After the oil spill; US Dept. of Interior Photo

June 6 – Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill Disaster

More on Deepwater Horizon

• The Deepwater Horizon spill had a dramatic effect on some of the creatures inhabiting the affected area of the Gulf of Mexico, particularly dolphin and sea turtles

• The presentations that follow from “Shining Light on Deepwater Horizon’s impacts on the Florida Panhandle” focus on compromised wildlife

• The popular film Deepwater Horizon provides a dramatization of the events leading to and early hours of the disaster

ERMA Deepwater Gulf Response Map of data available on Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill NOAA/EPA/Dept of Interior/Dept of Homeland Security/University of New Hampshire

What are PAHs? • “Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) are a group of semi-volatile

organic compounds (SVOCs) that are present in crude oil that has spent time in the ocean and eventually reaches shore and can be formed when oil is burned.”

• “The EPA focused on the following PAH compounds during the Deepwater Horizon oil spill:

• benzo(a)pyrene, • benzo(a)anthracene, • benzo(b)fluoranthene, • benzo(k) fluoranthene, • chrysene, • dibenz(a,h)anthracene, • indeno(1,2,3-cd)pyrene, and • Naphthalene.”

• “EPA is focusing on these pollutants because they are present in weathered oil and are also released from burning oil, and, at elevated concentrations, could potentially cause health problems, including long-term health effects such as cancer.”

• Draw from the EPA publication “Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons on the Gulf Coastline” available at https://archive.epa.gov/emergency/bpspill/web/html/pahs.html

Cheryl Lassiter on NOAA Fisheries Analytical Response to the Gulf Oil Spill

• Cheryl Lassiter is the lead

Chemist for the National Seafood Inspection Laboratory at NOAA Fisheries

• View Ms Lassiter’s presentation at https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=11&v=3VWxom0ZGko&feature=emb_logo

• See also Sea Grant FACT SHEET “IS IT SAFE? EXAMINING HEALTH RISKS FROM THE DEEPWATER HORIZON OIL SPILL” at http://masgc.org/oilscience/oil-spill-science-health-risks.pdf

NOAA Photo

Seafood Safety after Deepwater Horizon

• Ms Lassiter spoke on NOAA’s actions to ensure seafood was safe for consumers, noting the three phases of its activities: • Precautionary Closures • Re-opening Protocols • Surveillance

• She covered the various tests on collected samples to ensure consumer safety, including analytical chemical testing and sensory checks

• Of the thousands of fish and shrimp samples taken following the oil spill for PAHs and dispersants, all were well below FDA levels of carcinogenic concern

Seafood Sensory Check NOAA

Seafood Chemical Testing NOAA

Dr. Alissa Deming on Perinate bottlenose dolphin mortalities following the Deepwater Horizon oil spill • Dr. Alissa Deming is the staff

veterinarian at the Dauphin Island Sea Lab

• View Dr. Deming’s presentation at https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1&v=dpiArIGfPkk&feature=emb_logo

• See also Sea Grant FACT SHEET “HELPING OILED ANIMALS RECOVER” at http://masgc.org/oilscience/helping-oiled-wildlife.pdf

Dolphin Swimming in Oil Slick Louisiana Dept of Wildlife and Fisheries Photo

Dolphin Health and the Oil Spill • Dr. Deming spoke about dolphin mortality following

the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, noting that over the four year period after the spill total dolphin deaths in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama increased four-fold from the norm

• Oil can suppress dolphin immune systems and cause weight loss, lung problems, and other diseases

• Significant perinatal problems (unborn and infant dolphins) occurred as well, leading to concerns about the time required for dolphin populations in the region to recover from the spill

Dolphin Swimming in Oil Slick NOAA Photo

Dead Dolphin in Barataria Bay Louisiana NOAA Photo

Dianne Ingram on Sea Turtle Injury Summary and Restoration Update

• Dianne Ingram is a restoration biologist for the Department of the Interior

• View Ms Ingram’s presentation at https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=2&v=hPvTXNl6Gb4&feature=emb_logo

• For information on legislation regarding federal response to oil spills, see Sea Grant FACT SHEET “FEDERAL EMERGENCY RESPSONSE FRAMEWORK FOR OIL SPILLS: STAFFORD ACT AND OIL POLLUTION ACT” at http://masgc.org/oilscience/OPA-vs-Stafford.pdf

Hawksbill Turtle – Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary NOAA Photo

Sea Turtles after the Oil Spill

• Ms Ingram covered sea turtle movement patterns and life cycle stages, noting their use of ocean currents

• In addition to problems with the oil spill itself, spill mitigation efforts such as skimming and dispersants threatened sea turtles at sea while heavy equipment used to clean the beaches could harm turtle eggs and hatchlings

• She updated the attendees on the several Federal programs initiated to help with turtle restoration, such as NRDA

Oil soaked sea turtle Carolyn Cole/LA Times NOAA Photo

Common Dolphin NOAA Photo

Final Words on the Spill

• NOAA’s September 2015 “Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill Final Phase IV Early Restoration Plan and Environmental Assessments” from NOAA is available at https://www.gulfspillrestoration.noaa.gov/sites/default/files/wp-content/uploads/Final-Phase-IV-ERP-EA.pdf

• “Can Margaritaville survive an oil slick?” asked Associated Press journalist Jay Reeves of Jimmy Buffett in a July 7, 2010 interview: • “… we’ll survive,” he says quickly, “people on this coast can survive anything. I

mean, it’s another storm, it happens to be one we’re not quite used to in terms of what it’s leaving behind, but you know, this is hurricane country and people bounce back, and I love the resilience of people.”

From the July 7, 2010 WordPress.com article “Jimmy Buffett Speaks Out and Stands Up for His Gulf Home and Our Heritage” by Dr. Tom Hoban at https://oilygulf.wordpress.com/2010/07/07/jimmy-buffett/