Oil Spill in the Gulf of Mexico PDF Print E-mail
 

The oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico that has resulted from the recent Deepwater Horizon rig explosion is the worst spill in U.S. history.  While exact estimates are changing daily, it is certain that an unprecedented amount of oil has spilled into the Gulf of Mexico, creating devastating biological and economic consequences.  Federal officials have been working around the clock to find solutions, in close coordination with BP and other industry representatives, state and local officials, and a wide public support network.

 

I have made inquiry with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Congressional Research Service, and the U.S. Coast Guard to determine the best ways for my constituents to assist in this tragedy.  Below are the resources through which you can find out the latest on the spill, the government’s response, and ways you can help.

 

The Deepwater Horizon Response is a unified command established to manage response operations to the April 20, 2010 “Deepwater Horizon” tragedy. It links organizations responding to the incident and provides a forum for those organizations to make consensus decisions. Organizations involved include: BP, Transocean, the United States Coast Guard, Minerals Management Service, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the U.S. Department of the Interior, the U.S. Department of Defense, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the National Park Service, the Department of State, the U.S. Geological Survey, the Centers for Disease Control, and the United States Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Contact information for the Deepwater Horizon Unified Command is as follows:

 

  • Submit a suggestion for alternative response technology, services, or products to
    • (281) 366-5511 or online at http://www.horizonedocs.com/artform.php
  • Request volunteer information: (866) 448-5816
  • Submit your vessel for Vessel Opportunity Program: (281) 366-5511
  • Joint Information Center: (985) 902-5231 or (985) 902- 5240

 

In light of the numerous offers of innovative technology assistance to the response effort associated with the recent Deepwater Horizon spill in the Gulf of Mexico, the United States Coast Guard Research and Development Center (USCG RDC), at the request of the Federal On-Scene Coordinator (FOSC) and the National Incident Commander (NIC), has issued this Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) for the purpose of organizing the collection and enhancing the Deepwater Horizon Response Team assessment of the technology assistance offers.  This announcement constitutes a Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) issued under the provisions of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), Subparts 6.102(d)(2) and 35.016, to provide for the submission of White Papers (written description of the idea) in support of the Deepwater Horizon Response under the following five technology gap areas:

  • Oil Sensing Improvements to Response and Detection: For example, tactical oil sensing, surface oil tracking and reporting, submerged oil detection, submerged oil tracking and reporting, etc.
  • Oil Wellhead Control and Submerged Oil Response: For example, wellhead spill control, wellhead shutoff measures, submerged oil collection, submerged oil treatment, etc.
  • Traditional Oil Spill Response Technologies: For example, booms, skimmers, surface collections techniques, absorbents, near- and on-shore response, innovative applications not commonly used for oil spill response, disposal, etc.
  • Alternative Oil Spill Response Technologies: For example, In-situ burn, alternative chemical treatments, innovative applications not commonly used for oil response, etc.
  • Oil Spill Damage Assessment and Restoration: For example, damage assessment techniques, tracking surface restoration technologies and submerged restoration technologies, etc.

Offers can be submitted as follows:

  • Go to FedBizzops and retrieve announcement.
  • Either click on the link below:
    • https://www.fbo.gov/index?s=opportunity&mode;=form&id;=5c5ee6043051732b0a1b2202fcfe09ef&tab;=core&_cview=0
  • Or go to www.fbo.gov and search for solicitation number: HSCG32-10-R-R00019
  • Open the most current Amendment (Amendment #1 as of 4JUN10) that contains BAA synopsis.
  • Read the BAA synopsis.
  • If submitting BAA white paper, click on the link on page 3 of the BAA synopsis. The link follows the words: "Offerors shall respond to this BAA by electronically submitting a White Paper at".  The link for submitting the BAA white paper is also included here: http://homeport.uscg.mil/RDC-BAA-DHR
  • Fill out the online form and attach BAA white paper as per synopsis.
  • Hit submit.

The EPA has also developed its own voluntary submittal process for Surface Water Containment and Cleanup, Air Monitoring and Detection, Landfall Cleanup, Wildlife Protection and Cleanup, or other “categories of interest” such as data collection or management. The information received will be scrutinized for innovative ideas and technological solutions that are safe for the environment and public health and that can be deployed in the Gulf of Mexico to help with cleanup. If you would like to submit a comment to the EPA please see the enclosed guidelines for submissions. To access the forms required, please go to the link below:

If you would personally like to volunteer in the states that are being immediately impacted by the spill, please visit the following links:

State specific volunteer opportunities:

For updates about the current Administration’s response to the BP Oil Spill, please visit the link below: