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  In mid-November 2024, a Scientific Support Coordinator from OR&R’s Emergency Response Division participated in a Republic of Korea - U.S. Joint Maritime Oil Spill Response Subject Matter Expert Exchange Workshop held in Busan, Republic of Korea (ROK). NOAA Scientific Support Coordinator for the Pacific Islands Region, presents an overview of NOAA and NOAA’s role in oil spill response. Image credit: USCG. The purpose of the workshop, sponsored by U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, was for U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) and key ROK stakeholders to develop working relationships and procedures in order to effectively respond to an oil spill from a USFK facility or operation in the ROK. USFK operates several installations and contingency locations in the ROK, as well as associated vessels and other equipment. Workshop participants included representatives of the ROK’s Coast Guard, Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, and Ministry of the Environment; Korea Environment Institute; Marine Environmenta...

NOAA’s Office of Response and Restoration (OR&R) is providing important information to aid in tracking the path of wind turbine blade parts after the offshore wind energy company, Vineyard Wind, noticed a broken blade on one of its wind turbines offshore of Martha’s Vineyard on July 13. The Northeast Region Scientific Support Coordinator with OR&R's Emergency Response Division was contacted on July 15 to provide trajectory information to assist with recovering pieces of the broken blade. About one third of the blade (approximately 120 feet) fell into the water, with three large pieces recovered. At that time, smaller fiberglass sections and pieces of the blade, some less than one square foot in size, remained in the water. Trajectory estimates produced by the OR&R modeling team predicted pieces of the blade could make landfall at Nantucket by July 15. Utilizing NOAA’s trajectories, response personnel were sent to Nantucket to assess the beaches. Upon their a...