Environmental impacts of Environmental impacts of incidentsincidents

SPEAKER NAMESPEAKER NAME

SPEAKER APPOINTMENTSPEAKER APPOINTMENT

National Contingency Plan – Environment Group Training

TopicsTopics

Oil characterOil character

Why consider the environment?Why consider the environment?

Environmental decision makingEnvironmental decision making

Vulnerable resources Vulnerable resources

SummarySummary

National Contingency Plan – Environment Group Training

Oil characterOil character Oil is a general term used to describe a Oil is a general term used to describe a

variety of natural substances of plant, variety of natural substances of plant, animal and mineral originanimal and mineral origin

Oils are complex compounds containing Oils are complex compounds containing hydrocarbon and hydrocarbon and otherother compounds. compounds.

Oils vary greatly in their composition and Oils vary greatly in their composition and therefore behaviourtherefore behaviour

The behaviour influences environmental The behaviour influences environmental impacts and response strategiesimpacts and response strategies

National Contingency Plan – Environment Group Training

Why consider the environment?Why consider the environment?Environmental characteristics of an area will Environmental characteristics of an area will determine:determine: What needs to be doneWhat needs to be done

– Response objectivesResponse objectives– Protection/Clean-up prioritiesProtection/Clean-up priorities

What can be doneWhat can be done– Practicality of response Practicality of response – Furthering environmental damageFurthering environmental damage

UK Government legally responsibleUK Government legally responsible- UNCLOS- UNCLOS- EU Habitats Directive- EU Habitats Directive

National Contingency Plan – Environment Group Training

Environmental decision makingEnvironmental decision makingPlanning by objectivesPlanning by objectives

– Setting clear environmental or human health Setting clear environmental or human health objectives that the Environment Group wants objectives that the Environment Group wants to be achieved.to be achieved.

– ObjectiveObjective (First Advice) e.g. Prevent oil from (First Advice) e.g. Prevent oil from impacting a particular habitat.impacting a particular habitat.

– StrategyStrategy (Second stage advice): Use of (Second stage advice): Use of deflection booming to divert oil away from deflection booming to divert oil away from site.site.

– Tactic Tactic (Field): Use of shoreline protection (Field): Use of shoreline protection boom deployed from point X.boom deployed from point X.

National Contingency Plan – Environment Group Training

PrioritisePrioritise– Identifying where an action will have best Identifying where an action will have best

effecteffect– ProtectionProtection (Prevent impacts) e.g. salt- (Prevent impacts) e.g. salt-

marsh have high protection priority. Sand marsh have high protection priority. Sand beach has low protection prioritybeach has low protection priority

– Clean-upClean-up (Assist with recovery) e.g. Sand (Assist with recovery) e.g. Sand beach have a high clean-up priority. Salt-beach have a high clean-up priority. Salt-marsh have a low clean-up prioritymarsh have a low clean-up priority

National Contingency Plan – Environment Group Training

Environmental decision makingEnvironmental decision making

Vulnerable resourcesVulnerable resources Offshore (deep water)Offshore (deep water)

– Surface/breaching (diving and sea birds)Surface/breaching (diving and sea birds)

– Water column/breaching (marine mammals, fish, Water column/breaching (marine mammals, fish, plankton)plankton)

Inshore (shallow water)Inshore (shallow water)

– Surface (diving and sea birds)Surface (diving and sea birds)

– Water column (marine mammals, fish)Water column (marine mammals, fish)

– Seabed (crustacean, fish nurseries, seagrass, shell Seabed (crustacean, fish nurseries, seagrass, shell fish)fish)

Onshore Onshore

– (wading and shorebirds, marshes, marine mammals)(wading and shorebirds, marshes, marine mammals)

National Contingency Plan – Environment Group Training

Environmental effects depend Environmental effects depend on…on…

Type of pollutantType of pollutant– For oil it is viscosity, toxicity, behaviour, For oil it is viscosity, toxicity, behaviour,

persistence and fate of oil persistence and fate of oil LocationLocation

– Different habitats and resources impactedDifferent habitats and resources impacted Time of spillTime of spill

– Tidal conditions (spring/neap/high/low) and seasonTidal conditions (spring/neap/high/low) and season Environmental conditionsEnvironmental conditions

– Weather and sea stateWeather and sea state Clean-up actionClean-up action

– Appropriateness and aggressiveness of methodsAppropriateness and aggressiveness of methods

SaltmarshSaltmarsh

High priority protectionHigh priority protection Limited clean-up options Limited clean-up options

(substrate and form (substrate and form dependant)dependant)

Generally slow rates of Generally slow rates of clean-upclean-up

Aggressive clean-up can Aggressive clean-up can delay recoverydelay recovery

National Contingency Plan – Environment Group Training

SaltmarshSaltmarsh

National Contingency Plan – Environment Group Training

SeagrassSeagrass

High priority High priority protectionprotection

Considerations of Considerations of differences differences between sub-tidal between sub-tidal and inter-tidal and inter-tidal meadowsmeadows

Shoreline Shoreline stabilisationstabilisation

National Contingency Plan – Environment Group Training

Rocky shorelineRocky shoreline Low protection priorityLow protection priority Low sensitivity due to:Low sensitivity due to:

– High energyHigh energy

– Robust organismsRobust organisms

– Rapid rates of Rapid rates of recoveryrecovery

Consideration of Consideration of different substrate typesdifferent substrate types

Are all rocky shorelines Are all rocky shorelines high energy?high energy?

National Contingency Plan – Environment Group Training

Mud shorelineMud shoreline

High protection High protection prioritypriority

Clean-up can be Clean-up can be difficultdifficult

Oil retention in Oil retention in anaerobic conditionsanaerobic conditions

Wading/feeding Wading/feeding birdsbirds

National Contingency Plan – Environment Group Training

Sand shorelineSand shoreline

Low protection priorityLow protection priority Medium/High Clean-Medium/High Clean-

up priorityup priority Associated fauna may Associated fauna may

increase/decrease the increase/decrease the need for protectionneed for protection

Percolation or burial of Percolation or burial of oiloil

National Contingency Plan – Environment Group Training

FishFish Low protection priorityLow protection priority Nursery grounds may Nursery grounds may

be high protection be high protection prioritypriority

Detect suspended and Detect suspended and dissolved hydrocarbons dissolved hydrocarbons and move on.and move on.

Exceptions are benthic Exceptions are benthic and territorial speciesand territorial species

National Contingency Plan – Environment Group Training

BirdsBirds Habitat is high Habitat is high

protection priority (eg protection priority (eg feeding and nesting feeding and nesting areas)areas)

High susceptible to oil High susceptible to oil pollution:pollution:– Loss of insulationLoss of insulation– Loss of buoyancyLoss of buoyancy– Ingestion of oilIngestion of oil– Changes in behaviourChanges in behaviour– Oiling of nestsOiling of nests

National Contingency Plan – Environment Group Training

Oiled bird rehabilitationOiled bird rehabilitation Varied successVaried success Dependant upon:Dependant upon:

– Type of birdType of bird– Extent of oilingExtent of oiling– Ease of captureEase of capture– Logistics/resourcesLogistics/resources– TriageTriage

Ability to survive on Ability to survive on release may be release may be decreaseddecreased

National Contingency Plan – Environment Group Training

CetaceansCetaceans Low protection Low protection

prioritypriority Appear not to be overly Appear not to be overly

bothered by oil spillsbothered by oil spills Bit subjectiveBit subjective Common sense would Common sense would

suggest oil in breeding suggest oil in breeding and nursing areas and nursing areas might be a problemmight be a problem

National Contingency Plan – Environment Group Training

Marine mammals - generalMarine mammals - general

Haul out and Haul out and feeding areas are feeding areas are high protection and high protection and clean-up priorityclean-up priority

Effects from:Effects from:– InhalationInhalation– IngestionIngestion– Skin contactSkin contact– Loss of insulationLoss of insulation

National Contingency Plan – Environment Group Training

EcosystemEcosystem A conceptual chronology:A conceptual chronology:

- response in individuals then populations;response in individuals then populations;- related changes in communities and ecosystems;related changes in communities and ecosystems;- can result eventually in a monoculture.can result eventually in a monoculture.

Recovery commences when toxicity declines to level Recovery commences when toxicity declines to level tolerated by most robust colonising organism;tolerated by most robust colonising organism;

-- recovery process not well understood;recovery process not well understood;

-- ecosystem may never go back to original ecosystem may never go back to original composition.composition.

National Contingency Plan – Environment Group Training

SummarySummary

Effects of pollutants (including oil) on some Effects of pollutants (including oil) on some habitats and individual species may be well habitats and individual species may be well known, less well known at the ecosystem level;known, less well known at the ecosystem level;

Effects of oil spills is wide–ranging affecting Effects of oil spills is wide–ranging affecting many species;many species;

Effects can vary substantially (short-long-term Effects can vary substantially (short-long-term and visual/non visual);and visual/non visual);

The UK government has a legal obligation to The UK government has a legal obligation to protect habitats and species.protect habitats and species.

National Contingency Plan – Environment Group Training

Role of Nature Role of Nature Conservation AgenciesConservation Agencies

Government advisors on environmental issues Government advisors on environmental issues – generally;– generally;

Members of core group of SEG (chair);Members of core group of SEG (chair);

Undertake ELO role;Undertake ELO role;

SCAT advisors;SCAT advisors;

Environmental Impact Assessment advice.Environmental Impact Assessment advice.

National Contingency Plan – Environment Group Training