributions NOAA provided to the historic, large-scale response," said Monica Medina, NOAA principal deputy under secretary ...
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